Question about worming chickens

[Kelllynnl]

I hope this hasn’t been asked before. I did check and didn’t see anything.
I have a flock of 15 chickens and 6 ducks. They range from 1-7 years. A few girls have seemed not 100% and some poops have been loose.
I regularly inspect poops and noticed one with live tapeworm segments and roundworms. I had equimax paste already and because I thought it only treated tapes I ordered safeguard. I dosed them all at 10mg/kg and because i made a mess I used the whole tube. I did notice a few poops later in the day with a few dead roundworms in them so I guess that paste worked for those- so my question is- can I use the safeguard for the next 10 day treatment or is it best to buy another equimax paste tube and can someone clarify why some people recommend 3-5 days of treatment in a row followed by the 10 day after dose? Thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would finish up with the Equimax since you began with it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/treating-tapeworms-under-construction.1220309/


Please....Links to posts where what is recommended as 3-5 days treatment, followed up by 10 day dose?

To treat Roundworms Only - Safeguard dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days.

To treat most worms that poultry can have except for Tapeworm - Safeguard dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.

Valbazen dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days.

 

[Kelllynnl]

I’ll try to find a link (I’m not too tech savvy). I’m thinking maybe that’s what I was seeing -5 days in a row using safeguard to treat tapes.
Except for a few poops I saw some dead roundworms I havnt seen any poops with live tapes. I have seen a few that looked like there were eggs but they didn’t look like what I was seeing before. There are a lot more solid looking poops.
Thanks for your help

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ll try to find a link (I’m not too tech savvy). I’m thinking maybe that’s what I was seeing -5 days in a row using safeguard to treat tapes.
Except for a few poops I saw some dead roundworms I havnt seen any poops with live tapes. I have seen a few that looked like there were eggs but they didn’t look like what I was seeing before. There are a lot more solid looking poops.
Thanks for your help

Yes, there's older posts that have mentioned using Safeguard for Tapes, but it seems like Praziquantel (Equimax) is more effective.

I'd finish the Equimax. It may take care of most of the roundworms too.

Give some probiotics after the last dose, you can use purchased Probios or something similar or give your girls a little white cooked rice with buttermilk once a day for a few days.

Seeing dead roundworms is good, but it also leads me to think at least one has an overload. I'd let the Equimax do its job, then consider deworming with Safeguard or Valbazen in a month.

Let's see if @dawg53 has any other suggestions.

 

[Kelllynnl]

So for clarification: 2nd dose of equimax 10 days after the first dose and 3rd dose 30 days after second with safe guard? Is this only 1 dose of safeguard?

I did see a small live round worm and tapes in 1 dropping before I wormed them. I'm like 90% sure it was the same hens dropping that had dead worms in it. I’m thinking it was only her that had an overload.
I was finding several droppings with some tapes and eggs in them.

Hopefully I’m not the only crazy chicken lady but I have been taking a bucket and scraper like 8 times a day and collecting all the droppings from their yard so 1 I can keep it clean and 2 I can inspect them lol
I haven’t seen any with live tapes or eggs

Will the equimax kill other worms as well? I noticed the odd poop is yellowish and foamy. I notice them more when I give them a certain feed.

For the probiotics will soaking their feed in homemade kefir do the trick?

ETA
The evening of the worming I’ve made and plan to make another flock block that includes several herbs including oregano, molasses, eggs, bird seed and their feed, raw pumpkin and sunflower seed, oats and mealworms.

 

[Kelllynnl]

Urghhhhh. I wormed with equimax on Sunday morning and just found small live tapes in one of my hens droppings. I might be being paranoid- is this normal to happen before the final dose? Do I need to wait 10 days? Can the second dose be given at 7 days? Does just that hen need an extra dose? I have been keeping chickens for about 8 years and I love them but they can bring be so much stress lol

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So for clarification: 2nd dose of equimax 10 days after the first dose and 3rd dose 30 days after second with safe guard? Is this only 1 dose of safeguard?

Praziquantel (Equimax) is dosed once, then repeated in 10 days.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/treating-tapeworms-under-construction.1220309/

There is no 3rd dose(?) Where is that coming from?


Safeguard directions are re-posted below:::


To treat Roundworms Only - Safeguard dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days.

--OR--

To treat most worms that poultry can have except for Tapeworm - Safeguard dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.

--OR--

Valbazen dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days.

 

[Kelllynnl]

I understand the 2 doses. This is where I thought a (3rd dose) in 30 days
“I'd let the Equimax do its job, then consider deworming with Safeguard or Valbazen in a month.”

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I understand the 2 doses. This is where I thought a (3rd dose) in 30 days
“I'd let the Equimax do its job, then consider deworming with Safeguard or Valbazen in a month.”

Oh, I see what you mean now.

I meant I'd just deworm with Safeguard or Valbazen in a month since you are still seeing roundworms being expelled.

It's really not a "third dose" it's deworming with a different anthelmintic.

 

[Kelllynnl]

Ok I get what you mean!! Do you think the whole flock should be wormed again or only the hen I saw the roundworms in? I’d rather do her and the roosters. I know who lays each egg and can discard only hers easily.