Treating Parasites in Layer Chickens

How one can deal with parasites equivalent to coccidiosis rapidly and successfully in egg-laying chickens to stop extreme sickness and demise.

In my a few years of protecting a small flock of chickens for contemporary eggs, the first sickness I’ve needed to take care of (fortuitously not often) is coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis is a parasitic illness the place the coccidian protozoa invade the intestinal tract of birds. It can also occur with different livestock as nicely.

The illness can unfold rapidly within the flock by way of contact with soil or contaminated feces.

In my expertise, the first early signs are lethargy and diarrhea. Affected chickens may have a pale comb and stroll slowly and awkwardly with their tails down like they’re in discomfort.

If not handled rapidly, the diarrhea can turn out to be bloody with demise a really actual chance (I misplaced one hen to coccidiosis earlier than I discovered easy methods to deal with it successfully).

Avoiding Coccidiosis

There are a number of methods to greatest keep away from parasites like coccidiosis in egg-laying hens in my expertise.

Free Ranging Rotation

Crucial approach to keep away from coccidiosis is by rotating your laying hens to a contemporary patch of floor daily at no cost ranging.

Preserving them within the coop or small run 24/7 is a recipe for parasites!

No marvel industrial operations have them on medicated feed consistently.

Sadly, contemporary sections of yard each day for free-ranging isn’t all the time doable if the plot of land you employ to maintain your hens is of restricted measurement.

Even if in case you have fairly a little bit of room, chickens can nonetheless turn out to be contaminated because the protozoa are within the soil in addition to feces.

In my expertise, the danger of an outbreak is highest in periods of stress equivalent to summer season warmth or extreme quantities of rain.

Thus, whereas rotation will certainly reduce parasite threat, it’s in all probability not going to be 100% efficient…at the least in my expertise.

Heritage Breeds

One other approach to reduce parasites in egg-laying chickens is to maintain heritage breeds.

A heritage breed equivalent to Buff Orpington is extra proof against illness (and stress usually) than hybridized breeds which are favored for industrial manufacturing.

An instance of a combined breed bred for larger laying capability is the Black Rock which is a cross between two heritage breeds (Rhode Island Pink and Plymouth Rock).

Whereas it is a good technique, as soon as once more, it won’t be 100% efficient.

Whereas I’ve solely had 3 outbreaks of coccidiosis in 10 years, all of the chickens affected have been heritage breeds.

Construct Pure Immunity by Avoiding Medicated Feed

Most chick starter obtainable for elevating chicks accommodates added medicine for parasites.

Nevertheless, the usage of medicated feed as a chick starter solely works as a preventative in case your chicks are concurrently uncovered to coccidia protozoa (there are a number of varieties).

Most individuals new to protecting chickens don’t understand that protecting your chicks on medicated feed really impairs the event of their immune system. This ends in grownup hens extra liable to illness.

Avoiding medicated feed permits the chicks to develop resistance/immunity to coccidiosis. The method occurs progressively as they develop.

Thus, as soon as the chicks develop into pullets and grownup laying hens, the possibilities of having an outbreak in your flock are minimized.

I’ve by no means used medicated feed and have by no means had a coccidiosis outbreak in my chicks or pullets in over 10 years.

I’ve solely had three coccidiosis outbreaks in my hens in the identical time period, solely in grownup layers and it was rapidly eradicated on an as-needed foundation.

There may be actually no want for fixed use of medicated feed!

Hatch Your Personal Chicks

One other approach to have a flock of layers that’s most proof against illness is by hatching your individual chicks.

Most individuals purchase chicks at an area feed retailer the place they’re shipped in from giant hatcheries.

These chicks are subjected to medicated feed, vaccinations, and the undo stress of transport in a field with out meals or water (some don’t make it to not point out the sheer inhumaneness of the method!).

Avoiding all this stress by hatching and elevating your individual chicks will invariably produce a sturdier flock.

If that is one thing that pursuits you, this text on easy methods to construct an affordable rooster egg incubator could assist.

Hen-Raised Chicks

Chickens which are raised by a hen virtually by no means get coccidiosis. The one time this can occur is when they’re uncovered to a brand new pressure of oocysts within the soil.

I’m hoping to embark on doing this with my subsequent batch of chicks within the Fall.

Now that now we have a rooster, I’ve fertilized eggs {that a} broody hen can hatch and lift.

I hope for an excellent sturdier flock than I’ve had prior to now as time goes on!

Treating Parasites in Laying Hens

If, regardless of your greatest efforts, an outbreak of coccidiosis happens in your hens, be ready that you have to act rapidly.

In my expertise, the most effective medicine for treating an outbreak of coccidiosis in a laying flock is Amprolium.

You should purchase Amprolium liquid or powder on-line very inexpensively.

I deal with instantly when indicators seem of an outbreak, as there is no such thing as a time to waste. This parasite can kill a weakened rooster rapidly particularly if the climate on the time is including to the stress.

The excellent news is that I sometimes see outcomes inside a day or so. It really works very quick!

Notice: Amprolium is identical drug that’s in most forms of medicated feed (it’s not an antibiotic, it’s an anti-parasitic). (1)

Nevertheless, on this state of affairs, you’re ONLY utilizing it once you want it.

