Is it appropriate to de-worm during molting?

[Bsmac]

I have wormed during molting, just because there is a 14 day egg withdrawal time after worming. So that can total 24 days if albendazole or Valbazen is used once and repeated after 10 days. However, some people have warned that fenbendaole or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer can cause feathers to grow back in weird. I don’t use it so I cannot say if that is true or not. I think others (such as Casportpony) have posted they have used it without a problem during molting. Since many chickens molt in late summer or early fall, that would be a good time to worm, and make sure they don’t have worm load after a long hot summer. Just my opinion.

Thanks! I think I am going to go ahead and de worm my older hens since very few are laying. I will likely wait on de worming the pullets. I am pretty sure the round worms I noticed were from a hen.

 

[Bsmac]

Most of the wormers we use, such as albendazole and fenbendazole are pretty easy on the system, and work gradually.

Thanks again! I appreciate it!

 

[Debbie292d]

some people have warned that fenbendaole or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer can cause feathers to grow back in weird.

I've never wormed ours, ever, albeit using Ivermectin for SLM three times in six years, and that's x2 treatments each time. I know it's questionable if it really works on much beyond roundworms.

I doubt I'd have anything to worry about feathers growing back weird though if I ever choose to use a real dewormer.

 

[RubelliteRose]

Hello, Which product were you using? I have seen roundworms, and I am uncertain as to which of our 23 birds have them. I would rather be safe than sorry!

I use Safeguard for goats. I have 19 birds ranging from 7.5 to 3 pounds so I dose them individually by soaking pieces of bread in their appropriate amount. I was going to switch to Valbazen this year, but it has been on backorder everywhere for months

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I need to treat our 23 hens/ pullets for roundworms I have Abendazole 11.36 %. Is it appropriate to treat them during various stages of molting? Also, is the dosage for this percentage the same as what you have listed numerous times? @dawg53

Yes, you can use Albendazole during molt.
The 11.36% dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10days.

Fenbendazole (Safeguard/Panacur), should not be used during molt or while nesting. It can cause stunted feathers/interfere with feather regrowth.

Hope that helps!

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...sis-in-poultry#Treatment-and-Control_v3341937

From Plumb's Veterinarian Drug Handbook

 

[dawg53]

I need to treat our 23 hens/ pullets for roundworms I have Abendazole 11.36 %. Is it appropriate to treat them during various stages of molting? Also, is the dosage for this percentage the same as what you have listed numerous times? @dawg53

I've given Albendazole many times over the years to birds in molt without any issues. Dosages are the same as usual, no matter.
Be sure to worm ALL your birds.

 

[Bsmac]

Yes, you can use Albendazole during molt.
The 11.36% dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10days.

Fenbendazole (Safeguard/Panacur), should not be used during molt or while nesting. It can cause stunted feathers/interfere with feather regrowth.

Hope that helps!

View attachment 4247023https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...sis-in-poultry#Treatment-and-Control_v3341937

From Plumb's Veterinarian Drug Handbook
View attachment 4247024

Thanks! @Wyorp Rock! Much appreciated!

 

[Bsmac]

I've given Albendazole many times over the years to birds in molt without any issues. Dosages are the same as usual, no matter.
Be sure to worm ALL your birds.

Thanks @dawg53! Much appreciated!

 

[Bsmac]

I've given Albendazole many times over the years to birds in molt without any issues. Dosages are the same as usual, no matter.
Be sure to worm ALL your birds.

I will be sure to dose them all!

 

[Tennessee Great Granny]

The experts say no and recommend that one doesn't worm chickens while they are moulting.
I'm not exactly sure why this is and perhaps it depends on the type of worm one is trying to treat and the chemicals used.

I agree that during a molt is a bad time because their energy is going into replenishing feathers. I use a feather fixer feed during molting. They don't care for that feed but it works well to get new growth in fast. The farmers in our area use a horse dewormer paste on just about everyone including the dogs. I use the combination moxidectin/ praziquantel but am extremely cautious to use it according to bird size. I know when they need deworming because of paler combs and they seem a little lethargic and cranky. The baby birds just get a drop of ivermectin sheep drench on the skin of their necks. Not as easy as one would think to wrestle with a newborn downy fluffy baby chick but getting to the actual neck skin is harder than holding the little butter ball wrigglers. The smaller chicken hens get horse paste of the size of a small early pea. My son holds them and helps open their mouth open and I scrape the paste off of my glove on to the roof of their mouth. He holds their beaks shut until he thinks they have swallowed or they'll shake it out of their mouth. My big tom turkeys get the size of two large peas. The geese the size of one large pea. We also spray all the birds for mites with reconstituted permethrin, after we have spent days scraping every coop and roost and power spray-wash the whole area out. We use a vinegar/water solution spray after the power wash and spray where they sleep with permethrin. That's done early in the day so they go to bed in a dry coop. I set up a high velocity fan if I have to- in order to get it all dry by bedtime. In a few days the birds are pretty spunky. Their combs are the beautiful color they are supposed to be. All eggs are not eaten or allowed to be hatched out after that until the drug clean out time is over. It's recommended for 14 days. We try to do this before any molting takes place. If our gals are going to molt it's usually just before the cold weather sets in. By deworming before then the birds are less stressed and in better heath through the molting process. Only a couple of our birds ever molt per year. I figure the molting is a way of getting rid of old worn out feathers and of making way to growing in a nice crop of healthier feathers to face the winter. This is what I do. It doesn't mean my way is right for everyone. I do know the horse paste I use gets rid of a variety of worms and also any skin parasites. I want my birds as sickness free and stress free as I can get them before they face the stresses of winter.