Safeguard ??

[birdlady79]

Ok so I suspect my chickens have a parasite.... A few look as if they've lost weight. I need to get a scale.. .. I wormed with safeguard one time and then again 10 days later.....did I do it correctly? Or am I suppose to do 3 days then 10 days?

 

[Eggcessive]

For most worms or routine worming, SafeGuard (fenbendazole) or Panacur should be given 1/2 ml by mouth once and repeated in 10 days. For other bad worms such as gapeworm which is rare and resembles a respiratory infection, the fenbendazole should be given at a larger dose--1/4 ml per pound of weight (example 5 lb chicken gets 1.25 ml) for 3 to 4 straight days. Ideally, a vet could run a test for worms on a collective stool sample.

 

[birdlady79]

For most worms or routine worming, SafeGuard (fenbendazole) or Panacur should be given 1/2 ml by mouth once and repeated in 10 days.  For other bad worms such as gapeworm which is rare and resembles a respiratory infection, the fenbendazole should be given at a larger dose--1/4 ml per pound of weight (example 5 lb chicken gets 1.25 ml) for 3 to 4  straight days.  Ideally, a vet could run a test for worms on a collective stool sample.

Ok, thank you for clarifying.... Worms shouldn't be the problem.... I'll check for gapes when I dust them this weekend though... If they are 10-14 weeks what should be a average weight for dual purpose birds? I'm going to buy a scale.. How do you keep them on the scale? Two people? Lol

 

[Eggcessive]

With gapeworm, there is an emergency. Chickens will be in great respiratory distress, gasping with every breath, and the others may have it. There are some old posts that say you can swab the throat and if you see red worms, that is gapeworm, but I believe that is false information. I believe the only way you can prove it, is to confirm with a stool sample at the vet's. Dawg53 can correct me if I'm wrong. Here is a video of a chicken with gapeworm, and it's not pretty: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/831466/hen-breathing-very-heavily-advice-video-included

 

[birdlady79]

With gapeworm, there is an emergency.  Chickens will be in great respiratory distress, gasping with every breath, and the others may have it.  There are some old posts that say you can swab the throat and if you see red worms, that is gapeworm, but I believe that is false information.  I believe the only way you can prove it, is to confirm with a stool sample at the vet's.  Dawg53 can correct me if I'm wrong.  Here is a video of a chicken with gapeworm, and it's not pretty:  https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/831466/hen-breathing-very-heavily-advice-video-included

Thank you... I really don't think it's gapes..... I think it's something else but I don't know what..... I will see if my vet can do a sample... It's really only 1 bird I've noticed the weight loss in..... The others seem healthy but I'm not sure how much they should be weighing. They are hatchery birds so I know it varies..

 

[birdlady79]

This is her at 12 weeks... She's the tallest but the skinnest..