Treatment for gapeworms

[Wild Chicken]

We have concluded that our hen has gapeworms. Here are a few questions I have:

1. Do we treat all chickens?
2. Looks like we can treat with Safeguard....correct?
3. Do we need to withdraw eating the eggs and for how long?

Thanks in advance. I'm planning on going to the Feed Store tomorrow and would like to be reassured that Safeguard will be OK for treatment.

 

[kathyinmo]

Here is a copy of post # 32, from this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213065&p=1

First, here's a helpful article with a bit on gapeworm and fenbendazole:
SOURCE: http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/disparas.htm

Their dosage recommendation is a paste mixed with water and then mixed into feed. We'll break down the dosage, but here's the text:

QUOTE:
----------------------
"PARASITE (INTERNAL) SOLUTIONS

The following treatments have been shown to be effective for eliminating internal parasites from poultry and game birds. Neither of these drugs (fenbendazole or leviamisole) has been approved for use by FDA, so the producer accepts all responsibility for their use. Both drugs have been very effective if used properly and will eliminate most types of internal parasites that affect birds. Caution: Do not use with birds producing eggs or meat destined for human consumption.

Fenbendazole Treatments

One-day Treatment

1 oz Safeguard or Panacur per 15-20 lb feed

Dissolve the fenbendazole product in one cup of water. Mix this solution well into the feed and give to the birds as their only feed source for one day. When completely consumed, untreated feed can be given. Be sure that the commercial medication contains 10% fenbendazole.

Safeguard is a product of Ralston Purina, and Panacur is a product marketed by American Hoechst. One ounce of medication will treat about 1000 10-oz bobwhite quail. Adjustments of the amounts of medication and feed needed may be necessary depending on the number and size of the birds...."
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QUOTE:
"Fenbendazole has been shown to be a very effective treatment for eliminating Capillaria (capillary worms), Heterakis (cecal worms), Ascaridia (roundworms), and Syngamus spp. (gapeworms). Toxicity from overdosing with fenbendazole is very remote. Research indicates that amounts up to 100 times the recommended dosages have been given under research conditions without adverse effects to the birds. Use of this product during molt, however, may cause deformity of the emerging feathers."
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SOURCE:
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/solutions.html
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OK, now - let's work this out as they have it dosed.

One ounce = 30cc'*s = recommended treatment for 20 lbs of feed.

divide that all by 10
1/10th ounce = 3 cc's = treatment for 2 pounds of feed.

*Actually it's 29.5735296 cc's but I rounded up.

So get a syringe and measure out 3 cc's of SafeGuard paste for horses. It's 10%.(** see below.) Mix that in about 1/8th of a cup of water. Mix with the crumbles and let it set for about 10 minutes til it absorbs. Feed as their only source of feed for the day, and replace regular crumbles when all of that food is gone.

** Here's an example of a tube:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs … mp;cFlag=1
- or the tiny link -
http://tinyurl.com/tscsfenbenforhorses

I hope this helps.