Opinions on worm load?

[Aerliss]

I found what looked to be a dead roundworm in the overnight droppings two days ago. Just one. I've seen nothing since (and I am obsessed with poop checks). The girls were supposedly wormed by the rescue (honestly not sure I trust their word), who had them for five days, and I've had them for two weeks. The girl it came from is happy enough in herself; pottering about during ranging time, running for FF, perching, laying.

So my question is; would you find a small load acceptable, or would you be running for the flubenvet?

 

[Kiki]

You may be seeing a dead worm because the hen was dewormed.


You normally don't see worms until they are dewormed or if they are so infested with worms they have no more room to stay inside so they poop them out.


You can always collect some fresh poop and have a vet run a fecal test on it.

 

[Aerliss]

You can always collect some fresh poop and have a vet run a fecal test on it.

I've gotta take one to the vet this week, so I can take a sample or two along with me.

 

[Kiki]

I've gotta take one to the vet this week, so I can take a sample or two along with me.

Perfect...collect fresh poop that morning from a few birds and stick it in the same container.

 

[coach723]

Getting a fecal is a good idea. What @KikisGirls said is possible, that the worm was expelled due to worming. Another possibility is that they were not totally cleaned of worms the first time. With roundworms usually two treatments are done about 10 days apart, when using a direct dose medication. Most worming medications kill the worms but not the eggs. The first worming kills the worms, the second worming kills the worms of any eggs that remained and hatched, before they are mature enough to lay more eggs. So doing the two doses is what breaks the worm cycle. If the rescue only had them for 5 days, they may not have gotten enough medication to completely break the cycle. I know flubenvet is recommended to be given for 7 days. The issue with medications mixed into food or water is that you have no way to determine if each bird actually got the correct dose, which is why I prefer direct dosing the birds. If your fecal comes back positive I'd see if you have a medication available to you there that you can direct dose them with.

 

[Aerliss]

Perfect...collect fresh poop that morning from a few birds and stick it in the same container.

Was just reading your worming article. I get panacur for "free" as part of my vet health plan with the rabbits. They insist on giving me two tubes a year per bun, even though latest research indicates it should not be used routinely, but only when there are symptoms. I just save it up and ship it off to rescues, keeping a few back for myself. But if it can be used off-label on the chickens that's great. Flubenvet ain't cheap! Seems that the equine and rabbit pastes are both 18.75% so no maths required either.

Will get a test done anyway, and treat according to vet's advice, but thereafter could use the panacur for the six monthlies.

 

[Kiki]

Was just reading your worming article. I get panacur for "free" as part of my vet health plan with the rabbits. They insist on giving me two tubes a year per bun, even though latest research indicates it should not be used routinely, but only when there are symptoms. I just save it up and ship it off to rescues, keeping a few back for myself. But if it can be used off-label on the chickens that's great. Flubenvet ain't cheap! Seems that the equine and rabbit pastes are both 18.75% so no maths required either.

Will get a test done anyway, and treat according to vet's advice, but thereafter could use the panacur for the six monthlies.

Awesome!

 

[coach723]

You can use Panacur, active ingredient is fenbendazole which is the same ingredient in Safeguard.
https://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-medication/panacur-used-for-worming/

 

[centrarchid]

A light worm load is absolutely acceptable. Most of my adults birds carry at least some worm burden. I do not even inspect feces for worms unless a weight issue is noted. If a bird has a weight issue and a high worm burden, then de-worm or cull. I do both.

 

[Aerliss]

If your fecal comes back positive I'd see if you have a medication available to you there that you can direct dose them with.

See, I was right not to trust their word... they do good work but I think they're often overwhelmed.

Just been reading Kiki's article and another UK based one on different wormers. Panacur would be easier for me, for sure. I'd feel a lot more confident with it than an in feed wormer.