Fermented feed and Worming Medicines

[hrt4desh]

I've searched and searched but haven't been able to find a thread that discusses fermented feed and dewormers. So here goes...

I've been giving my chickens (pullets to layers) Molly's Herbals Formula #1 and #2 for weeks now in their fermented feed. With the decreased daylight hours, my laying hens aren't eating as much nor are they laying as much. However, my pullets (meat birds) are separated and still eating just as much as usual.

I've begun to notice that I might have coccidiosis in my meat birds. They get moved to fresh grass every one to two days, so it's not an issue of cleanliness. (I think the cocci came with some chicks I was given months ago. I've had a hard time getting rid of it since then.)

Anyway, all of my birds don't drink much water at all because I keep a pretty liquidy ferment. I have Corid on hand from when I treated my flock earlier this year. But now I feel like I need to treat again. However, I'm just not sure they're going to get enough medicine because they don't drink much water. The last time I did this, I ended up dumping most of their water out every day, giving them fresh daily.

Has anyone had any success with the Molly's Herbals getting rid of coccidiosis? If so, how did you dose them? I found out about Molly's Herbals on this forum but I can't find the thread again since then. Can anyone give me some direction as to how you dose your birds with these herbals? I have 18 laying hens and 7 pullets.

Here's the biggest questions: If the Herbals won't get rid of coccidiosis, can I put Corid in fermented feed? They eat almost all of their food daily, which is why I am able to give them the herbal in their fermented feed. I just know they would get the medicine if I could put it in the feed and not in the water.

I'm aware of the dosing requirements for chickens and Corid. I just need some input as to what others have done with Molly's Herbals, Corid and fermented feed.

 

[DobieLover]

I've searched and searched but haven't been able to find a thread that discusses fermented feed and dewormers. So here goes...

I've been giving my chickens (pullets to layers) Molly's Herbals Formula #1 and #2 for weeks now in their fermented feed. With the decreased daylight hours, my laying hens aren't eating as much nor are they laying as much. However, my pullets (meat birds) are separated and still eating just as much as usual.

I've begun to notice that I might have coccidiosis in my meat birds. They get moved to fresh grass every one to two days, so it's not an issue of cleanliness. (I think the cocci came with some chicks I was given months ago. I've had a hard time getting rid of it since then.)

Anyway, all of my birds don't drink much water at all because I keep a pretty liquidy ferment. I have Corid on hand from when I treated my flock earlier this year. But now I feel like I need to treat again. However, I'm just not sure they're going to get enough medicine because they don't drink much water. The last time I did this, I ended up dumping most of their water out every day, giving them fresh daily.

Has anyone had any success with the Molly's Herbals getting rid of coccidiosis? If so, how did you dose them? I found out about Molly's Herbals on this forum but I can't find the thread again since then. Can anyone give me some direction as to how you dose your birds with these herbals? I have 18 laying hens and 7 pullets.

Here's the biggest questions: If the Herbals won't get rid of coccidiosis, can I put Corid in fermented feed? They eat almost all of their food daily, which is why I am able to give them the herbal in their fermented feed. I just know they would get the medicine if I could put it in the feed and not in the water.

I'm aware of the dosing requirements for chickens and Corid. I just need some input as to what others have done with Molly's Herbals, Corid and fermented feed.

I don't use the herbals you mention or any others for that matter. Regardless of what they claim they will cure, they won't.
You can put the Corid in the fermented feed without issue.
Why do you think the meat birds have coccidiosis again?
Just for your awareness, cocci oocysts are a normal part of the gut flora and they are everywhere. It's when their numbers explode that you end up with disease.

 

[hrt4desh]

I don't use the herbals you mention or any others for that matter. Regardless of what they claim they will cure, they won't.
You can put the Corid in the fermented feed without issue.
Why do you think the meat birds have coccidiosis again?
Just for your awareness, cocci oocysts are a normal part of the gut flora and they are everywhere. It's when their numbers explode that you end up with disease.

First, thank you so much for responding so quickly!! I really appreciate it!!

I agree that herbals struggle with healing. I mainly use them to help prevent. I've never had an issue with cocci until I brought those chicks onto my property. I know at least 3 other farms that received chicks from the same family and all of them have had issues.

I pulled out two of the meat hens yesterday to add them to my layer flock. Since we've not touched them hardly at all since we got them, they were all stressed after that. This morning, I noticed a lot of red in a lot of their overnight poo. Again, I move them frequently, so that's why I feel like they may have it. (This will be their first round of having it. They were late to the party.)

Second, thank you for telling me I can add Corid to their fermented feed! I felt like I could but I could never get a definitive answer so I was hesitant to try it. How would you recommend that I dose it? I definitely don't want to give them too much but I'd like to get rid of this quickly. They won't be ready to process until Dec./Jan. which will presumably give ample time to get this out of their system.

Again, thank you for responding! I really appreciate your time!

 

[DobieLover]

First, thank you so much for responding so quickly!! I really appreciate it!!

I agree that herbals struggle with healing. I mainly use them to help prevent. I've never had an issue with cocci until I brought those chicks onto my property. I know at least 3 other farms that received chicks from the same family and all of them have had issues.

I pulled out two of the meat hens yesterday to add them to my layer flock. Since we've not touched them hardly at all since we got them, they were all stressed after that. This morning, I noticed a lot of red in a lot of their overnight poo. Again, I move them frequently, so that's why I feel like they may have it. (This will be their first round of having it. They were late to the party.)

Second, thank you for telling me I can add Corid to their fermented feed! I felt like I could but I could never get a definitive answer so I was hesitant to try it. How would you recommend that I dose it? I definitely don't want to give them too much but I'd like to get rid of this quickly. They won't be ready to process until Dec./Jan. which will presumably give ample time to get this out of their system.

Again, thank you for responding! I really appreciate your time!

There is no withdrawal period for Corid so no worries there.
I would cut back about 25% on the amount of fermented feed that you normally give and make up that difference with a mash where you use Corid water instead of plain water. Shoot for 1/4 tsp concentrated Corid per bird in the water you use to make the mash. I make mashes out of Flock Raiser or chick starter or any commercial feed. Mix that in well with the fermented feed and give it to them.
Do this for a week then drop the amount of Corid down by half.
It's hard to overdose Corid. It's well tolerated. It is a thiamine inhibitor so do not offer vitamin supplementation that contains thiamine during treatment.

EDITTED to update initial dosage based on assumption that avg water intake per bird is 500 mls per day.

 

[hrt4desh]

There is no withdrawal period for Corid so no worries there.
I would cut back about 25% on the amount of fermented feed that you normally give and make up that difference with a mash where you use Corid water instead of plain water. Shoot for 1/8 tsp concentrated Corid per bird in the water you use to make the mash. I make mashes out of Flock Raiser or chick starter or any commercial feed. Mix that in well with the fermented feed and give it to them.
Do this for a week then drop the amount of Corid down by half.
It's hard to overdose Corid. It's well tolerated. It is a thiamine inhibitor so do not offer vitamin supplementation that contains thiamine during treatment.

Again, thank you so much for responding so quickly! I will use this information for dosing. I really appreciate your help!

 

[DobieLover]

Again, thank you so much for responding so quickly! I will use this information for dosing. I really appreciate your help!

Please see the edit I made in my dosage recommendation.
The starting dosage for a severe outbreak is 2 tsp Corid per gallon of water. Based on the water intake assumption of 500 mls per bird per day, about 8 birds would drink a gallon of water. So the math comes out to 1/4 tsp undiluted Corid per bird.