Worming Dilemma

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ngennetta

Songster
7 Years
Apr 26, 2016
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Colorado
Hello all. I have a worming dilemma I was hoping you might be gracious enough to help me. I've done a lot of reading, but haven't found an answer as I feel my situation is a bit different. I will try to provide as much information as needed, but please let me know if you need further.

I have a flock of appx 40 birds, ranging from a few weeks old to 4 years. I have been lucky and not had any medical issues with them in past years.

Several weeks ago, I had a few birds come down with a respiratory infection. I only had 5-in-1 on hand, and used that to treat their respiratory infection (which was successfully treated). The 5-in-1 is given over 5 days in their water. In addition to Tylan and other medications, it contains Amprolium, Ridzol-S, Vita-Pro Combo and Levamisol (https://www.jedds.com/shop/5-in-1-treatment-200-g-vita-king/). When giving the 5 in 1, it was mixed fresh daily and their only source of water.

I have never wormed my birds before. I was very surprised to find the large number of worms that were expelled in their poo after the 5 in 1 treatment (from the Levamisol).

Since I obviously had a heavy worm burden, I followed up with Safeguard goat 12 days later (I was not able to treat on the 10th day). The safeguard was mixed in to their daily food at 1oz into 10 lbs of food (recommended by hopkinslivestock.com).

Today is day 14 after the Safeguard treatment. I am still finding worms in their poo. I am not sure how I should proceed.

>>Should I worm again? If so, what product and dosing? If I worm again, does that also require a followup treatment in 10 days?

>>Should I just wait? Is this a normal finding?

>>Unrelated but similar in topic, what is your opinion on WormOut gel (https://www.jedds.com/shop/wormout-gel-vetafarm/) or this Wormer Deluxe (https://www.jedds.com/shop/wormer-deluxe-powder-100g/)?

I have not had a fecal float test done, since worming them was an "accident". I do have a microscope, centrifuge and equipment to perform a fecal float test, however I've not actually done one. I just purchased the equipment over the winter because I knew I wanted to learn, and shipping the samples overnight on ice are very expensive.

Any thoughts would be incredibly helpful and I would truly appreciate it. Thank you kindly!
 
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Your birds weakened immune system caused by worms didnt help fight off whatever respiratory disease your birds picked up. Respiratory diseases can enter into a flock many different ways. Practice biosecurity at all times.

Now for your worming issue and why you are seeing more worms in feces.
The 5 in 1 treatment is really good stuff, and I know it works due to its very effective ingredients. The same with the safeguard goat wormer pellets mixed in feed.
However, they have one drawback as does the other excellent products you're thinking about purchasing.

Let me ask you some questions; how do you know all 40 of your birds drank the treated water or ate the treated feed? If they drank the treated water and ate the treated feed, did they drink or eat enough of it to be effective?
Since they had a respiratory issue, sick birds dont usually eat nor drink like they would normally if they were completely healthy.

This is the problem with mixing medications and wormers in water and feed. You simply dont know if all your birds effectively drank enough of the treated water, or ate the treated feed, or drank or ate it at all.
This would result in seeing worms in feces long after worming.
Most wormers are expelled from the chickens system within the first several days after administration. Levamisole has a 7 day egg withdrawal period.

The most effective method for worming and in some cases administering antibiotics is the oral route.
I suggest purchasing Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer. It comes in a 500ml bottle and will treat all 40 of your chickens and will have plenty leftover for the second dosing.
Use a syringe without a needle and dose each bird orally 3/4cc. Then redose them orally again in 10 days. Dont forget to shake the bottle well before use.

Here's how you do it: It's best to worm them very early in the morning.
Do not let your birds eat anything on the morning you're going to worm them. By not feeding your birds, you're not feeding the worms neither, which weakens the worms making the wormer more effective. You can go out early enough and snatch a bird off the roost one by one and worm them like that. Have someone hold the bird for you while you draw up 3/4cc. Then pull the wattles down with your finger and thumb and the birds mouth will open. The hen will struggle and shake her head, dont let go, she will tire. Then shoot the liquid in her mouth and IMMEDIATELY let go of her wattles so she can swallow the liquid on her own. If you dont let go of the wattles immediately, the liquid can go down her windpipe and she could aspirate. Then release her and let her go on her way.
Do this with all your birds until completed.
Wait 4 hours after worming them before feeding them. Then only give them a little feed to eat at a time, gradually increasing the feed throughout the afternoon back to normal. The reason for this is that your birds will be starving and will gorge feed if it's put out. Gorging feed can cause crop or gizzard impactation.
After the worming has been completed in this manner, you'll know that all your birds were properly wormed, no guesswork about it.
Then in 10 days, repeat this procedure.

