First time worming chickens

[tanithcrane]

Hi i recently adopted some ex bat hens they have severe feather loss and two look pretty scrawny and small and they seem to huddle alot and tuck there heads in but do forage and roam and are eating and drinking
I dont think they were ever wormed and i dont know if they have worms but i want to worm them anyway
What wormer can i buy that will kill all types of worms and will worming them cause a gut obstruction as i heard this can kill a chicken

 

[azygous]

You are wise to ask these questions. Yes, there are worming meds that kill all species. Ivermectin is simple and easy to use, just a couple drops on the skin on the back of the neck. It's used for all species of animals.

Safeguard is another favorite all-purpose wormer.

But to be sure these chickens even have worms, and if you wish to know how "loaded" their intestines are, the safest bet would be to collect a stool sample from each chicken, label them as to whose it is, and take them to a vet and ask for a simple fecal float test. That's all. No need to have the vet prescribe any treatment as you'll do it yourself. It shouldn't cost more than $25.

 

[FluffTheDuck]

I have found out cantaloupe deworms chickens too! Agreeing with @azygous

 

[dawg53]

Hi i recently adopted some ex bat hens they have severe feather loss and two look pretty scrawny and small and they seem to huddle alot and tuck there heads in but do forage and roam and are eating and drinking
I dont think they were ever wormed and i dont know if they have worms but i want to worm them anyway
What wormer can i buy that will kill all types of worms and will worming them cause a gut obstruction as i heard this can kill a chicken

There are two types of poultry worms that can cause obstruction in the gut; large roundworms and tapeworms. For tapeworms, you'll see rice-like segments in feces.
Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer slowly gets rid of worms over a period of about 4 days preventing toxic dead worm overload. Dosage is 1/2cc orally to each chicken. Then redose again in 10 days.
Valbazen kills all known types of worms that chickens can get. However treating tapeworms requires withholding feed for 24 hours and higher doses given to each infected chicken. Praziquantel would be better used in treating tapeworms.
It would be best to get some fecal samples tested though, your hens might be in molt.

 

[tanithcrane]

You are wise to ask these questions. Yes, there are worming meds that kill all species. Ivermectin is simple and easy to use, just a couple drops on the skin on the back of the neck. It's used for all species of animals.

Safeguard is another favorite all-purpose wormer.

But to be sure these chickens even have worms, and if you wish to know how "loaded" their intestines are, the safest bet would be to collect a stool sample from each chicken, label them as to whose it is, and take them to a vet and ask for a simple fecal float test. That's all. No need to have the vet prescribe any treatment as you'll do it yourself. It shouldn't cost more than $25.

Ok thats great thankyou
Does the poo have to be fresh
Ive been worrying about them and its so hard trying to find a wormer online theres so many and i heard some awfull stories of chickens dying from there digestive system being loaded with worms i have two other chickens too and dont want them to catch anything from the ex bats
Thanks again for the help

 

[Shadrach]

My recommendation would be a Flubendazole based wormer such as Flubenvet.
It is the only wormer licensed for use in the EU for poultry and has zero days egg withdrawal.
It is a broad spectrum wormer with a 10 x required dose safety margin.

 

[tanithcrane]

There are two types of poultry worms that can cause obstruction in the gut; large roundworms and tapeworms. For tapeworms, you'll see rice-like segments in feces.
Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer slowly gets rid of worms over a period of about 4 days preventing toxic dead worm overload. Dosage is 1/2cc orally to each chicken. Then redose again in 10 days.
Valbazen kills all known types of worms that chickens can get. However treating tapeworms requires withholding feed for 24 hours and higher doses given to each infected chicken. Praziquantel would be better used in treating tapeworms.
It would be best to get some fecal samples tested though, your hens might be in molt.

Ok thankyou i had a look at there poo today and i couldnt visibly see any worms but not sure really what to look for im going to collect some and take it to the vet, does it take a few days ?
And does the poo have to be seperate for each chicken

 

[tanithcrane]

My recommendation would be a Flubendazole based wormer such as Flubenvet.
It is the only wormer licensed for use in the EU for poultry and has zero days egg withdrawal.
It is a broad spectrum wormer with a 10 x required dose safety margin.

Thats great thankyou ille have a look

 

[azygous]

If you want just one overall test to see if all these new chickens are carrying worms, it's not necessary to gather a sample from each. Most often, if one chicken in a group that has lived together has worms, they all do.

However, if you want to know if one chicken or another is carrying the kind of worm load that can create a blockage when they all start to die at once, an individual sample from each chicken is necessary. This is what I would do since individuals will vary in the strength of their immune systems.

It's best to gather fresh samples and run them right down to your vet, properly labeled. You don't need much, a teaspoon full is enough. Place each sample in a plastic baggie and seal carefully. Some vets can do the test while you wait. I dropped it off and went grocery shopping, and stopped at the vet on my way home and the results were waiting for me. The test will show if worms are present and what kind they are. It will also show if coccidia are present in amounts enough to make a chicken sick.