Worming questions - which, when, how often, and how much?

[11squawkers]

Hello BYC members. OK, here we go!
It's my turn to be confused and ask about worming. As we all know there is SO much conflicting information both online and in the few book I have read on poultry health concerning worms and worming regimens, but also some great and helpful info from BYC members that I have decided to worm my flock, although some say there is no need to. (?!)

First my flock consists of:
1 Barred rock hen 4lbs
1 Jersey giant hen 5 lbs
1 Barnevelder hen 4lbs
3 guinea hens 7 - 8 lbs each
3 guinea cocks 7.5 lbs each
1 handicap guinea cock w/slipped tendon 3lbs
Weighed them all yesterday, ugh, so not easy.

These are the various wormers I have acquired over the last few weeks from all the various research and info I've come across but have not yet used anything due to confusion and, I suppose, fear.

Well I have finally decided it just needs to get done and I am thinking to start with valbazen, as my flock has never been wormed and they are now 1 year old. But good to have the others to put into rotation in the worming regimen since I read worms can become resistant to a regularly used wormer.

So begin my questions:
Do I worm the guineas the same as the chickens?

Should I give 0.08ml of valbazen per pound to each bird or do the standard 1/2 cc to the larger and 1/4 to the smaller? ( I do have a small oral syringe for exact ml/cc dosage)

Then given again in 10 days, done same way as the first round.

Withold feed 18 or the full 24 hours prior? Chicken Health handbook says 18, BYC members state 24, what is best and does it matter either way?

I have already blocked access to feed as of 7pm last night.

I am assuming that the birds need to be kept in, not allowed to free range, during this 18-24 hour feed withholding period, is this correct?

And after the dose of valbazen is given how or what feed is reintroduced? I have read to give small amount of mash, plain yogurt, or buttermilk, mash mixed with buttermilk, scrambled eggs, and/or probiotics and other nutrients. I bought the following buttermilk, will this work?

And should I give it straight in a dish or mix with feed to make mash? Give probiotics with it? Or other nutrients/ vitamins? I have Savachick probiotic pack and electrolyte packs, as well as Nutridrench and Rooster booster B 12 vitamins. Don't know if anything would counteract with a wormer?

I will be worming twice a year, spring and fall, since we live in the Sierras in California between Tahoe and Sacramento, which has been pretty warm and dry. But I'd like to know what wormer should I use next? The valbazen again or one of the others? How should the rotation go? And is there any wormers from my picture that is ineffective or should not be used? Some say to use wazine and some say not to but what about in a rotation? And horse paste wormer ok for poultry? (Oh boy)

I know this is kind of a bombardment of questions but its hard to find straight forward info on this topic. I have read so much here on BYC, other online sources, as well as books and it seems it all conflicts and is confusing and frustrating, so sorry to ask all these questions, and/or repeating previously posted questions. This is my first time worming and i just want to get it right and get it done!

So thanks in advance for any and all help. And if i can ask please dont refer me to other pages, as I am pretty certain I have already read it and it wont help just add to the confusion.

Guess I'm basically asking to just please tell me what to do/ what do you think?



ugh and *sigh*

 

[casportpony]

Will read your post properly later, lol. If you want to get started, give Valbazen (Albendazole) at 0.08ml per pound to all birds now and again in ten days. Kuddos to you for taking the time and effort to weigh them.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Remember it's always better to round up on wormer doses!

-Kathy

 

[11squawkers]

Thank you Kathy! I know my post is a lot to read through but I just want to be sure I'm doing things properly without doing any damage, so its nice to hear I can round up. I was actually hoping for you to come across my post since you, too live in CA and have other poultry. You have put out so much helpful info, I feel you are an excellent resource and trust your experience more than standard chicken books or sites. I'm so nervous being this is my first go at worming. And boy are they grumpy they haven't eaten all day! Thats another question, how soon after giving the dose of valbazen do I feed them and should it just be a small amount? Time is coming for the task, its been 20 hours since I blocked their feeder.

 

[dawg53]

After worming them with the valbazen, wait about 4 hours before feeding them. Access to water is fine. When you feed them, start them with a small quantity of feed and then gradually increase it over the course of the day back to normal toward the end of the day. Feeding them all they can eat at once will cause them to gorge feed and possibly cause impacted crop or gizzard.

 

[11squawkers]

Ok, cool, thanks dawg. You, too have been a very valuable source of information through your posts! I did, just about 2 hours ago, give them the valbazen. I did .5 ml for the 3 chickens, .7ml for the guineas, and .25ml for my handicapped guy. I will make them mash of feed mixed with buttermilk. I also just did, and will continue to, put Savachick probiotics in one waterer and Poultry Nutridrench in the other, for the next 3days. Then redose in 10 days. Should I give the same amount to each again?

And what rotation do you guys use with other wormers?

 

[TalkALittle]

I'm very glad to have come across this post as I am in the very same position as the op. I have a
question. What is the shelf life of valbazen once open?

 

[11squawkers]

Well dont know how long it may last after the expiration date, but my bottle says the expiration date is 8/2017 and I just got it frim Jeffers Pet 2 days ago.

 

[dawg53]

Ok, cool, thanks dawg. You, too have been a very valuable source of information through your posts! I did, just about 2 hours ago, give them the valbazen. I did .5 ml for the 3 chickens, .7ml for the guineas, and .25ml for my handicapped guy. I will make them mash of feed mixed with buttermilk. I also just did, and will continue to, put Savachick probiotics in one waterer and Poultry Nutridrench in the other, for the next 3days. Then redose in 10 days. Should I give the same amount to each again?

And what rotation do you guys use with other wormers?

Redose with valbazen in 10 days, same dosages. You have a good plan, stick with it. I worm every three months, sometimes sooner if there's alot of rain. I use valbazen, safeguard liquid goat wormer, pyrantal pamoate in rotation. But it's not often that I use the pyrantal pamoate. I use zimectrin gold for tapeworm infections only. Try to keep everything as simple as possible.

 

[11squawkers]

Well thats great to hear, thanks e
I feel relieved to have gotten the hard part over!
Thanks for the great info!
One other question that has been on my mind is we have jack rabbits that come in the yard at night and leave lots of rabbit poop, well not too familiar just yet with what worms look like but the other day I saw a small white piece in the rabbit poop that might be a tapeworm segment (?) I poked at it and it was soft. So I'm wondering if that could become a problem down the road with my birds getting tapeworm? Guess its good I got the valbazen. I haven't yet seen anything in my birds droppings, I'll check this morning when I let them out if they've expelled any kind of worms after the valbazen dose. Would they expell tapeworm that would be visible that I can identify if they had them? I am planning on worming twice a year but I will keep an eye on my birds and their poop for worm evidence, as I have been. Cant keep the rabbits out, wish I could as they bring in ticks that my dog gets :/