Valbazen de-worming question....

[WalleyWaller]

How would one make sure that each hen got just one piece?

-Kathy

I would hand it to them one at a time. I think that I would let them out of the run to free range one at a time and as one comes out of the gate I would give it to them at that time.

 

[Michael Apple]

I definitely agree that they need to be dosed individually so they all get the proper amount. My point is that it would be a bit easier to hand them a small piece of bread with the proper amount as opposed to holding them, pulling down on their wattles and administering with a syringe. They would quickly eat the bread whereas as some will not cooperate with the syringe. Just a thought.

Yes, I think I like the idea of breaking it up into at least 2 days. I think I could do 22 in a day. Thank you everyone. I really appreciate the information!

With a few hens, the bread dose may be simple. When you have number of greedy-guts mobbing you, it can get complicated. I do at night with a syringe or tab. They are calm on the roost. I dose each one and set them back on the roost. Less stressful for them.

 

[dawg53]

I've tried the treated bread trick before with paste wormers. You have to pen them up. Then release one bird into another pen and toss a her piece of treated bread to eat. Sometimes a separated bird will eat the treated bread, sometimes they wont. Then you have to release her out into the yard after she eats the bread. Then start this process over again. It's time consuming but it's the only way each bird gets properly dosed rather than tossing treated bread to a few hens. It never fails...toss several pieces of treated bread to a few birds and one bird will end up eating more than one piece of the treated bread. Then you never know which bird got dosed, then worry about which bird got overdosed. Putting liquid wormers on bread is fruitless, the bread falls apart in pieces.
Once you get the hang of dosing each bird individually, it gets easier and quicker with time and it's like an assembly line. I've wormed 20 birds in 20 minutes or less...about 1 minute per bird. Of course I have everything pre-staged; syringe preloaded with the liquid wormer, I use the wormer bottle cap filled with the wormer for easy withdrawal using a needle-less syringe, all the birds confined to a small pen making it easier to grab one, with quick access to release them out in the yard.
For a small flock like I have now, and I worm them 5 days straight using safeguard liquid goat wormer; I grab a hen as she walks out of the hen house and close the pop door behind her, first thing in the mornings. I dose her and release her. Then open the pop door and grab the second hen as she walks out...I repeat this until they are all wormed.
However you worm them orally, is up to you. The key is that you know each bird got properly and effectively wormed without guesswork.

 

[WalleyWaller]

Yes, That makes perfect since. The syringe doesn't sound too bad now after you have explained. They are very greedy when it comes to treats. I can see how the bread dosing could go bad quickly. It seems as if it would be OK if you only had a few to treat. Thank you very much!

 

[dawg53]

Yes, That makes perfect since. The syringe doesn't sound too bad now after you have explained. They are very greedy when it comes to treats. I can see how the bread dosing could go bad quickly. It seems as if it would be OK if you only had a few to treat. Thank you very much!

The walking stomachs are greedy for sure lol. Too bad we dont live closer, I'd help you worm your birds. Good luck.

 

[WalleyWaller]

The walking stomachs are greedy for sure lol. Too bad we dont live closer, I'd help you worm your birds. Good luck.

Well, Thank you very much!

I really appreciate that! And, I appreciate your help!! I will be moving close to you in the next few months. I will be in between Jax and St Augustine!

 

[casportpony]

You all should see me doing the peafowl, lol. Since all peafowl look the same, and they hop off the roosts at night, I have to put colored zip ties on them and make a list of which ones got dosed.

-Kathy

 

[WalleyWaller]

You all should see me doing the peafowl, lol. Since all peafowl look the same, and they hop off the roosts at night, I have to put colored zip ties on them and make a list of which ones got dosed.

-Kathy

LOL! Reading this sure makes my job feel much easier!

Wow! That does make it much more challenging!

 

[sezua]

I just purchased the valbezen that was recommended on another BYC thread. On all these other valbezen threads everyone seems to be using the one that is not intended for chickens. This one is a drench made for chickens. Why wouldn't this be the safer choice?
Has anyone used this one or have any experience with it.
Thoughts?

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

 

[Eggcessive]

They have taken Valbazen, and have just repackaged it in a smaller amount. It is the same cattle/sheep wormer as one would find in a feed store. The dosage undiluted is 1/2 ml for most standard chickens or 1/4 ml for a bantam.