worming question

[twister]

My hens have not been wormed since 'chickdom' , about 10 mo ago. Since we are having cooler temps, they have slacked off on egg laying. Should I worm when I do not see any evidence of them having worms? ( 7 birds free range completely on 6 acres) Should I worm with Wazine? If so, how long off the eggs? How many days on the worming? The package directions do not say.

 

[gritsar]

There are several different opinions on worming. Some folks never worm. Others worm only after a positive fecal float at the vets. Some folks go natural, others worm routinely.
I chose to worm once a year with a broad spectrum wormer. I worm my dog and cats once a year, so why not my chickens?
I see very little value in wazine. You go through the whole wormer process, including the egg withdrawel time and it's only good for roundworms? If I'm going to worm, I want to catch all the pesky little boogers, not just roundworms. There's an argument out there that says you should not hit them with the stouter wormer first, since it can cause a blockage when the chicken tries to pass all the dead worms at once, but if I'm worming once a year nobody should have a heavy load of worms to start.
You should not use any of the broad spectrum wormers in the febendazole family while your birds are molting, as it's been said to cause feather defects.
Last year I used albendazole (valbazen), but my birds weren't molting. This year I wasn't going to worm, having decided to skip to every other year, but I had a hen acting poorly so I went ahead and wormed everyone.
Since I had a cheap (as in free) source of ivermectin pour-on, that's what I used this time around.
Since most of the broad spectrum wormers are used off label, i.e., not labeled for use in chickens, there is no listed egg withdrawel time. My research into others experiences suggested a two week egg withdrawel, so that's what I went with.
Wazine, if I'm not mistaken, says in its directions that it's not to be used in egg producing birds, but again my research shows most folks waiting a two week period.

 

[DPhillips]

I had this same exact question on this forum... I was wondering how exactly do you use the Ivermectin pour-on since its not labeled for the use on chickens? I am going to buy some and worm mine in the spring, but im not sure how much to use or how to use it??? Sorry if this seems like a dumb question, Im new to this.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Oh goodness, I'm trying to remember the dosage! It's very early for me to be up and my mind is like a steel trap (closed).

I'll look the dosage up for you.
What you do is part the feathers on the back of the neck and apply it directly to the skin. It needs to touch the skin, otherwise the feathers absorb it and it doesn't get into their system.
I'll look up the dosage and post back.

 

[gritsar]

Okay, it's half (0.5) cc on the back of the neck for standard sized birds, 0.25 for bantams.
I found it easiest to do while the birds are on the roost at night, having DH hold a flashlight for me to see by.
You have to discard the eggs for two weeks.
Here's a great thread on worming:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=258331

 

[DPhillips]

Thank you very much!!!

 

[Chick-a-roos]

Will the Iver-on also take care of scaley leg mites? and if so...how long will it take to see improvement?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
It's suppose to from what I've read, but I have no personal experience with that.