New to chicken raising. Need to find a dewormer quick!

[positivepolly1892]

Hi, everyone! I am pretty new to raising chickens. I have had 3 hens for the past 2 years, but recently added a few more, and now I'm up to 20 in my flock, (my 3 laying hens, 2 bantams, 2 guineas, and 13 now pullets). I live in North Carolina (United States), and the area I love in is notorious for parasites because the region I live in is very tropical.
My question is regarding dewormers.
One of my laying hens was acting sickly for about a week. I finally got her to poop in front of me one day, and noticed 3 quite large roundworms. I immediately wormed the entire flock by adding piperazine to their water. Within a few days, she was back to her old self. She is now acting like she is getting sick again (laying around, separates herself from the flock, won't eat much, and her poop is watery). I also want to point out that since then, I have been adding DE to their feed, and I sprinkle it in their chicken area and coops in hopes to prevent any further issues.
I have read several of the forums on here, but no one seems to have one simple answer. One person says Wazine, while another says not to use that and to use Valbazen, while another says to not use any of that and to use pumpkin. At this point, I'm thinking all natural is out of the question. I'm going to go with "chemicals" and then I'll go with an all natural way in the future. I don't have the money to rush her to the vet, AND buy a $50 dewormer. Times are a bit tough right now. I'm quite positive she has worms again. So, my question is: what is a very good, but not very expensive (under $50) general/all-purpose de-wormer?

 

[imnukensc]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I wouldn't waste my money on DE.

 

[positivepolly1892]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I wouldn't waste my money on DE.

First, I would like to thank you for your response. However, I don't feel it's very helpful. If I choose to buy DE, that's my choice. If you don't have an answer that is useful, I ask that you please refrain from posting anything at all, as I am trying desperately to filter through messages that COULD be of assistance. Thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Where are you located? If you have the piperazine, it is given once for 24 hours in the water, and again in 14 days to get the worm eggs. Piperazine is fine for just roundworms, but is difficult to find in the US. But Valbazen or fenbendazole (SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer is used to get those and the other possible worms (capillary, gapeworm, eyeworms which are not common.)
Valbazen dosage is 0.08 ml per pound or 0.4 ml for. 5 pound chicken. Give it once orally to each chicken, then repeat it in 10-14 days.

SafeGuard dosage is 0.23 ml per pound, or about 1.25 ml for a 5 pound chicken given once and again in 10-13 days for roundworms and cecal worms. Or give it for 5 straight days for the difficult worms including capillary worms.
Egg withdrawal is 14 days after the last dose.

If you don’t want to dose all your birds, get a fecal test done by a vet on some fresh combined droppings. Clean up droppings and remove any intermediate hosts that make keep the worm cycle going.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is where to order those:
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...IhnUahdjfDvs9dIxewngGiIqMZnsdn9MaAsPKEALw_wcB

https://www.jefferspet.com/products...rkavJIS_JmInpZZ9l61XVDCFAQ4T7_VMaAm0LEALw_wcB

 

[positivepolly1892]

Welcome to BYC. Where are you located? If you have the piperazine, it is given once for 24 hours in the water, and again in 14 days to get the worm eggs. Piperazine is fine for just roundworms, but is difficult to find in the US. But Valbazen or fenbendazole (SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer is used to get those and the other possible worms (capillary, gapeworm, eyeworms which are not common.)
Valbazen dosage is 0.08 ml per pound or 0.4 ml for. 5 pound chicken. Give it once orally to each chicken, then repeat it in 10-14 days.

SafeGuard dosage is 0.23 ml per pound, or about 1.25 ml for a 5 pound chicken given once and again in 10-13 days for roundworms and cecal worms. Or give it for 5 straight days for the difficult worms including capillary worms.
Egg withdrawal is 14 days after the last dose.

If you don’t want to dose all your birds, get a fecal test done by a vet on some fresh combined droppings. Clean up droppings and remove any intermediate hosts that make keep the worm cycle going.

Thank you for your quick and helpful response. I live in North Carolina (Unites States). I'm quickly learning that this area is notorious for parasites, as it is a very tropical area. The piperazine is pretty easy to obtain. I can pretty much find it in any store because it is used in deworming cats, dogs, people, etc.
As for the Valbazen or fenbendazole, do you prefer one over the other? I just want to make sure I don't harm or kill any of my babies.

 

[Shadrach]

Hello positivepolly 1892.
Welcome to BYC.
A lot depends on where in the world you are and what you can get.
I use Flubenvet.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/flubendazole-worming-dosages.75090/

 

[Eggcessive]

Just wondering, what brand of piperazine are you finding in farm stores? Many are having a hard time finding it. A lot of people do not worm their chickens unless they get a fecal test, which may be difficult or very expensive for some. Others, especially in warm humid climates worm twice a year, or even every other month or monthly in places like Florida.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most piperazine I have seen sold is on Ebay, which I am skeptical of for drugs. Many people seem to sell drugs they get from other countries where they are not regulated.

Flubendazole or Flubenvet is mostly available in the UK and Europe. It is very similar to albendazole or Valbazen. But it is given in the feed for a week in a smaller dosage, so it needs no egg withdrawal time.

 

[imnukensc]

First, I would like to thank you for your response. However, I don't feel it's very helpful. If I choose to buy DE, that's my choice. If you don't have an answer that is useful, I ask that you please refrain from posting anything at all, as I am trying desperately to filter through messages that COULD be of assistance. Thanks.

You said money was tight. Not wasting money on DE is helpful. You're welcome.