Tapeworm and Capillaria

[nordahlbunch]

I have a point of lay hen, acting under the weather. I believe these are tape worms, right (white rice like segments)? Valbazen is the only thing that will treat this? I'm having a hard time finding it, I will have to order.

One showing near the top.

2 showing near the bottom.

 

[arosenzweig]

We order Valbazen from Peter Brown at FirstStateVet:

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/store2/wormers/valbazen.html

 

[arosenzweig]

Hi, for those who are following this thread I'd like to bring it to a close

We took a new stool sample to the lab yesterday and the results are in: "negative for ova / oocysts"

That means they could find nothing bad in the poo!

When you collect the fresh poo in the morning, you can't be sure to get poo from all your chickens but you get a good mix. In general if there is something affecting your chickens they are all affected. It's not an exact science, you could have a single sick bird and not collect their poo by accident.

Let's recap:

1) Routine stool sample check uncovered tapeworm and capillary worm infection. The flock looked healthy and their poo looked healthy to the naked eye but under a microscope worm eggs could be found.

2) Treatment with Valbazen appeared to have cured the problem (with another stool sampling) but there was a mild case of cocci detected. This could be the result of the "good gut bacteria" being depleted along with the bad as a result of medication.

3) Instead of further medication treatment, we opted for human yogurt with "good gut bacteria" along with corn and other treats. The chickens now have a clean bill of health.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I have a point of lay hen, acting under the weather. I believe these are tape worms, right (white rice like segments)? Valbazen is the only thing that will treat this? I'm having a hard time finding it, I will have to order.

One showing near the top.

2 showing near the bottom.

Dose is the same...

.5cc for standard birds, .25cc for bantams and pullets/cockerels.... Treat once and then again in FIVE days (instead of waiting the "normal" 10 days). That will treat for tapeworms and every other worm a chicken can get.

You can also use Safeguard liquid goat wormer given five days in a row at the same dosage.

MrsB

 

[MrsBrooke]

Hi, for those who are following this thread I'd like to bring it to a close

We took a new stool sample to the lab yesterday and the results are in: "negative for ova / oocysts"

That means they could find nothing bad in the poo!

When you collect the fresh poo in the morning, you can't be sure to get poo from all your chickens but you get a good mix. In general if there is something affecting your chickens they are all affected. It's not an exact science, you could have a single sick bird and not collect their poo by accident.

Let's recap:

1) Routine stool sample check uncovered tapeworm and capillary worm infection. The flock looked healthy and their poo looked healthy to the naked eye but under a microscope worm eggs could be found.

2) Treatment with Valbazen appeared to have cured the problem (with another stool sampling) but there was a mild case of cocci detected. This could be the result of the "good gut bacteria" being depleted along with the bad as a result of medication.

3) Instead of further medication treatment, we opted for human yogurt with "good gut bacteria" along with corn and other treats. The chickens now have a clean bill of health.

GREAT NEWS!

There's nothing like that good feeling you get with negative fecal results! Thrilled for you.

For the future, Coccidiosis is treated with an Amprolium (such as Corid or Sulmet). I personally prefer Corid, as it treats all NINE of the strains a chicken can get... Sulmet gets, I believe, five strains.

MrsB

 

[nordahlbunch]

One more question...
I've made them fast for 24 hrs, going to worm them now. How soon after I've wormed them, can they eat?

 

[arosenzweig]

• nordahlbunch, that is a very good question. I wondered the same.

I don't know they should fast to begin with though I've seen people say they should.

In my case I didn't make them fast, I just gave them the dose early in the morning. They probably ate some by the time I gave them the medication.

Perhaps they are more hungry and more likely to keep the medicine down and eat it all.

I tried the syringe but ended up soaking pieces of bread with the medicine. It was easier.

My advice, for what it's worth, is let them eat right away after giving the medicine.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I'm unsure if you need to withhold feed with Valbazen. I never have, and it still seems to work just fine.

Withholding food for too long might impact egg production for a few days due to stress. :/

MrsB

 

[lynx04]

With Valbazen, the treatment is a little different for tapes.

1/2cc for standard birds... Maybe a little more for large standards. Treat again in FIVE days to get tapes (instead of the usual ten).

Valbazen gets every worm known to chickens.

14 day withdrawal from last dose, ad you know!

No idea about keeping them inside to break the cycle. That's a question for @dawg53 !

MrsB

Question: if treating after 5 days instead of the 10, what about if there are other worms besides the tapeworms? Should you give another dose in the next 5 days to break the egg cycle of those worms?

Thanks so much for your information and expertise.

 

[arosenzweig]

Treating our chickens with Mediworm tablets today.

Got the "pigeon" sized tablets.

Giving one tablet per kg of bird. So our Silkie (Sophie) got one tablet... our Lakenvelder got two tablets (Snowy)... and our really large birds got 3 tablets (Pumpkin).

When we tested the poo at the lab, we had 100 EPG of capillary worms for the mixed flock (before treatment).

Previously we've used Valbazen but we wanted to try this, so we can have a rotation, so they won't build up immunity.

The tablets are relatively small. They are meant to be given orally to pigeons.

Our Silkie "Sophie" ate it like it was a sunflower seed. Grabbed it and swallowed it immediately.

The others tended to push it around in their beak a bit and drop it. Needed to open their beak and place it in manually then follow up with some of their favorite treats so that they would naturally swallow it before going for their favorite food.