HELP- What type of WORM is this???!!

[dawg53]

I have read the complete opposite- that each worm treatment only kills THAT SPECIFIC WORM species. It is all over every website I read. Can you please tell me where you are getting your information?
Also- I am in canada, and I do not have an avian vet who will be prescribing- just buying at local farm co-op. (like a tractor supply but not).

You've read misinformation. The wormers currently sold are broad spectrum wormers and eliminate most worms, particularly roundworms.
That is a maggot in your photos.

 

[NatJ]

I would scramble up some egg and give her some yogurt if it would help.. but I dont think she will eat it. No one wants to eat when they feel like that.
I have left her with some BOSS and pellets and water.

You could try putting a small amount of pellets in a bit water, where they soften up to make a mush--many chickens think it's a great treat! It's quick and easy to do a small amount, and if she doesn't eat it fairly soon, you can give it to the other chickens to finish up, so no waste of feed and not much waste of time.

For whether she has worms: any chance of getting a vet to check a sample of her manure? I've read that many vets will do that even if they do not "treat" chickens, because it's the same way they check dogs and cats and other animals. I think it's called a "fecal float test."

If she has worms, then of course they need treatment. But if she does not have worms, then treating for them is a waste of time and effort that could be used to find the real problem. So that's why I suggest seeing whether a vet can tell for sure--from her poop--whether she does or does not have worms.

 

[Minky]

You could try putting a small amount of pellets in a bit water, where they soften up to make a mush--many chickens think it's a great treat! It's quick and easy to do a small amount, and if she doesn't eat it fairly soon, you can give it to the other chickens to finish up, so no waste of feed and not much waste of time.

For whether she has worms: any chance of getting a vet to check a sample of her manure? I've read that many vets will do that even if they do not "treat" chickens, because it's the same way they check dogs and cats and other animals. I think it's called a "fecal float test."

If she has worms, then of course they need treatment. But if she does not have worms, then treating for them is a waste of time and effort that could be used to find the real problem. So that's why I suggest seeing whether a vet can tell for sure--from her poop--whether she does or does not have worms.

The vets here will not do a focal float on a chicken that is not a patient. I asked.
So Im looking at over $200, and no, sorry , not doing that. LOL

Not even sure any of my hens have worms.... dont see them in the poop.

Every article I read says that each worm/beetle /fly type needs a different medication...so Im sure its not misinformation.
For example Piperazine which is the only thing my feed store sells only does round worms.

So I dont think I'm misinformed.

 

[Minky]

You've read misinformation. The wormers currently sold are broad spectrum wormers and eliminate most worms, particularly roundworms.
That is a maggot in your photos.

Maybe in the USA. Canada and the US are very different in every way.

 

[Eggcessive]

SafeGuard is fenbendazole, and the horse paste is available in Canada. It is one of the safest and broadspectrum wormers that @dawg53 mentioned. It would get any worm except for tapeworms which are not that common.
https://www-jefferspet-weblinc.netd...7b73456f2131d79ca000052/zoom.jpg?c=1471624281

 

[NatJ]

The vets here will not do a focal float on a chicken that is not a patient. I asked.
So Im looking at over $200, and no, sorry , not doing that. LOL

In that case, I wouldn't either

Not even sure any of my hens have worms.... dont see them in the poop.

I'm not sure how often you would be able to see them, but it probably does make sense to also consider other explanations for why the hen isn't doing well.

How old is she? Unfortunately, cancer can be a disease that can cause weight loss, and it can be common in hens over 2 years. Check the crop as well, since crop impaction or sour crop can cause weight loss if the crop is not working. A strong urine odor can be caused by excess uric acid, the white cap part of the droppings. If they are not drinking enough, there mught be mire uric acid in the droppings.

Good questions!

 

[cmom]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/se..._comments]=1&c[include_reviews]=1&o=relevance

 

[Minky]

I bought

SafeGuard is fenbendazole, and the horse paste is available in Canada. It is one of the safest and broadspectrum wormers that @dawg53 mentioned. It would get any worm except for tapeworms which are not that common.
https://www-jefferspet-weblinc.netd...7b73456f2131d79ca000052/zoom.jpg?c=1471624281

They had Safeguard at the farm store- in a liquid... it was $139.99 for a small jar...and they had it in a tube of paste, like a big box of toothpaste, but it says in big letters on it do not use for any animal that is being consumed. Since I eat the eggs, that made me very uncomfortable. It also had no mention of chickens or dosage.... and the lady working there seemed to think it was a bad idea.......
I will try the Piperazine 52 that I bought. I inspected A. LOT of poops on my poop boards, and they all looked normal. No worms or blood. Just green mush and some white tops sometimes.. Pretty gross. I also bought some Poul-Vite (vitamin) since she is not eating much.

Thanks to everyone for all the help. If piperazine doesn't help her feel better, Im not sure what next steps are...

 

[Eggcessive]

There is a 14 egg withdraw time when using SafeGuard (fenbendazole.) It is approved for poultry in the US. Panacur horse paste is also 10% fenbendazole.

 

[coach723]

The Safeguard paste is fine to use, it's used all the time. Many wormers are used off label for chickens, it's a matter of $$ to do the studies to get approval for chickens. The same medication is sometimes used in humans.
If you are worried about eating the eggs then you can do a two week withdrawl from the eggs after treatment.
I have been using Safeguard and Valbazen regularly for many, many years for my chickens, absolutely no issues.
Most of the time you will NOT see worms in the droppings, they live the entire lifecycle inside the bird. The fecal test checks for the eggs that are shed in droppings, which are microscopic. A bird carrying a heavy load of worms may occasionally pass one in the droppings, but many times they will not.
There are mail in options for getting a fecal done, I imagine you could do that also:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J5SOZ...colid=27RHKHAM35GO&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it