Newbie... Analyze my chicken poo?

[Sunset Ranch]

Hi

First, I love my chickens... I started keeping them last April and my current flock size is 12, with more ordered for April and August.

Second, I love this site!

Now down to business... I have not yet wormed my flock but from what I've gathered, should put them on a routine maintenance plan. I'm going the valbazen route with a syringe but have a few questions:

1) should I worm my two 7 week old chicks (one EE and one silkie), if so how much each,
If not at what age and how much?

2) should I worm them annually or semi-annually?

3) should I use a different brand next time, and if so what kind?

4) if I use a different kind next, is it ok to just keep rotating the same two?

Thanks in advance to those of you who will chime in.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! That poop looks very normal.

Valbazen dose is 0.08ml per *pound*. As or how often to worm, the best thing to do would be to find a vet to do routine fecals, or contact UC Davis and find out how to send poop samples to them.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here are the UCD labs that you can send poop samples to. You can use their FedEx account number to save on shipping.
http://www.cahfs.ucdavis.edu/services/lab_locations.cfm

-Kathy

 

[dawg53]

To save money, I just go ahead and worm my birds on a regular basis with various effective wormers I have on hand, to include; valbazen, safeguard and pyrantal pamoate. How often you worm your birds depends on your soil conditions. Warm moist or wet soil may require frequent wormings. Cool, cold soil or rocky mountainous soil may require less frequent worming. Hot desertlike soil/sand would require less frequent wormings as well. Here where I live, our soil is warm and moist most of the year. I worm my birds once every 3 months, sometimes sooner if we get alot of rain...like last year. Also, it's best to worm birds just before spring. That's when hens are in full egg production and you dont want to toss eggs due to withdrawal periods. Springtime is worm time.

 

[Sunset Ranch]

Hi Kathy,

Thanks for your response. I understand that you're one of the BYC legends for worm advice.

Last month I gave away a large rooster to my vet in return for checking the fecal sample of my little silkie hen who was scalped by said rooster and stitched up by said vet. I was told there was something present (can't remember what) but that it was normal and nothing to worry about.

In light of that, should I proceed with an annual plan or maybe just have another fecal test in the fall?

The reason I feel compelled to start is because of one "rescue" hen I brought home last summer sometimes opens and closes her beak slightly with each breath... And even more weird, her body sometimes makes a ticking sound along with her breathing. Otherwise she eats, poops, drinks, and acts normal. Any ideas about what could be cause these things?

I would take her to the vet but after having my little silkie stitched up ($350 later) my hubby said we can't keep doing that. I dearly love this hen... She wants to be held EVERY time I go sit in my chicken run chair.

 

[Sunset Ranch]

Hi dawg5,! Wow, I'm thrilled to have the other BYC legend chiming in... Thank you!

I'm in Glennville CA, which is at 3500'. We do get some snow and freezing temps in the winter, sometimes lush spring rains (we've been in drout mode but it's better this year than last), and hot, dry summers.

We have a lot of wildlife around us... squirrels and birds can get through the fence but nothing larger unless a bear was determined to climb or tear down the run. I understand wildlife can introduce unwanted "critters" to a flock. So what do ya think? Annual/semi-annual worm meds, or go the test and treat as necessary route?

Thanks again... a new fan.

 

[casportpony]

I try to worm my peafowl at least twice a year, but I have a known problem with cecal worms. Do take a look at the tests that you can have done at Davis and remember that necropsies for CA residents are free (limit 2 per day).
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/cahfs/local-assets/pdfs/fee lists/Poultry_fee_list_2013.pdf

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Hi Kathy,

Thanks for your response. I understand that you're one of the BYC legends for worm advice.

Last month I gave away a large rooster to my vet in return for checking the fecal sample of my little silkie hen who was scalped by said rooster and stitched up by said vet. I was told there was something present (can't remember what) but that it was normal and nothing to worry about.

In light of that, should I proceed with an annual plan or maybe just have another fecal test in the fall?

The reason I feel compelled to start is because of one "rescue" hen I brought home last summer sometimes opens and closes her beak slightly with each breath... And even more weird, her body sometimes makes a ticking sound along with her breathing. Otherwise she eats, poops, drinks, and acts normal. Any ideas about what could be cause these things?

I would take her to the vet but after having my little silkie stitched up ($350 later) my hubby said we can't keep doing that. I dearly love this hen... She wants to be held EVERY time I go sit in my chicken run chair.

Careful doing rescues, there are so many diseases that you can introduce to your flock. If if could start over, I would only from NPIP/mycoplasma free sources and buy only chicks that were vaccinated for Marek's.

So many things could cause the symptoms you describe, and it might be worthwhile to have a vet draw blood and send it off for testing at Davis. Look up the chicken respiratory panel, I think it's about $10 and will check for some of the nastier respiratory diseases that chickens can get.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Just had a thought... Davis sends vets out to farms and stores to do routine testing, and they might be willing to come by your place and draw blood for free.

-Kathy

 

[Sunset Ranch]

Kathy,

I will take your advice and have the vet draw blood and send it to UCD for testing. I truly hope it's nothing infectious! If it isn't, from now on I'll only get chickens from reputable sources.

Five of my chickens were acquired locally from a backyard chicken keeper, and the rest were purchased online from mypetchicken.com and were vaccinated. I do not plan to let anymore chickens hatch babies... Once (the two December chicks I have now) was enough.

Debbie