First time dealing with round worm(?)

[Eggcessive]

Don’t use the SafeGuard pellets, since dosage would be hard to calculate exactly. Use the SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer or the horse paste if using SafeGuard. It is 10% fenbendazole and the dosage is easy—0.25 ml (1/4ml) per pound of weight given one and again in 10 days for roundworms only. Use it for 5 comsecutive days to treat more serious worms such as capillary or gapeworms. But while molting, they really should get the Valbazen instead. Valbazen is very expensive, around $48, but if you shake it well for each dose, and store it out of the heat and cold, it will provide 1000 doses, lasting years. You can share it with other chicken owners as I have.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Can anyone chime in about the feather damage side effect from safeguard? There is a significant cost difference and we have our tightest budget yet this month due to holiday cost. I’d save $30 doing the safeguard. My birds went through a very soft molt. Just feathers here and there. When I look for mites and lice I see erupted quills with little feather shoots extending. Would that qualify them as still regrowing feathers? Please chime in your opinions.

I know there are people who use safeguard during molt and have never had a problem, but if they could see before and after pictures of one of my hen's tailfeathers they might be a little more cautious (beautiful pompom tail to floppy, bedraggled looking thing). There are definitely far worse mistakes to make as a chicken owner though...

Also, I know a bottle of valbazen seems rather expensive, but a little goes a long, long way. If you calculate the cost per dose I'm pretty sure Valbazen is the cheapest option out there. Maybe someone in your area already has a bottle they'd be willing to share? I had to buy a bottle for my tiny flock and it's way more than I'll ever use (I've used less than 10ml of 500ml in two years) so I'm always on the lookout for anyone local who needs some.

 

[RobinS1217]

Yes, it is still regrowing feathers. Feather regrowth using Safeguard can cause feathers to become stunted, regrow in different ways, inward etc...
How do I know this? I had it happen years ago.
You can delay worming your birds with Safeguard until feathers are fully regrown if you wish, or roll the dice and worm them with Safeguard.
If you use Safeguard, use the liquid goat wormer and give it orally using a syringe without a needle.

I waited and never saw any more worms until last week, a broody bird. So I got my hands on some Valbazen. I did their first dose this morning when I let them out. We usually get 21-24 eggs a day. We only got 17 today. Could the dewormer have caused the drop in production?

 

[dawg53]

I waited and never saw any more worms until last week, a broody bird. So I got my hands on some Valbazen. I did their first dose this morning when I let them out. We usually get 21-24 eggs a day. We only got 17 today. Could the dewormer have caused the drop in production?

No, just coincidence.

It's not often you'll see worms in feces. Why would a parasite want to leave its host?
There are only two reasons why a worm would leave its host prior to worming:
It died and was excreted.
There is a worm overload in the guts and was excreted.

Once wormed, they are normally absorbed as protein in the digestive tract.

 

[Kiki]

I waited and never saw any more worms until last week, a broody bird. So I got my hands on some Valbazen. I did their first dose this morning when I let them out. We usually get 21-24 eggs a day. We only got 17 today. Could the dewormer have caused the drop in production?

The dewormer no but the stress of handling them and giving them the dewormer yes.

 

[RobinS1217]

The dewormer no but the stress of handling them and giving them the dewormer yes.

Didn’t consider that! Yes it sure was a task working 34 birds with a hostile rooster around. The older he gets the harder time I’m having being close to his ladies. He is almost 1. If he has flogged my children and husband within the last week. Never me. But today he gave me some warnings. I can respect he is simply doing his job but I can’t sacrifice my children’s safety…Afraid it’s time for him to go.

 

[Kiki]

Didn’t consider that! Yes it sure was a task working 34 birds with a hostile rooster around. The older he gets the harder time I’m having being close to his ladies. He is almost 1. If he has flogged my children and husband within the last week. Never me. But today he gave me some warnings. I can respect he is simply doing his job but I can’t sacrifice my children’s safety…Afraid it’s time for him to go.

I'd off him tomorrow if I were you.

 

[RobinS1217]

Valbazen and Safeguard are benzimidazoles. Benzimidazoles are mostly excreted, just a little is absorbed into the bloodstream.
If you suspect that you or a family member might have a reaction to the minute residue in the eggs, toss them in the garbage for two weeks like you mentioned. Dont sell nor give eggs away to be eaten. Dont feed the eggs back to the chickens
I've been using both products for years. I worm birds monthly. We eat the eggs after worming. I'm still here typing.

We’ve wormed our birds and I’m just curious why we can’t feed them back to the birds? If we can dose them directly why would the minimal amount of residue in bloodstream that could potentially reach the egg affect the birds?

 

[dawg53]

It will eventually cause worm resistance to the wormer.

 

[nuthatched]

We’ve wormed our birds and I’m just curious why we can’t feed them back to the birds? If we can dose them directly why would the minimal amount of residue in bloodstream that could potentially reach the egg affect the birds?

It will cause a never ending cycle of inedible eggs