Found more round worms but hens seem fine and too soon for more dewormer?

[Penguingirl216]

I had found roundworms in my chicken's poop back in August/September (5 hens, a year and half old, different breeds). I gave them two rounds of Fenbendazole (this product: https://jefferspet.com/products/pou...D5xuA66WRXrf2qMHGqLOSomqSOYhAVvxGqsAh2X4im9qn) and had a month of egg withdrawal. I also cleaned the whole coop and run, including replacing the bark ground cover in the run. I recently found more worms in the poop again. I'm wondering if it's just inevitable that they will have worms since I let them free range and if I should treat or is it OK as long as they seem healthy otherwise? Is there anything I can give them to help fight the worms that won't lead to egg withdrawal? A few chickens also seem to be currently molting and I've read that fenbendazole is not good during a molt. I also just gave them fenbendazole back in September so seems too soon for more? I don't want to keep giving fenbendazole and have the worms become immune to it but I also don't want to stop free ranging the hens. And plus, don't want to give them fenbendazole during molt. Finally, my regular vet just retired and I haven't found a new one so not sure who else to ask. Thank you for any advice!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I had found roundworms in my chicken's poop back in August/September (5 hens, a year and half old, different breeds). I gave them two rounds of Fenbendazole (this product: https://jefferspet.com/products/pou...D5xuA66WRXrf2qMHGqLOSomqSOYhAVvxGqsAh2X4im9qn) and had a month of egg withdrawal. I also cleaned the whole coop and run, including replacing the bark ground cover in the run. I recently found more worms in the poop again. I'm wondering if it's just inevitable that they will have worms since I let them free range and if I should treat or is it OK as long as they seem healthy otherwise? Is there anything I can give them to help fight the worms that won't lead to egg withdrawal? A few chickens also seem to be currently molting and I've read that fenbendazole is not good during a molt. I also just gave them fenbendazole back in September so seems too soon for more? I don't want to keep giving fenbendazole and have the worms become immune to it but I also don't want to stop free ranging the hens. And plus, don't want to give them fenbendazole during molt. Finally, my regular vet just retired and I haven't found a new one so not sure who else to ask. Thank you for any advice!

Some folks deworm once a month, a lot depends on worm load and where you live.

If you are seeing Roundworms being expelled in the poop, then you likely have an overload.

For Molting birds, use Albendazole (Valbazen). Dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days.

The Poultry Dewormer 5X you gave is Fenbendazole, but from what some have discovered, the dosing seems to be lacking. To effectively treat an infestation, you really would need to give more than that minimum dosing they recommend on the bottle. Long thread and discussion can be found in the link below.

If I were going to use Fenbendazole, then I'd use Safeguard Liquid Goat deworming and dose each bird by weight (0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once daily for 5 days). Fenbendazole shouldn't be given to molting birds since it can affect feather quality.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/are-these-normal-poops.1553393/

 

[dawg53]

Additionally, your soil is contaminated with worm eggs. It would be best to set up a regular worming schedule for your birds. I worm birds once a month with Valbazen, sometimes Safeguard liquid goat wormer.
We eat the eggs after using Valbazen or Safeguard. Either are mostly excreted and only a small amount is absorbed into the chickens bloodstream.

 

[Penguingirl216]

Thank you! I will look into getting valbazen. Is there an egg withdrawal time for valbazen? dawg53 said no but I have read that other sites that are saying 14 days.

Also, do you put the valbazen on bread to feed to each chicken? Or are there any other tricks? Thanks!

 

[dawg53]

Thank you! I will look into getting valbazen. Is there an egg withdrawal time for valbazen? dawg53 said no but I have read that other sites that are saying 14 days.

Also, do you put the valbazen on bread to feed to each chicken? Or are there any other tricks? Thanks!

It's up to you whether you want to discard eggs for 14 days or not after giving your birds Valbazen (Albendazole.) FYI: Albendazole is used in humans to eliminate worms.
Please read posts #2 & #4 in this link, both will help you when it's time to worm chickens:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/worms-in-chicken-poop.1575508/#post-26765905