Need advice on best wormer from prelim results on Necropsy

Hi all - I'm confused by all the de-wormers out there, and how to dose the chickens properly. Unfortunately I learned a hard lesson yesterday - I lost an apparent "healthy rooster" (when I looked at him) to prelimarily to parasites. I did not ask the vet what type of parasites, but I don't know if they know that immediately or if they run tests on what they find to determine that. My rooster's gizzard was "packed full of parasites, with one worm almost 2cm long" and he was extremely underweight. As I am still learning so much about chickens, apparently you could feel his breast bone - which is a bad thing - but since I don't handle my chickens much, I would not have know this anyways. He showed symptoms of lethargy only, and in less than 24 hours, he died.

Without knowing exactly what to worm for, what should I use? I hope the final report from the necropsy will give more detail. Also, Safeguard is available locally, but Valbazen I have to order online. So I can get the Safeguard, but do I only do that once or several days in a row. Mr. Sammy Hagar was in a coop by himself, however my groups of chickens will share the same area, just not at the same time - so I know the others have to be infected.

Should I wait on the Valbazen (which I could not figure out how long it will take using website wholesalekennel.com - it just gave me one shipping rate with no explanation).?

Safeguard is sold a few ways at tractor supply - so which do I choose, and then how much would the dosage be?

I did give the roosters and the young pullets waxine this morning, but held off on the hens, until I got prelim - just in case worms were the issue - but I know this only treats roundworms.

Need some good advice here chicken experts - no one looks sick, but now I know I must have a serious problem here now - and I would feel so bad if I lost another or more to my ignorance. I keep trying to school myself on all the various chicken issues, but SURPRISE - another thing comes up. And I get really attached to them, as they are more pets than anything else to me.

Also, with one very malnutrition dead rooster - what should I do to fatten up the others. They are on the recommended stuff - but I'm sure I'm going to find all of them are thin (those feathers hide alot) - so what can I do to put good hearty weight on them?

 

. Sammy is/was the Wyandotte rooster. This is from 4 months ago, before I separated the roosters from the hens, and he had to be solo, since the others literally turned on him and wanted to kill him.

Just waiting on doing the hens, because I know I can't eat there eggs for two weeks, so I wanted to hear from you experts on what is best for them and do it correctly the first time, so I don't prolong that period. And, really the hens, and the little silkie rooster behind Sammy in the picture, are my favorites - so I really don't want to mess it up with them. My pretty Sammy is/was my second favorite rooster, so it really sad about what happened to him. I have 5 nuisance roosters - and wonder why Sammy... Why not could it have been one of the mean ones .

I will order the Valbazen, get that on the way. Will probably pick up the safeguard also - and start the hens on it ASAP...?... Unless you think I should just wait on the Valbazen to get here? I'm hoping the final pathology report will list the types of parasites for me - if tapeworms are listed, I could just give Valbazen then? Boys and young pullers will get Valbazen then when it arrives. Any thoughts?

 

I will pick it up today, but give it Monday am - if that's ok. Unfortunately we had plans with my mother-in-law who is out of state for the weekend - and she would be unforgiving if I cancelled plans to see her - even if it meant saving a chicken that could be on the edge of death. Tractor supply isn't far from us, and I know they will be closed for Easter.

Or, are you thinking something else?

Again, I really appreciate your input.

 

I picked up the safeguard - thank you Kathy for the dosage information. That was going to be my next hurdle - so I appreciate that! Will I give Valbazen as the follow up dose?

I did worm about 2/3rfs of the flock last summer with Strike 3 (I did not have Sammy or a few of the others - that's why it is 2/3rds). I didn't even think to do the newly acquired ones (all from different places) as I think it just slipped my mind. Hopefully most of the birds are still ok, but I am concerned that the 1/3rd could be overrun - hopefully everyone will get taken care of in time.

On the same but different note - would a parasite infestation cause one of my girls to look like this? My first molt - with my first chicken - she started to look this way back in December - so I assumed it was the molt thing - however it's been going on probably to long - so is it internal parasites? I will look tomorrow when I get home for lice/mites - but she is very skittish. I checked my favorite hen (Carmen) the other day (the hens are all together) and I could not find any evidence of biting bugs. This is Ruth - could this feather disruption be due to internal parasites?[/IMG]