Worming gone bad?

[illinoishiker]

A few days ago I wormed my chickens with safe-guard for goats. 100mg/mL. 10% suspension. I wormed them last fall with it in water and they are wormy with round worms so decided the water method was ineffective. I actually saw and removed 2 living roundworms right outside the run. They free range most days. I read 1/2 cc per bird orally, wait 10 days repeat, and then after 24 days start to finish ok to eat the eggs. The treatment was a Friday evening. Things were ok but on Sat a week I only got three eggs and there was a broken egg. Usually getting 8 to 12 (lately some hens broody) so 8 is a good day lately. But then today, Sunday, there are several eggs but three were under the roost. They were broken with a soft barely formed thin shell. I went to pick up an egg in a nest and it collapsed in my fingers. The wormer apparently has caused the hens to lay eggs prematurely and also what are laid in the nest have soft thin shells. Well, tomorrow is day 10 and time for second round. I want to get rid of the worms but should I go through with the second worming orally? I'm assuming this will self correct as the wormer gets out of their systems in the next 14 days. ??

 

[Aapomp831]

Worms eat up all of their nutrition; I wouldn’t be too alarmed, I’m sure everything will go back to normal once they are done with the second round. It’s more effective to worm them orally bc this ensures that each bird gets the correct and intended dose - it’s of more importance to get rid of the worms than to get pretty eggs right now.

 

[Eggcessive]

How much do your chickens weigh? Dosage of SafeGuard is 1/4 ml per pound, so the dosage you given was only enough for a 2 pound bird. Giving it once and again in 10 days will treat roundworms and cecal worms. But to treat gapeworms and capillary worms, more infrequent worms, is to give for 5 straight days. It is a pretty safe wormer, and I doubt it has anything to do with your lack of eggs or soft shells.

 

[illinoishiker]

Already I need to correct my info. It was just last Friday evening I wormed them. Sat already one soft egg shell. Today they laid 10 eggs with three under the roost broken and the ones in the nest all have brittle thin shells. So the wormer seems to cause brittle thin shells. I don't worm them again for a week and then wait another 14 days for 'safe' eggs.

 

[illinoishiker]

I don't think it had anything to do with lack of eggs but I do think likely cause of the thin egg shells. I have a feeder inside designated for oyster shells. And shells were ok before the wormer.

 

[illinoishiker]

So you say I should start over and weigh them each (I have a good scales) and 1/4 cc per pound?

 

[illinoishiker]

I agree eggs not important now; just shocked at the thin shells so quickly. And concerned about other side effects for the birds. They are acting fine. Eating, drinking, running around.

 

[Eggcessive]

What are you feeding? Has there been any stress lately?

So you say I should start over and weigh them each (I have a good scales) and 1/4 cc per pound?

That is the correct dosage. I would get a general weight on them. A kitchen scale can be used, or you can weigh yourself and then weigh yourself holding a chicken, and subtract the difference.

 

[illinoishiker]

It's been a few days. The eggs shells went back to normal just a couple days after the thin shells. So it was just a short term problem. Just scared me that the wormer was too much and had caused harm to the birds. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Glad everything is going well! Thanks for the update