This is a mystery to me!

[missnu01]

If chickens are molting that will also make ten scratch and preen more. And stressful things can actually cause a chicken to molt. Not enough food or water, parasites and illnesses can all cause chickens to molt. I've heard oiling the feet kills scaly leg mites, and sevin dust is killer for mites and lice..the wazine will kill any roundworms in their systems, so there really isn't too much you can do that it sounds like you haven't already done...other than wait for them to recover. Feeding higher protein can sometimes quicken feather growth. So that's something to think about...also with all the parasites you say they are battling they probably need the extra protein anyway. I feed my adult chickens flock raiser with oyster shell on the side. I noticed that when my hens ate the higher protein chick starter that their eggs were about a Half size larger with larger yolks...difference between laying mash and chick starter is higher protein and less calcium in chick starter...so I switched everyone to flock raiser that and while the adults could keep eating the young birds food, the young birds shouldn't eat the adult food, so I needed something that all ages could eat...flock raiser fits. And now we also have ducks and we're getting turkeys in may so it makes sense...anyway up the protein and wait and see how it goes pretty much

 

[cjsgrlsx3]

Thanks so much! So if I am understanding correctly I could feed some chick started (which I have) and keep the oyster shell available for them along with their layer pellets? If I just added the chick started and kept the layer pellets it should give them the extra protein they need.....correct?

 

[missnu01]

Yes it can almost never hurt to add more protein to a chickens diet. I find that when given a choice between chick starter, and layer pellets my birds will go for the chick starter every time. That is why I had to switch everyone's food when I added chicks last time. Then adults were eating all the chick food and leaving nothing for the chicks to eat...but higher protein will help them grow in their feathers and also help replenish what has been lost to parasites

 

[Haveandtohold]

Sounds like that'd be a good protein supplement but they absolutely love scrambled eggs if you're really worried or feel like giving them a special protein packed treat.

 

[cjsgrlsx3]

Funny you mention scrambled eggs.....I scrambled 8 eggs with their shells for them this morning because I was freaking out about the worm I found in the poop! The eggs I have are from before I gave them Wazine today. I hate to throw out all the eggs in my fridge. So I am giving them a few if they look clean. Should they be safe for us to eat?

 

[missnu01]

Well you can always feed back the eggs collected after the wazine to them too. Perhaps it will further the cause

 

[Haveandtohold]

I've read that feeding them the eggs after worming will give them trace amounts of the wormer and make their recovery period longer. I don't actualy know first hand though.

 

[missnu01]

I have wondered that myself, but when you give a chicken wazine very little of it ends up in the eggs, so feeding them back to the chickens might add a tiny bit of wormer back, but not so much that it would end up in the eggs the second time I wouldn't think anyway.. Or give the wazine eggs to your dogs or cats...

 

[dawg53]

Well you can always feed back the eggs collected after the wazine to them too. Perhaps it will further the cause

Feeding eggs back to chickens after worming isnt a good idea. The residue can help build worm resistance to the product the next time it's used. It's best to discard or give the eggs to your dogs for 14 days.

 

[cjsgrlsx3]

I thought the same thing about feeding the Wazine eggs to the chickens, about Wazine in the eggs so I had not planned on giving them the eggs. But I also worried about giving them to the dog. I know different breeds can not have certain wormers. I have a Saint Bernard and not sure she can have it.