Round Worm

[crzychicknmom]

I found a chicken dropping with one large round worm a day ago, not mixed in it but on top of it. We live in New England and it was been freezing cold here (8 degrees today) so the worm was frozen. I have cleaned the coop out and inspected any droppings I saw but saw no other worms and have not seen any since.

Besides finding that worm all chickens seem in excellent health, no symptoms of any kind.

After doing some reading I purchased some Safe-Guard (fenbendazole) Dewormer for Goats (suspension 10%). I have not treated the chickens yet, but wanted advice about it.

-How much should each chicken be given? We have 3 ISA Browns, 1 Americauna, and 1 Plymouth Barred Rock. All average size except the Americauna who is a petite lady!
-How to administer? (our chickens are very used to being held and not skittish at all so I am not worried about handling them, just the best way to dose them with the safe-guard)
-How long is the egg with-drawl?

Thank you so much for any advice!

 

[coach723]

Safeguard liquid goat wormer dose is .23ml per pound of bird weight. For roundworm only you dose two times 10 days apart. To get rid of most other common worms you would dose 5 days in a row. Shake it up well before drawing the dose into an oral syringe. An inexpensive digital kitchen scale is good for getting a weight on each of them. When you dose them drop it into the front of the beak no more than .5ml at a time and let them swallow. Or you place the syringe far back on the right side of the birds tongue, past the trachea. You don't want to squirt forcefully, you don't want them to aspirate it. This article shows how to give medications safely.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
I lock mine in the coop after dark and go out first thing in the morning before it's light out, take them off the roosts one at a time and dose them. Let them loose in the run, when the coop is empty you are done.
Generally recommended egg withdrawl is 14 days following dose. Many people ignore that, so do what you are comfortable with. There is a dosing method that does not require withdrawl, instructions for that are at this link. I've never done it this way so can't speak to it, I prefer to know that every bird got the correct dose directly, no guessing/wondering, and I do 26 birds (currently) every 3 months. But instructions if you are interested:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safeguard-mash-zero-day-egg-withdrawal.1254653/
Roundworm is very easy to pick up in the soil, the eggs can live a very long time, so reinfection is common. Depending on where you are located in the world, and your environmental worm load, you may need to worm regularly. Some people can do once or twice a year, some need to do it more often, every flock is different. Many times you will not see a worm in droppings, they live their entire lives inside the bird. After worming it's not uncommon to see dead or dying worms in droppings, but not always. Sometimes they are digested/absorbed by the digestive tract.

 

[crzychicknmom]

Safeguard liquid goat wormer dose is .23ml per pound of bird weight. For roundworm only you dose two times 10 days apart. To get rid of most other common worms you would dose 5 days in a row. Shake it up well before drawing the dose into an oral syringe. An inexpensive digital kitchen scale is good for getting a weight on each of them. When you dose them drop it into the front of the beak no more than .5ml at a time and let them swallow. Or you place the syringe far back on the right side of the birds tongue, past the trachea. You don't want to squirt forcefully, you don't want them to aspirate it. This article shows how to give medications safely.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
I lock mine in the coop after dark and go out first thing in the morning before it's light out, take them off the roosts one at a time and dose them. Let them loose in the run, when the coop is empty you are done.
Generally recommended egg withdrawl is 14 days following dose. Many people ignore that, so do what you are comfortable with. There is a dosing method that does not require withdrawl, instructions for that are at this link. I've never done it this way so can't speak to it, I prefer to know that every bird got the correct dose directly, no guessing/wondering, and I do 26 birds (currently) every 3 months. But instructions if you are interested:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safeguard-mash-zero-day-egg-withdrawal.1254653/
Roundworm is very easy to pick up in the soil, the eggs can live a very long time, so reinfection is common. Depending on where you are located in the world, and your environmental worm load, you may need to worm regularly. Some people can do once or twice a year, some need to do it more often, every flock is different. Many times you will not see a worm in droppings, they live their entire lives inside the bird. After worming it's not uncommon to see dead or dying worms in droppings, but not always. Sometimes they are digested/absorbed by the digestive tract.

Thank you!

This is exactly what I was looking for. Will have to go out and get a digital scale today and then will dose them tomorrow early morning!

Thanks again!

 

[crzychicknmom]

All chickens successfully treated! It was much easier than I imagine it would be, no fussing at all and they took the whole dose no problem.

One question I had is that during this egg withdrawl period, I hate to waste all these eggs. I have given them scraps of hardboiled egg before as a treat and I was wondering if I could hardboil the eggs during the withdrawl period and give them as treats to the chickens occasionally.

Thanks!

 

[coach723]

You will find differing opinions. I used to follow the withdrawl and toss eggs. I did sometimes feed them back to the chickens. I don't worry about it anymore. If you are worried about any residues in eggs, then feeding them back to anything could possibly give them trace amounts of the meds. Concern is resistance built in any parasites that get exposed to levels too low to kill them. Also, in people, possible allergic response. It's really what you feel comfortable with.

 

[crzychicknmom]

You will find differing opinions. I used to follow the withdrawl and toss eggs. I did sometimes feed them back to the chickens. I don't worry about it anymore. If you are worried about any residues in eggs, then feeding them back to anything could possibly give them trace amounts of the meds. Concern is resistance built in any parasites that get exposed to levels too low to kill them. Also, in people, possible allergic response. It's really what you feel comfortable with.

Thank you!

I have been holding on to them but will keep doing some reading about it. Seems like the risk of feeding them eggs that will help worms build up a tolerance to the medicine is not a good idea, so will avoid that!

In good news, have found some worms in droppings so I know its working!