molting or...?

[Wyorp Rock]

For external parasites, use a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust.

Ivermectin will treat external parasites, but it is absorbed into the bloodstream. What egg withdrawal period do follow when using Ivermectin or any other de-wormer?

 

[NewFlockOnTheBlock]

Our friends don't do an egg withdrawal period with ivermectin, reasoning that A) it is something that is also given to humans for intestinal parasites, and B) it is not something like an antibiotic that you can develop a resistance to if taken too often. They do take food safety very seriously and also do a ton of research before making a decision like this so I tend to trust them on this.

 

[rebrascora]

Faecal float tests can be performed by any vet and they don't need to see the chickens to carry out a test. It may however be cheaper to submit a sample of poop to your state veterinary diagnostics lab for testing. Here in the UK it costs as little as £10 for such a mail order service and result s are sometimes back the next day via email if you get it in the post before lunchtime.
Large roundworms are pretty obvious in poop as they are white and about 1.5-2inches long. Other worms are less easy to see or identify and Ivermectin will not treat tapeworms for example and you might see the tapeworm segments in poop, so it is best to know what you are dealing with before medicating. If you search for images of chicken worms it should give you an idea of what you saw. Alternatively you may have seen some flesh coloured stringy bits which are usually bits of shed intestinal lining, which can be natural sloughing or as a result of worms or coccidia.
I'm always suspicious of bald butts. It can be an indication of lice or some other irritation. I would be examining them for any obvious heat and swelling between their legs or below their vent. Cupping your hand between their legs from behind is the best way to do this whilst they are roosting to feel for any fullness and compare to healthy chickens adjacent to them to get a feel for what is normal. There are a number of things that can cause swelling and irritation in that area.
You will note that the bald patch on the neck has pin feathers coming in which is normal with moult whereas the butt area does not appear to and therefore suggests there is some other reason.
What form does the Scratch and Peck feed come in? ie crumbles, pellets or a grain mix and do you feed corn separately or do you mean that the feed contains corn? If it is a grain mix, how do you feed it? ie free choice, ferment a limited ration each day or throw it out for them to forage off the ground.... or some other? If free choice, what type of feeder do you have? A feeder that allows birds to pick and choose which grain components of the feed they prefer to eat, can lead to a dietary imbalance and with larger birds like Orpingtons particularly, that can have pretty serious implications for their health, which might start to exhibit as a swollen bald butt.

 

[NewFlockOnTheBlock]

Thank you, that is a wealth of info about worms and testing! I will see if our state vet diagnostics lab will do this for us, in case I find another odd-looking poop. Might also call up one of our local vets although I have a feeling they may say no if they find out the poop is from a chicken. There are three vets in our rural area and none of them will work with birds. Sadly, in this part of the country they are seen by many as disposable.

To answer your question about feed, Scratch & Peck is a grain mix that also contains vitamins, minerals and supplements in the form of powder and small particles. The corn is included in the cold weather version of this feed that our feed store carries fall through spring; in the summer they switch to a corn-free version. I ferment it and feed 2-3 times a day, as much as they will eat (usually add a little extra for the last feeding of the day to ensure everyone gets enough, so there is often a small amount of uneaten food left when they go to roost). Spring through fall, our chickens also free range on a little under half an acre of lawn with a mix of grasses, alfalfa, clover, dandelion, etc.

Six of our hens, including the one with the bald butt, were with a different family until a couple of months ago, and were fed Nutrena pellets and a wheat and corn scratch. That family gave us their leftover pellets and scratch when they gave us the hens, and we gradually transitioned them from that feed to fermented Scratch & Peck.

 

[NewFlockOnTheBlock]

UPDATE: So, we do have worms. I just went out to clean the dropping boards and below are pics of what I found. Looks like roundworms to me, which ivermectin should help with. Thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like roundworms. The Ivermectin should treat those.

 

[lilmillefleur]

Good luck with your hen and the rest of your flock!

 

[ronott1]

Topical ivermectin:

Is for external parasites(Lice and mites).

inject able is for internal parasites(worms). It mixes with water

 

[NewFlockOnTheBlock]

Thank you! We're using the injectable version in their water.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Topical ivermectin:
View attachment 1552516

Is for external parasites(Lice and mites).

inject able is for internal parasites(worms). It mixes with water

View attachment 1552514

I think the topical absorbs into the blood stream as well. I just treated my chickens two days ago with the pour on and saw a worm in their poo this morning. Before that, I didn't see any worms. I was treating due to one having leg mites and their egg production is down now due to molting anyway.
My question is now that I have seen an actual worm (round worm, but only about a 1/2" long not as big as shown in this thread) should I treat with something else? Or just let the ivermectin do it's thing for now?