My chickens keep on dying :( One after another

[Michael Apple]

I have done so. Ivermectin works with my worms.

We need to look at studies to determine historical use of de-wormers in location of trials.

A cestode or nematode remains as such no matter what location they are in. You must have special worms. I'll stick to Benzamidazole classes of anthelmintics instead of having to wait 3-7 weeks for withdrawal of ivermectin, which isn't as effective against nematodes as Benzamidazole dewormers.

http://en.engormix.com/MA-poultry-industry/health/articles/anthelmintics-poultry-t1660/165-p0.htm

I'd use Hygromycin-B in Durvet's Strike III or Rooster Booster Triple Action wormer before I'd use Ivermectin.

 

[GuineaFowling]

Sometimes my hens lay shell-less eggs and get sick. They have the droopy tail, the pale face and comb, the diarrhea, and sleep standing up but none have died nor have they had white stuff coming from their mouths. Of course this was before I switched the feed. I fed them the Purina brand and then I switched it to Nutrena Nature Wise, which is an all natural food they also sell organic but thats over my budget. Always put diatomaceous earth, the food grade one, in their feed. About a pinch for each cup of feed. Put that in even if they are not sick, it will prevent any internal pests. I also put a Vitamin and Electrolytes mix-in in their water when they show signs of being lame. You can buy this at your local feed store and use it for all sorts of animals. Your hens might have coccidiosis so you should buy medicine for that. Its pretty cheap nothing over 15 dollars. I bought Sulmet Drinking Solution and that cures a bunch of diseases in hens so if your not sure what they have at least it might be something it cures. When feeding hens the Sulmet Don't eat the eggs until 14 days after you stopped the medication. When I thought my hens had Coccidiosis I put the solution in their water and then after the medication process was over I put The Vitamin and Electrolyte mix in the water to make sure they are getting proper nutrition. Medicate your whole flock if they have Coccidiosis not just the sick ones.
I hope your hens get better.

 

[dawg53]

Ivermectin is ineffective as a wormer:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0450.1989.tb00635.x/abstract

 

[tatertot]

What is a safe and effective dewormer

 

[centrarchid]

Again, not trying to argue, just trying to understand how ivermectin worked for you. The dose on the 1% label is .2mg/kg, but I have seen some parasite books that recommend giving twice that, either IM or orally. The .05% dose is .5mg/kg. Chicks, laying hens and non-laying hens all consume a different amount of water (percentage of bodyweight) according to some info I have read, which you probably already know.

How much ivermectin did you put in one gallon of water?

-Kathy

I was confused. Too much fried crayfish as after lunch snack. Last time Ivermectin used by any birds remotely mine was more than 5 years ago. Ivermectin was used as paste and force fed to worm burdened roosters, hens and immature birds were not so treated. Current de-wormer is Wazine; confusion with Ivermectic due to recent discussion of its use with goats. Wazine currently used because it is effective and less labor intensive in its application. One oz of Wazine per gallon of water is concentration. Approximately 500 mL of solution is added fresh to each waterer daily for duration of treatment. Actual dosage varies as a function of water intake which never exceeds 400 mL and usually exceeds 50 mL which means dosage can vary almost 8-fold. Worm loss usually well underway within 24 hours. Actual treatment stresses birds and with rare instances where burden is very heavy, a bird will fail to survive.

Situations promoting worm burdens warranting treatment involve confinement over ground / foliage that does not dry out nor freezes and where lots of early life-stage worms are left by other infected birds. Simply moving confined birds frequently over fresh ground helps immensely with keeping birds from taking up excessive burdens. Some how simply cutting grass a couple days before putting pens over it helps with worm management. For some reason free-range hens and immature birds seldom have issue with such and underweight individuals are culled onsight that might be impacted by worms. The free-range birds forage extensively over same ground as that used for confined birds so they are exposed. When birds are acquired from outside my gene pool and exposed to same ground, worms can be particularly problematic for them especially when they come from a source where worm management is aggressive as in an effort to eradicate worms.

 

[casportpony]

Again, not trying to argue, just trying to understand how ivermectin worked for you. The dose on the 1% label is .2mg/kg, but I have seen some parasite books that recommend giving twice that, either IM or orally. The .05% dose is .5mg/kg. Chicks, laying hens and non-laying hens all consume a different amount of water (percentage of bodyweight) according to some info I have read, which you probably already know.

How much ivermectin did you put in one gallon of water?

-Kathy

I was confused. Too much fried crayfish as after lunch snack. Last time Ivermectin used by any birds remotely mine was more than 5 years ago. Ivermectin was used as paste and force fed to worm burdened roosters, hens and immature birds were not so treated. Current de-wormer is Wazine; confusion with Ivermectic due to recent discussion of its use with goats. Wazine currently used because it is effective and less labor intensive in its application. One oz of Wazine per gallon of water is concentration. Approximately 500 mL of solution is added fresh to each waterer daily for duration of treatment. Actual dosage varies as a function of water intake which never exceeds 400 mL and usually exceeds 50 mL which means dosage can vary almost 8-fold. Worm loss usually well underway within 24 hours. Actual treatment stresses birds and with rare instances where burden is very heavy, a bird will fail to survive.

Situations promoting worm burdens warranting treatment involve confinement over ground / foliage that does not dry out nor freezes and where lots of early life-stage worms are left by other infected birds. Simply moving confined birds frequently over fresh ground helps immensely with keeping birds from taking up excessive burdens. Some how simply cutting grass a couple days before putting pens over it helps with worm management. For some reason free-range hens and immature birds seldom have issue with such and underweight individuals are culled onsight that might be impacted by worms. The free-range birds forage extensively over same ground as that used for confined birds so they are exposed. When birds are acquired from outside my gene pool and exposed to same ground, worms can be particularly problematic for them especially when they come from a source where worm management is aggressive as in an effort to eradicate worms.

Okay, so my question still stands, how much ivermectin did they get? Small, medium or large pea size amount? Something smaller or some from a syringe?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

What is a safe and effective dewormer

Safeguard (Fenbendazole) or Valbazen ( albendazole ) if you live in the US. Other countries have other similar drugs.

Wazine (piperazine) Only treats roundworms.

-Kathy

 

[tmlpike]

We went to the local drugstore and picked up some needles and syringes. We inserted the needle in her water balloon bum area, and tried to drain out as much liquid as we could. It was difficult however since the needle was rather small. We got a fair bit of liquid out, and it was a thick yellowy colour. My poor girl didn't even move an inch when we injected the needle. At this point, she is not doing good, so I had to try to do something. Even if she doesn't make it, I want her to be in as much comfort as she possibly can. She can't walk, can't stand up without falling down, she won't drink, won't eat, she closes her eyes all the time. My poor Flower girl. please pray for her. We took out as much liquid as we could tonight. Maybe we can find a larger needle, and try again tomorrow.

 

[dawg53]

Sounds like EYP. Here's a link with pics:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/362422/drained-a-hens-abdomen-rest-in-peace-olivia-11-5-10

 

[casportpony]

So sorry...

I've drained with a few with ascites and had mixed results with the best results being one that lived for almost one year after draining. It really depends on what the cause of the fluid build up is. Most have had EYP, and those will die within a week, but others had cancer and one I didn't drain that I sent out for necropsy had a heart defect.

This is one that lived for a week and in that week was drained twice. Needle used was an 18 gauge.










-Kathy