OK it has been 10 days. I gave big momma her second dose of safeguard. Over the last 10 days she has lost all her tail feathers and a bunch if other body feathers and I feel her body weight is even lower. BUT... this morning I noticed her red cheek hangy things were redder and she seemed way more vocal. I know dewormer is hard on their little bodies. Is this a good sign? Should I expect another downturn since I just gave her the second dose? She is eating. Maybe not as much... and she is always the last one as they wander around my yard. Can i do anything else?
She is most likely molting, normal this time of the year. They look skinny after they lose feathers during molt, normal as well.
Wormers are not as hard as you think on their systems (an exception would be when they are in molt or have a worm infestation.) Also worms can cause severe internal damage early on in their lives. Feed her buttermilk mixed with scrambled eggs for a few days, then add regular feed to it to make a mash for her to eat for several more days. Birds in molt are usually grumpy anyways, this is to be expected.