Hen sick, first time worming, I have questions

[khaos]

My Australorpe hen started acting strange several days ago, spending most of her time in the nesting box but not laying. We noticed her behavior change on Monday and I thought she was broody, but normally if I remove any eggs and make her get out the box she will get over her broodiness. This time she didn't and she wanted to spend the night in the next box which is unusual. On Wednesday she took a big poop and it had large roundworms in it. I am new to chickens but I got on this forum and read everything I could about worms and worming and searched all over the internet. I went to the feed store and bought Wazine-17. They also had Valbazen but the Wazine was cheaper and I decided to try it. I put it in the water on Wednesday evening and left it until Thursday evening following the instructions. In the morning I made my hen get up and I saw her pecking at some scratch in the run and then she went to her feeder and I hoped she would drink the water, but I couldn't stay to watch. When I got home from work Thursday my hen was in the nesting box. I made her get up and after a while she perked up and took another real big poop. It seemed like undigested or impartially digested feed and some red tissue in it but I didn't see worms. I got her to drink quite a bit of the Wazine water because she was thirsty, but she didn't eat much. She then acted like she was startled and I didn't know from what but I thought maybe she didn't feel good. She ran back into the coop and got back in her box. Later I got her up again and held her and she very docile, but she wouldn't drink anymore. She spent the night in the nesting box. Today I got her out when I got home from work and the poop was really big and this time there were maybe 3 roundworms in it and it smelled very methane-y, more stinky than usual. She will peck a little bit and eat her dried mealworm treat but mostly she just sits in the box. She seems alert in there but when I take her out and put her on the ground she will just hunker down on the ground and cluck softly unless I perk her up with some treats.

I know its possible there is something else wrong with her besides the worms. She hasn't laid an egg since Sunday or Monday and I am going to check to see if she is eggbound but I have never done that and I am a little intimidated, but I will get through it.

My questions are: how do I tell if the Wazine is working? I saw some worms in the poop today but not many, and we saw worms in the poop before we used it so that doesn't indicate a change. I don't know if she got an effective dose, even though I saw her drink the water.

How long should I wait before trying an oral dose of Valbazen? Should I wait 10 days until its time for the second worming? Or is there a point at which I can assume the Wazine isn't working and just go for it? Will it hurt her to give her a dose of Valbazen or even a second dose of Wazine too soon after the first dose?

Is it normal for a chicken with roundworms to act broody and want to lie in the nest box all day?

If she was eggbound could she still make giant poops?

If the Wazine worked, how long will it take for her to poop the worms out? Am I just being impatient?

I am thinking about keeping her inside tonight because I am so worried about her. I have one other hen and that one seems totally fine and her poops are normal.


Please help me with my questions if you can! I am rather anxious!

Kay

 

[khaos]

well i tried to inspect her vent but its difficult to do own my own and my partner will be home tomorrow so i will hold out till then. but i did notice that her belly was bare, and at first i suspected mites or lice. but i didn't see any and the skin didn't look irritated. now i am thinking my chicken is just broody! well she still has worms of course, but could broodiness explain all the strange behavior? she clucks constantly like a mama hen and she didn't before. i still would like to know how to tell if the worm medicine is working.

 

[khaos]

So I am wondering... If a chicken has roundworms but not enough that I usually see them in poo, is it more likely I will see a few in a broody poo because they save up such a big one and let it all out at once? Is this why I am suddenly seeing 3-4 worms in the poo?