PLEASE HELP DECLINING HEN. LABORED BREATHING.

[Kiki]

It had been almost a week since her last egg. They get natures best layer pellets and scraps like veggies and crackers now and then as treats even more rarely I buy mealworms. They free range all day in our large backyard as well so whatever bugs they find and grass. (They steal a few pellets of goat food here and there when the goats eat lol)

We have never dewormed but I'm thinking I should since Hei Hei was so so skinny. That bone in the middle on her under side was protruding so bad. None of the other birds are skinny like that.

Should I get safeguard and worm everyone? They dont all drink from one source so a wormer I can give them individually would be needed.

Safe-Guard (pretty much all workers) should be given individually, straight to the beak, of each bird.

 

[Cohl0406]

Perfect. I'll pick some up on my way home today and get that going. We have had terribly rainy weather and its sooooo hot and humid.

 

[Cohl0406]

Do you happen to know the dose for chickens with safeguard?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her abdomen, I guess more towards her back end felt like an over filled water bed.

Is it worth necropsy? No other chickens are showing signs and around here they are all nearly 200 bucks.

It had been almost a week since her last egg.

I'm sorry for your loss

If you still have the body, you could perform your own informal necropsy to find out more.
Fluid in the abdomen is Ascites, which is a symptom, so trying to find the cause might be a good idea. Fluid can accumulate for a number of reasons - from heart/liver failure to reproductive disorders. I know it sounds like a horrible task to perform, but you may find it educational as well. If this is something you decide to do, post some photos and we will help you with what you see.

 

[Kiki]

Do you happen to know the dose for chickens with safeguard?

Worming Chickens—Medicines and Dosing Information < Click on that link.

Yes it is .23 ml per each pound.
If you can't weigh each bird individually guess. It won't hurt to give them a slightly higher dose but it does no good to give them too small of a dose.

 

[Cohl0406]

I have a kitchen scale. I'm about to go start that process to weigh since they are in bed. I have Easter egger to large orpington mix roosters so might need to bust out the bathroom scale also.

 

[Cohl0406]

Oh. Egg withdrawal time?

 

[Kiki]

Oh. Egg withdrawal time?

10-14 days sounds good to me.
After the final (second) dose.

It's not approved to chickens so there is no 'real' withdrawal time.

Some people don't throw away any eggs.

 

[Cohl0406]

Ok so dose two days in a row? That's all?

 

[Kiki]

Ok so dose two days in a row? That's all?

No.
Dose on day one...then again on day 10.