Roundworms in my chicken. How do I get rid of them?

[jher77]

3 mils Safeguard goat liquid into one gallon of water. I then disperse into as many waterers as needed and remove any and all other sources of water. I treat the entire flock (and anything that flies and leaves its poop) fresh every day for 3-5 days, repeat in 10.

I didn't think Safeguard disolved in water properly.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I didn't think Safeguard disolved in water properly.

Yeah, I have heard that a time or two (like your the second? lol) If I know a specific girl is infested I will do direct treatment but for the flock, and what I like about treating the water is it treats all- like all things that visit my yard and eat and drink- I have plenty feral chickens, doves etc. it is hot here and my girls drink plenty and it seems to be working more than fine, though I was thinking about getting a fecal float after treatment- today is day 5 for my flock- to see if and what survives. That will certainly determine how I continue to feel about adding to the water. I did have some good worm shed the last 3 days but my girls were a little past due- nothing on the boards prior to treatment- so was surprised by more than a few worms.

Poultry DMV
Brand Names: Panacur, Safeguard Drug Type: Anthelmintic FENBENDAZOLE Overview Fenbendazole (brand names Panacur® and Safe-Guard®) is a benzimidazole anthelmintic used 'off label' to treat a variety of intestinal parasites (e.g., roundworms, flukes, certain types of tapeworms, and Giardia) in pet poultry. Fenbendazole can be administered to each chicken orally by syringe, or added the flock’s drinking water source. Fenbendazole may not be effective against Capillaria spp. Fenbendazole is absorbed in the intestine, and is rapidly metabolized by the liver. The metabolic pathway of fenbendazole in chickens is the same as in mammals. Fenbendazole is eliminated from the body predominately by the feces. Residue levels in the eggs is highest the first day following the last day of treatment, and decline rapidly thereafter. Fenbendazole must be given for 3-5 consecutive days to kill parasites, since it needs to halt cell division for a certain duration before it is fatal to the parasite. Caution. Fenbendazole shouldn't be given to pet poultry who are actively growing new feathers, such as those in the early stages of growth or during molting. Fenbendazole shouldn't be given to chickens with suspected Capillaria infestations. Storage/Stability: Fenbendazole should be stored at room temperature. Products Dosage Drug Form References

See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/fenbendazole

 

[Banana01]

The USA has FDA approval list for medications because of the affect on egg layers. Commercial farmers can only use FDA approved wormers because they sell eggs and meat of animals that get treated. So here is the site for the FDA approved drugs, which fenbendazole i.e. Safeguard is on that list.
http://www.farad.org/vetgram/egglayers.asp

Now the problem is people think FDA approved means all sorts of other things such as more effective or better. It just means it's safe for public consumption for egg layers. If you are concerned about your eggs maybe go with that list.

However there are other drugs off that list that treat worms as long as it's not during laying. The cost is astronomical for Safeguard. Look at this.

Maybe there is a generic fenbendazole available for less, it would be identical. For example, google search for fenbendazole says that Panacur is fenbenzadole, it is identical chemically to Safeguard except it has to be administered differently. There are probably threads about off label fenbenzadole use.

Notice a prescription is required for this because it says for dogs, but not the identical Safeguard because it says for chickens. It is because a vet knows how to administer it by giving the correct amount directly orally. The same is true for the other dewormers. For example Ivermectin is just sold as a 1% or 3% solution where I live. They specify a mg/kg dosage for the type of animal. I can probably buy Fenbenzadole 10% where I live, but I do not like the side effects it will have on my young chickens feathers so I will never try it. I also prefer a 1-2 day method rather than 3-5 days.

