Need Help! De-worming Sickly Flock During Molt

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I'm in a bit of a bind. During the last month or so of summer a few of my chickens started to have laying issues (weird shell-less, soft shelled, and otherwise wonky eggs; illness before laying a weird egg, then no eggs but acting like laying; suspected internal laying). It's been such a rollercoaster, but so far everyone is still hanging on. Now, they're all in various stages of molting, from mild to incredibly hard (and the hardest molters are the most sad looking). Along with the weird reproductive concerns, I've also noticed an increase in sickly looking poops--watery with sometimes little fecal matter. And, this morning, I found the telltale signs of roundworms--dead roundworms in poop. I want to act fast, but I don't want to exacerbate an already stressed and sickly, mostly molting flock. Here are my concerns:

1. Will it be too hard on my chickens to deworm them while molting? Or is it worth the risk, since the worms might be behind the sickliness to start?
2. I already wormed them late spring with Valbazen. Is it okay to use Valbazen again, since Safeguard isn't too great a choice during a molt? Or will they be resistant?
3. Is it best to deworm in the morning with an empty crop, or is it okay to do so whenever?
4. Can worms cause reproductive issues?

Any advice is much appreciated. I've been tearing my hair out keeping everyone going these last few months--I hope tackling the worm issue might help get them in a better place without making them worse. My suspected internal layer is also going to the vet this Friday, but I don't want to wait till then to act on the worms.

THANK YOU!!!

 

[dawg53]

Dose them with Valbazen. It wont hurt them while in molt. Worm first thing in the morning on an empty crop is always best. Worms can cause all kinds of problems including reproductive issues especially if you find a worm in an egg....unless you like extra meat with your egg.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Dose them with Valbazen. It wont hurt them while in molt. Worm first thing in the morning on an empty crop is always best. Worms can cause all kinds of problems including reproductive issues especially if you find a worm in an egg....unless you like extra meat with your egg.

I will worm them first thing tomorrow morning then. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for your help!

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@dawg53 quick question: is it okay for the second dose to be 9 or 11 days from the first (I didn't realize but I won't be around to dose on that 10th day!). Thanks again for your help, always!

 

[dawg53]

@dawg53 quick question: is it okay for the second dose to be 9 or 11 days from the first (I didn't realize but I won't be around to dose on that 10th day!). Thanks again for your help, always!

Yes. You can give the second dose up to 14 days later if you wish.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Yes. You can give the second dose up to 14 days later if you wish.

Phew! Thanks! I was already picturing my husbands "DO WHAT?" face when he receives the deworming directive

 

[CoriM]

Phew! Thanks! I was already picturing my husbands "DO WHAT?" face when he receives the deworming directive

How are your chickens doing?

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

How are your chickens doing?

They're doing great, thanks for asking. Went with valbazen, and, despite the molting, it did its trick and they came back more vibrant/energetic. One hen only got the first part of the dose because she became gravely ill with EYP in the interim, but she's getting better and I am thinking about treating her again soon.

 

[CoriM]

They're doing great, thanks for asking. Went with valbazen, and, despite the molting, it did its trick and they came back more vibrant/energetic. One hen only got the first part of the dose because she became gravely ill with EYP in the interim, but she's getting better and I am thinking about treating her again soon.

That's great news! How did you treat EYP? Did you bring her to the vet? How did you know that's what she had going on? Thanks....

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@CoriM This is the second time I've dealt with EYP (unfortunately). It happens FAST and the chicken deteriorates rapidly, so detecting it and treating her promptly with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories (metacam) is key. In both cases, I sought the assistance of a vet. Here are the signs I've encountered:

• Sudden lethargy, eyes closing
• Typically occurs during/right after signs of a an egg breaking internally (yolk or egg white material dripping from vent; visible membrane hanging from vent; vent pulsating as if trying to expel contents)
• Diarrhea, typically greenish or a sickly yellow similar to the color of yolk; and/or small amounts of watery poop
• A slow-moving or entirely stopped up crop
• Reluctance to eat but may still drink
• Sometimes hard, warm swelling on the lower abdomen

Every case has been a bit different but some or all of the above signs have been indications that something reproductive was awry. In Cordy's case, I had suspected internal laying prior to her EYP weeks later. This is because: first, she started laying soft then shell-less eggs; then, she was going to the box everyday like she was trying to lay with no results; and finally, I had noticed steadily increasing swelling of the lower abdomen across that time period.

She's currently molting and thus taking a much-needed break from laying, but each day she looks a bit closer to laying again and I'm an anxious mess. I pray she has recovered and can lay normally again (this has happened to another hen in the past), but I worry her issues will pick back up.