Weight and types of feed

[trafficgal]

you can see the worms???? yuck!

How much DE goes in with the food? and if its bad for them to breath would it not be an issue if they are kicking up dust in their bath area? how much do you put in that area?

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Do most people deworm their hens each year? seems a really long time to loose eggs, is it necessary?

I deworm twice a year - Valbazen in the fall when them come off pasture and safeguard in the spring (had to use Wazine this year however). If I don't, I end up with a huge worm issue (verified via fecal egg count) or can see round worms in their droppings. It's just become part of my normal animal care. I do deworm all my brown layers first, then my white and color layers so I don't lose a ton of eggs. Withdrawl times are usually recommended because 1. These are off label use so there is little to no research into how they affect eggs and 2. To avoid allergic reaction or medication build up on humans. I usually end up feeding the affected eggs to my dogs and barn cats.

 

[TheRambler]

you can see the worms???? yuck!

How much DE goes in with the food? and if its bad for them to breath would it not be an issue if they are kicking up dust in their bath area? how much do you put in that area?

Yes you will see them come out with the feces(well some of them, some are too small to see). The good news is you cant overdose DE, so just experiment. Since its a dry powder, it can be difficult to be consumed with straight feed(mixed with the dry feed it helps prevent any insect infestation of the feed too, in fact some feeds already have it mixed in). I think its best mixed in some type of mash, or oatmeal, or sprinkled on wet fruits/treats etc. I would say you want a bird to injest about a 1/4 teaspoon in one feeding give or take a bit. As far as the dust bath area goes, its not "bad" to breathe it per say, but it is irritating to soft lung tissue. Its a little more irritating than normal dust that is breathed in. I mix about a cup of DE into about 25lbs of sand in a kitty litter size box that i use for the dust bath area. I will remix the dust bath mix about once a year.

I rarely see any fleas or mites etc on my birds. Another alternative is to just manually apply it them by just rubbing it into their feathers. Works good on cats and dogs too. I have been using it on my dog for a long time instead of using frontline etc.

DO BE SURE TO USE FOOD GRADE DE.

 

[TheRambler]

To clarify, you can tell if the DE is working because you will see worms expelled via the feces. It causes them to detach from the intestinal tract and be expelled, its kinda disturbing(ok, Very!) because they are usually still wiggling.

 

[trafficgal]

so let me get this strait all chickens have worms?

 

[galvinj]

so let me get this strait all chickens have worms?

Read this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/964006/chicken-wormers

 

[trafficgal]

One of my hens is acting sick today I'm going to go ahead and give everyone a dose of dewormer and skip the natural method this time around. so can you walk me through exactly what I need to do @TheRambler ? how do you make sure they all get the wormer? keep in mind my hens are not great about being handled...

You said I need 2 doses right how much time between doses and wait 10 days after before using the eggs right?

 

[trafficgal]

@SunkenRoadFarms sorry it was you who told me the 10 day withdrawl can you walk me through exactly what I need to do? also can I get this stuff at tractor supply?

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

@SunkenRoadFarms
 sorry it was you who told me the 10 day withdrawl can you walk me through exactly what I need to do? also can I get this stuff at tractor supply?

Valbazen I usually have to order online. If you can find it it's 1/2 cc for large fowl and 1/4 cc for bantams. I use a syring and give directly in their mouths (set them on a stump and squeeze them gently wih my knees, pull gently on waddle, squirt into back corner of their mouth). You'll need to repeat 10 days later (withdrawl is 10 days for each dose).

Safeguard liquid goat dewormer is 1/2 cc for large fowl and 1/4 cc for bantams once a day for 5 days straight (also oral syring method). Withdrawl is 14 days.

I highly recommend Valbazen for the first deworming as it kills many more types of worms.

 

[trafficgal]

I was able to find the go at one at tractor supply and I don't want to wait for the other to come in the mail bc one hen is showing symptoms of illness! someone wrote .23ml (or something like that I have to look again) per pound of hen does it matter which dose I follow I'd love to not have to weigh each hen lol (I have australoupe and bared rocks and 2 Eastereggers)

one more question (for now sorry so many stupid questions) withdrawal is days after the last dose right?

also (sorry so many questions) should I aim for the Valbazen next year? when I'm doing it in a non emergency mindframe? and push next years off till fall?