Worming!

[coach723]

Most wormers are used off label for chickens. The road to approval is complicated and expensive, so many have not sought it for poultry due to the cost. The poultry industry does not generally have long lived birds, or birds that are outside on the ground, so the need has not been considered great, or that the profits will make up for the costs. Wazine (piperazine) was used and approved, but has been discontinued. Safeguard Aquasol is approved (same medication as Safeguard in other forms) but is extremely expensive. For backyard/small flock keepers wormers are a much more important part of keeping our flocks healthy. All the wormers listed in this thread are commonly used by many, many of us, and for quite some time. The only issue with what you have is the form, it's pellets and has to be eaten, leaving the issue of knowing, or not knowing, if the birds eat enough to get the appropriate dose. Under dosing can result in parasites that become resistant to that medication. Sometimes a bird that is sick from parasites may not eat or drink well, which can also contribute to them not getting enough. That is why so many of us recommend using a form of medication that is directly dosed so that you know without question that they got the correct amount. I do 27 (currently-numbers do fluctuate) birds every three months, and it's not that difficult to do.
There is a method of using Safeguard made into a mash they eat, which some people do mostly to avoid an egg withdrawal period (this method should not be used if your birds have capillary worms). You might be able to convert the recommended amounts in that in order to use the pellets, you would have to re-figure feed amounts etc, and the instructions are for using the goat wormer liquid. Again, whether they eat enough will be an unknown. I have personally never used this method. If you choose to do it that way, I would recommend a fecal test afterwards to confirm you have successfully treated. Info here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safeguard-mash-zero-day-egg-withdrawal.1254653/

 

[Redbud55]

Thank you so much! Do you have any advice/ experience with the wormer in the picture? That’s what I have I do t know if it’s ok.... the world of workers is really confusing! I can never find “ chicken “ specifically and I am new to this!

Thank you so much! Do you have any advice/ experience with the wormer in the picture? That’s what I have I do t know if it’s ok.... the world of workers is really confusing! I can never find “ chicken “ specifically and I am new to this!

I don’t see a picture...sorry. I’ve only used Valbazen. I don’t worry about pulling eggs.I find the smaller amount on line. You’ll have to dig for it. Or, you can get the big bottle at a good feed store. It’s off label for chickens, but so are a lot of other things. It’s just pricey in the large bottle, plus, it would go bad before I used it all up. You get the syringes ( no needles) at tractor supply, the dose is about 1cc per 10 pounds of chicken...give or take.

 

[Catnipmuse]

Most wormers are used off label for chickens. The road to approval is complicated and expensive, so many have not sought it for poultry due to the cost. The poultry industry does not generally have long lived birds, or birds that are outside on the ground, so the need has not been considered great, or that the profits will make up for the costs. Wazine (piperazine) was used and approved, but has been discontinued. Safeguard Aquasol is approved (same medication as Safeguard in other forms) but is extremely expensive. For backyard/small flock keepers wormers are a much more important part of keeping our flocks healthy. All the wormers listed in this thread are commonly used by many, many of us, and for quite some time. The only issue with what you have is the form, it's pellets and has to be eaten, leaving the issue of knowing, or not knowing, if the birds eat enough to get the appropriate dose. Under dosing can result in parasites that become resistant to that medication. Sometimes a bird that is sick from parasites may not eat or drink well, which can also contribute to them not getting enough. That is why so many of us recommend using a form of medication that is directly dosed so that you know without question that they got the correct amount. I do 27 (currently-numbers do fluctuate) birds every three months, and it's not that difficult to do.
There is a method of using Safeguard made into a mash they eat, which some people do mostly to avoid an egg withdrawal period (this method should not be used if your birds have capillary worms). You might be able to convert the recommended amounts in that in order to use the pellets, you would have to re-figure feed amounts etc, and the instructions are for using the goat wormer liquid. Again, whether they eat enough will be an unknown. I have personally never used this method. If you choose to do it that way, I would recommend a fecal test afterwards to confirm you have successfully treated. Info here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safeguard-mash-zero-day-egg-withdrawal.1254653/

thanks!Very useful, if I was buy something else and dose individual birds ( they are very tame, they will be mad at me but it will pass!) what would you use and what dose? I have a 20 month old Cochin, a 10 month EE and RIR, a 7 month old Australorp and a 5 month old dark Brahma who is larger than the RIR. I don’t know if breed maters.... size likely....