It might be best to practice with one of your birds before actually doing this. Even have someone hold the bird for you. Pull the wattles down and see what it's like, have a syringe (w/o needle) in your other hand ready to go, no wormer in it of course.
Once you practice, worming all 40 of your birds will go quickly.
I've wormed 25 birds in 20 minutes doing it by myself. Easy peasy.
 
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I have used Wormout Gel a couple of times on my birds, since I used to have way too many chickens, and found the individual dosing a daunting task. Wormout gel contains oxfendazole and praziquantel. It works well, but it can be a little hard to mix in the water—they recommend shaking the mix into water. Follow the directions closely. It is orange in flavor, so I am not sure if my chickens liked the flavor or not. The smallest 100 ml container is $22 online, which treats 4 gallons.

Usually I use Valbazen (albendazole,) and the 500 ml bottle lasts a long time. I have even shared with a friend. It costs around $45.
 
I have used Wormout Gel a couple of times on my birds, since I used to have way too many chickens, and found the individual dosing a daunting task. Wormout gel contains oxfendazole and praziquantel. It works well, but it can be a little hard to mix in the water—they recommend shaking the mix into water. Follow the directions closely. It is orange in flavor, so I am not sure if my chickens liked the flavor or not. The smallest 100 ml container is $22 online, which treats 4 gallons.

Usually I use Valbazen (albendazole,) and the 500 ml bottle lasts a long time. I have even shared with a friend. It costs around $45.
Too bad we dont live closer. I'd be happy to help you worm your birds. You hold em while I dose em. :lol: OR I could do both! :thumbsup

I dont know if you remember 'Math Ace.' I helped her worm just over 100 birds in one hour. Phew!
 
Too bad we dont live closer. I'd be happy to help you worm your birds. You hold em while I dose em. :lol: OR I could do both! :thumbsup

I dont know if you remember 'Math Ace.' I helped her worm just over 100 birds in one hour. Phew!
Completely off topic, but is that a Speckled Sussex rooster pictured in your avatar? I have a 10 week old pullet and just love her to death. I believe the SS has won my heart over the BO and I’m curious about the personality of a SS roo.
 
Too bad we dont live closer. I'd be happy to help you worm your birds. You hold em while I dose em. :lol: OR I could do both! :thumbsup

I dont know if you remember 'Math Ace.' I helped her worm just over 100 birds in one hour. Phew!
That would be great to live closer, Jim. I did worm them all by myself several times when I had 70 birds. Then I tried the wormout gel, and now that I am down to 20 birds, it is much easier to dose with Valbazen. Now I just have to wait until dark when I go into their coop, and take them off the roost. You would love to see me with my red lamp on grabbing chickens, LOL.

The new fenbendazole product, SafeGuard Aquasol for use in the water would be easy to use, if it were not so darn expensive. Here is a link:
https://www.qcsupply.com/safeguard-aquasol-poultry.html
 
Dawg53- Thank you for your reply.

I DO practice biosecurity strictly. However we do have wild birds and things that I have no control of. I am certain that is where the respiratory infection came from, as I have no other exposure to any other birds.

I was forced to treat with the water/food mixed treatments as at the time this happened I was only a few days post op from shoulder surgery. With no one to help me get the birds individually, I had no choice but to treat them with a batch mix product. Given that the water based medication was for 5 days and the flock ate 10 pounds of the medicated feed, I assumed everyone had sufficiently medicated themselves.

I do have valbazen, and can figure out some process of treating all of my birds on my own. Is the dosage the same for the younger chicks as it is the adults?

What is the egg withdrawal for valbazen? And do I need to follow it up in a few days with another wormer?

Thank you all!
 
For most chickens you can give 0.1 ml per pound of Valbazen safely. Shake it well before withdrawing each dose and give it slowly. Egg withdrawal is 14 days from the last dose.
 
Thank you Eggsessive! I will work on getting them wormed

Do they need a follow up dose in 10 days?

Also, here is a photo. This photo is from about a week ago, and I’m not finding any poo with as many worms, but what I am finding has the same worms in lesser quantities.
 

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