Here is a good primer on learning about worms and what medicine to use. But the article is wrong about saying Fenbendazole is not FDA approved. This link covers everything including your question about Diatomacous Earth.
https://www.heritageacresmarket.com/how-to-deworm-chickens/

What is important for you to do is find out if your chicken seems to be losing weight and is she really not eating? Or is she just not eating because you haven't seen her leave her eggs to eat due to being broody. Her droppings look healthy enough but a little watery. Keep an eye for changes until you figure out how you are going to deworm her and what dewormer you have available. I keep a dewormer on hand for oral administration that costs nothing but that is outside the US. I give three drops at night and wake up in the morning to a happy chicken and a pile of dead worms, at least for some cases it has been that way. Others need a stricter treatment to kill the follow up eggs eight days later, but I am attuned to my own flock. You should start by following the directions of whatever wormer you choose to get or have available to you whether it's fenbendazole or something else.

 

[dawg53]

@TropicalBabies & @Banana01 Misinformation and outdated information are contained in Poultrydmv & VetGRAM & Heritageacresmarket.
For example: Hygromycin B and Piperazine aka Wazine have been pulled off the market here in the U.S. for quite awhile. Albendazole (Valbazen) does kill flukes.
DE, VermX, ACV, pumpkin seeds are worthless as wormers. Garlic may cause anemia in chickens.
Mixing wormers in water is not very effective. You dont know if a bird drank enough of the mixture to be effective, wormy birds are too sick to drink it.
The Safeguard liquid goat wormer doesnt mix well in water and is ineffective; been there, done that. I've havnt used Safeguard AquaSol and never will.

Ivermectin products may or may not be effective as wormers in poultry. Both Ivermectin and Eprinex have been overused to treat mites in poultry for years and years here in the U.S. The primary purpose of these wormers are to treat worms, not just mites. I've read that most poultry mites are resistant to Ivermectin as well. I'm not surprised.
My experience has been that both products are ineffective in treating worms in poultry, not to mention a long withdrawal period after using Ivermectin.

I'm not going to be posting all kinds of links to prove what's been stated. Most folks know I stay up to date on wormers, what works and what doesnt work.
Experience is the best teacher. I worm my birds monthly.

 

[Saaniya]

Roundworms could be easily treat with round course and annual or 6 months course of albendazole suspension .

 

[Harun]

Was she sitting on her eggs or is she currently laying eggs? Is that a dropping from a long sitting on the nest?

My hens sit on their eggs a full 24 hours, sometimes 48 hours before jumping up to exercise and eat. Does that explain the lack of eating or is she just lethargic and standing off her nest?

You absolutely have to worm her and your flock. A good time to worm is after she is done laying and sitting on her eggs. A not so good time to worm is during laying because who knows how the eggs are affected.

Just to add a drug to your list, look for oral Ivermectin drops if you can buy that. Unfortunately I don't know if you can buy Ivermectin in the US. Ivermectin is the drug name, not a brand name. It's used in cattle, livestock, dogs , chickens, humans, etc and it kills all kinds of parasites and worms. Three drops for a full grown chicken and it kills these worms pretty much overnight.

Usually with large chickens they can handle worms until you start to see them losing weight. And also you need to do your whole flock like others said, just be weary of your eggs. The photo looks okay if that is a dropping from a long egg sitting session, she obviously passed quite a few of them but you have no idea how long they have been establishing inside or how many are left.

She isn't laying per-say but she is sitting on her eggs and not coming out at all.

 

[Harun]

Yeah, I have heard that a time or two (like your the second? lol) If I know a specific girl is infested I will do direct treatment but for the flock, and what I like about treating the water is it treats all- like all things that visit my yard and eat and drink- I have plenty feral chickens, doves etc. it is hot here and my girls drink plenty and it seems to be working more than fine, though I was thinking about getting a fecal float after treatment- today is day 5 for my flock- to see if and what survives. That will certainly determine how I continue to feel about adding to the water. I did have some good worm shed the last 3 days but my girls were a little past due- nothing on the boards prior to treatment- so was surprised by more than a few worms.