 

[Redbud55]

thanks!Very useful, if I was buy something else and dose individual birds ( they are very tame, they will be mad at me but it will pass!) what would you use and what dose? I have a 20 month old Cochin, a 10 month EE and RIR, a 7 month old Australorp and a 5 month old dark Brahma who is larger than the RIR. I don’t know if breed maters.... size likely....

I use 1cc per ten pounds per bird. If it’s close, it’s ok. It won’t hurt them. My birds are grumpy at me, but they get over it.I take advantage of getting my hands on them, and giving them a good once over.

 

[coach723]

If you are using Valbazen, then dose is 20mg/kg or about .2ml per 2.2 lbs. For a standard sized chicken many just round to .5 ml. I personally weigh mine if I'm not sure. I've done it a lot, so am pretty good at this point at estimating weights in mine. A digital kitchen scale works well to weigh. You treat twice, once and then 10 days later. For Safeguard the dose is .23ml per pound. For roundworm you treat twice at 10 day intervals. For capillary and gape worms you treat 5 days in a row. If you are not sure what you are treating for, I would use the Valbazen since it's better for all at the same dose. I get it here, expiration is usually a couple of years out:
https://www.jefferspet.com/products/valbazen-broad-spectrum-dewormer
Lock them in the coop at dark. Go out the next morning before light, take them off the roosts one at a time and weigh and dose them, and let them in the run. You can get oral syringes (no needle) at tractor supply down to 3cc usually. You can get 1cc oral syringes at most pharmacies if you ask. I buy them in bulk on amazon. When the coop is empty you are done. Easy, peasy. Info here on giving oral medications safely:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
**Edit** Wanted to add, that which ever you use, when it's liquid, make sure to shake it really well before drawing the dose, they tend to settle out.

 

[Catnipmuse]

I use 1cc per ten pounds per bird. If it’s close, it’s ok. It won’t hurt them. My birds are grumpy at me, but they get over it.I take advantage of getting my hands on them, and giving them a good once over.

Thanks again! This is so helpful! I will hunt down some of that stuff and return the pellet one!

 

[Catnipmuse]

If you are using Valbazen, then dose is 20mg/kg or about .2ml per 2.2 lbs. For a standard sized chicken many just round to .5 ml. I personally weigh mine if I'm not sure. I've done it a lot, so am pretty good at this point at estimating weights in mine. A digital kitchen scale works well to weigh. You treat twice, once and then 10 days later. For Safeguard the dose is .23ml per pound. For roundworm you treat twice at 10 day intervals. For capillary and gape worms you treat 5 days in a row. If you are not sure what you are treating for, I would use the Valbazen since it's better for all at the same dose. I get it here, expiration is usually a couple of years out:
https://www.jefferspet.com/products/valbazen-broad-spectrum-dewormer
Lock them in the coop at dark. Go out the next morning before light, take them off the roosts one at a time and weigh and dose them, and let them in the run. You can get oral syringes (no needle) at tractor supply down to 3cc usually. You can get 1cc oral syringes at most pharmacies if you ask. I buy them in bulk on amazon. When the coop is empty you are done. Easy, peasy. Info here on giving oral medications safely:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
**Edit** Wanted to add, that which ever you use, when it's liquid, make sure to shake it really well before drawing the dose, they tend to settle out.

That is great! Thanks for taking the time to impart all your knowledge! I am a beginner so I can always use the experience of others! Much appreciated!