whats the best wormer to use - opinions please

[chicken grandma]

Why don't you take a poop sample in a ziplock bag to a local vet? Call first and ask if they can do a fecal check on chickens for tape worms, round worms, coccidia, gapeworms.
It usually costs $13-20. Then you will KNOW if you have worms. You will KNOW what kind of wormer to use if any!
In the long run, this is cost saving and it also is more humane to your chickens than guessing and giving medicine without reason.

p.s. you can take a small plastic DISPOSABLE spoon and put a selection of poo in the ziplock bag. That way if some parasite is in the flock you will probably catch it! Good luck!
I do this each year because I have kids handling my chickens. Out of 11 years, I have had a positive for round worms twice and tapeworms once.
Also, before you give a chicken to a friend or take a chicken from anyone - check your flock and theirs, to see what parasites might put your flocks at risk. Some parasites like coccidia are not easily treated and can be deadly. Coccidia is easily identified in a poo sample and that might save you the heart ache of bringing an infected chicken into your flock.

 

[saladin]

Quote:
Chicken grandma,
This is good advice.

The only thing I would disagree with you on is the statement, 'Some parasites like coccidia are not easily treated and can be deadly.' Cocci can be deadly this is very true. However, Cocci is very easily treated.

You can treat cocci with Sulmet or Amprolium. I have also recently read that Copper Sulfate works on Cocci as well; though I have not tried it.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
I like Ivermectin too, and for that reason. Plus it's easy to just put a few drops on the back of their necks when they roost at night. I just know the minute I put wormer on some food, even if it's their favorite, they'll suddenly develop a dislike for it

 

[Ksane]

I'm sold on Fenbendazole in the form of Safeguard horse paste. Just a pea sized drop for a normal sized chicken. Kills everything but tapes, cheap & easy to dose. There's so many different opinions on dosage though. I give big Cochins about 3 pea-sized glops of it. It's real safe and difficult to overdose them on it. It's called Panacur for dogs, I've used it on dogs for 30 yrs.

 

[mystang89]

Quote:
No need to use wazine. Valbazen slowly gets rid of the worms over several days. No need to worry about dead worm toxicity.

Won't the parasites eventually grow immune to Valbazen or do you just use it once you see them with parasites? I have put wazine in the chickens water everytime I change it out ever since I had them. Don't know if it works or not since I don't see any parasites in the poop. However one of the chickens combs is turning paleish in color. I just figured it was from laying all the time. It's a leghorn.

 

[saladin]

Quote:
No need to use wazine. Valbazen slowly gets rid of the worms over several days. No need to worry about dead worm toxicity.

Won't the parasites eventually grow immune to Valbazen or do you just use it once you see them with parasites? I have put wazine in the chickens water everytime I change it out ever since I had them. Don't know if it works or not since I don't see any parasites in the poop. However one of the chickens combs is turning paleish in color. I just figured it was from laying all the time. It's a leghorn.

Surely you jest? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding what you wrote.

If you use Wazine and Dawg53 doesn't, you are only suppose to use in as: Day 1 (for 12 hours) and Day 30 (for 12 hours). Then, again either 6 months or 1 years later. Some may de-worm more often than every 6 months but even among those who do deworm, the majority only do it at most twice a year.

 

[mystang89]

I was told to put it in with the chickens water every time you change it out so I did. I have been doing that every day straight for 4 months now and haven't seen any side effects. That being said I will only do it ever 30 days or so as that will save on the amount of Walzine 17 used and thats how the directions read....I think.

 

[Ksane]

Well they certainly don't have roundworms then, do they? lol
Unfortunately roundworms is the ONLY thing Wazine kills and they're not that big of a deal. Not compared to other worms they get.

 

[sham30]

Quote:
That is a great idea, my vet is also my farm vet so he has seen me walk in with a fair share of poo

I think I will do that this week, need to bring a sample from one of my rabbits ears who is being treated for mites - it is never ending - Thank you again for the great idea!

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
No need to use wazine. Valbazen slowly gets rid of the worms over several days. No need to worry about dead worm toxicity.

Won't the parasites eventually grow immune to Valbazen or do you just use it once you see them with parasites? I have put wazine in the chickens water everytime I change it out ever since I had them. Don't know if it works or not since I don't see any parasites in the poop. However one of the chickens combs is turning paleish in color. I just figured it was from laying all the time. It's a leghorn.

Most recommend not eating the eggs for 14 days when you use wazine....if you are using it ALL the time how are you going to eat the eggs? I don't see any way that is good for either you or the chickens. Wormers should only be used when worms are present.
sharon