Poultry DMV
Brand Names: Panacur, Safeguard Drug Type: Anthelmintic FENBENDAZOLE Overview Fenbendazole (brand names Panacur® and Safe-Guard®) is a benzimidazole anthelmintic used 'off label' to treat a variety of intestinal parasites (e.g., roundworms, flukes, certain types of tapeworms, and Giardia) in pet poultry. Fenbendazole can be administered to each chicken orally by syringe, or added the flock’s drinking water source. Fenbendazole may not be effective against Capillaria spp. Fenbendazole is absorbed in the intestine, and is rapidly metabolized by the liver. The metabolic pathway of fenbendazole in chickens is the same as in mammals. Fenbendazole is eliminated from the body predominately by the feces. Residue levels in the eggs is highest the first day following the last day of treatment, and decline rapidly thereafter. Fenbendazole must be given for 3-5 consecutive days to kill parasites, since it needs to halt cell division for a certain duration before it is fatal to the parasite. Caution. Fenbendazole shouldn't be given to pet poultry who are actively growing new feathers, such as those in the early stages of growth or during molting. Fenbendazole shouldn't be given to chickens with suspected Capillaria infestations. Storage/Stability: Fenbendazole should be stored at room temperature. Products Dosage Drug Form References

See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/fenbendazole

I'm sure it's only my one hen that has worms. All the other chickens are fine, foraging and doing normal things, it's just her that's acting odd. How do I treat her directly? I have the safeguard goat wormer liquid and a pellet version if that helps.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Good morning @Harun
It sounds like she may be broody also and that is a another thing separate from worms.

Dealing with the worms is your first priority so let's address that. If one chicken has- assume all have, you just don't know it yet. Good you have Safeguard, do you have a syringe? The standard recommended dose- wish @dawg53 left that tidbit of dosing info- "Dose would be 0.23 ml per pound for 5 days" so an average 5lb chicken will need 1.20 mils directly dosed into her mouth. BUT, you have to dose her in a way that she does not asperate so divide your dose up into 1/4s and let her swallow in between. You will need to do this to every chicken for 3-5 days. Then repeat in 10 days.
Some people dose their chickens by putting it on their food, same 0.23 dosing applies be sure they get their dose.
IF you choose to do the (unrecommended) water method as I have been doing, it's 3 mils per gallon. Mix a gallon and dispense. I only put 1/2 gallon in my waterers at a time and remix and refill during the day when/if needed. This is also a 3-5 day repeat again with the 3-5 dose in 10 days.

If you are not planning on letting your hen hatch eggs you will need to "break her" of her broodiness. If you do plan to let her sit, she will be fine with treatment.
If you can, I have found it helpful to offer chooks some yogurt for their bellies after I'm done treating for worms to help restore their gut flora. Any yogurt or probiotic is a treat.

Good luck, glad you reached out, you got this!

 

[Harun]

Good morning @Harun
It sounds like she may be broody also and that is a another thing separate from worms.

Dealing with the worms is your first priority so let's address that. If one chicken has- assume all have, you just don't know it yet. Good you have Safeguard, do you have a syringe? The standard recommended dose- wish @dawg53 left that tidbit of dosing info- "Dose would be 0.23 ml per pound for 5 days" so an average 5lb chicken will need 1.20 mils directly dosed into her mouth. BUT, you have to dose her in a way that she does not asperate so divide your dose up into 1/4s and let her swallow in between. You will need to do this to every chicken for 3-5 days. Then repeat in 10 days.
Some people dose their chickens by putting it on their food, same 0.23 dosing applies be sure they get their dose.
IF you choose to do the (unrecommended) water method as I have been doing, it's 3 mils per gallon. Mix a gallon and dispense. I only put 1/2 gallon in my waterers at a time and remix and refill during the day when/if needed. This is also a 3-5 day repeat again with the 3-5 dose in 10 days.

If you are not planning on letting your hen hatch eggs you will need to "break her" of her broodiness. If you do plan to let her sit, she will be fine with treatment.
If you can, I have found it helpful to offer chooks some yogurt for their bellies after I'm done treating for worms to help restore their gut flora. Any yogurt or probiotic is a treat.

Good luck, glad you reached out, you got this!

My dad was planning on using Safeguard pellets for the redt of the flock and directly treat her with the liquid. Would that work well?

 

[TropicalBabies]

I have never used the pellets so can not share my experience. Hopefully someone will chime in soon.