The chicks/pullets/hens will not be on it consistently which might impair the pure improvement of resistance.

I’d LOVE to know a pure different to this medicine (I’ve tried garlic and DE), however I’ve not discovered one as of but that works as rapidly.

Please share your methodology when you preserve hens for eggs and have a superb technique for rapidly resolving coccidiosis as soon as it has contaminated your flock!

Watch out for False Info

Whereas there are a lot of sources on the web for easy methods to dose amprolium to egg layers, under is the dosage and size of therapy that has labored greatest for me over time.

I’ve seen a number of sources the place the dosage is solely not robust sufficient to do the job.

Thus, I’m documenting what actually works right here as a result of I’ve observed that some really credible sources for this kind of info seem like disappearing from the web.

You’ll discover that the 2 references I’ve listed under are each from an internet archive. This implies the unique supply is not obtainable!

May it’s that utilizing amprolium for yard chickens is being suppressed? I don’t know, however I did discover that the baggage/bottles of amprolium that you just purchase on-line now say “for calves”, whereas the EXACT similar product I purchased 8 or so years in the past (these items lasts perpetually when you use it as-needed solely) says for POULTRY as nicely.

Hmmmm. Undoubtedly appears odd, at the least to me!

Whereas of us prefer to say that “the web is perpetually”, an internet archive can really be “wiped” on the drop of a hat. I’ve seen it occur over time when info is taken into account “inconvenient” to a selected narrative.

Thus, I needed to have this info particularly detailed on this weblog for my very own reference sooner or later in addition to for these of you who may want it too!

Correct Dosage

When treating coccidiosis in my very own birds (don’t overlook roosters too!) I exploit the “regular” outbreak dose for five days, adopted by the minimal preventative dose for an extra 7 days.

It’s because I do know what to search for and I deal with instantly at any signal of an outbreak. Thus, the state of affairs has not risen to the extent of “extreme” but.

Liquid dose

The liquid dose of Amprolium is 9.6%.

This interprets into two teaspoons per gallon for a extreme outbreak and one teaspoon per gallon for a standard outbreak. (2, 4)

One-half teaspoon per gallon is the minimal post-treatment dose for use for the next one or two weeks.

Powder dose

The powder dose for Amprolium is 20%. That is what I exploit.

A small bag of Amprolium will final you for years when you heed the outbreak minimization steps described above. You gained’t want to make use of it a lot!

For a extreme outbreak, the dosage is 1.5 teaspoons per gallon of water.

Use 3/4 teaspoon per gallon of water for regular outbreaks.

I administer the traditional outbreak dose for 5 days, then I exploit the minimal dose of 1/3 teaspoon per gallon for an extra 7 days. (3)

Right here is the particular math for numerous strengths of therapy.

20% Powder

Use this quantity of amprolium powder based mostly on the extent of sickness in your flock.

0.024% = at least 1.5 teaspoons per gallon (extreme outbreak)
0.012% = at least 3/4 teaspoons per gallon (regular outbreak)
0.006% = at least 1/3 teaspoon per gallon (minimal dose)

9.6% Liquid

Use this quantity of amprolium liquid based mostly on the extent of sickness in your flock.

0.024% = at least 2 teaspoons per gallon (extreme outbreak)
0.012% = at least 1 teaspoon per gallon (regular outbreak)
0.006% = at least 1/2 teaspoon per gallon (minimal dose)

Ingesting Water Entry

Whereas it’s instructed to offer no different supply of consuming water in your chickens throughout therapy, my methodology is to offer medicated water within the coop and run solely.

I don’t separate the contaminated chickens as I don’t have a secondary coop. I deal with the entire flock without delay.

They do have entry to contemporary water (from a close-by lake and/or rain puddles) when they’re out of the run free-ranging. This has not appeared to inhibit the effectiveness of therapy.

The medicated water ought to be combined contemporary each day.

Do You Must Toss Eggs Throughout Remedy?

You don’t want to toss eggs laid through the therapy interval.

Some folks don’t really feel comfy doing this, nevertheless.

Our household eats the eggs from hens present process therapy provided that the quantity they ingest is tiny.

Maybe you need to break up the distinction and toss the eggs from the lively therapy interval (5 days) after which resume egg consumption when they’re on the minimal post-treatment dose (7-14 days).

Do no matter makes you probably the most comfy!

Nevertheless, I’d recommend that any eggs you purchase from the shop even when pastured and natural could be far much less wholesome (the natural egg washing course of alone is poisonous) than eggs from your individual natural-living hens getting a brief spherical of amprolium.

Submit Remedy Care

Amprolium places a dietary pressure in your flock as a result of it really works to kill the protozoa by blocking the uptake of Vitamin B1.

Feeding scrambled eggs to your hens or small items of chopped uncooked liver for a number of days post-treatment will compensate rapidly and assist them get again to their regular degree of vibrancy once more.

Pure Coccidiosis Remedy?

As I discussed earlier than, I’ve tried garlic and diatomaceous earth as a pure different to amprolium. I’m not a fan of ingesting important oils (I exploit externally solely), so I’ve not tried that method.

Sadly, in my expertise, this didn’t work rapidly sufficient to stop additional unfold and severity within the flock.

Maybe these strategies would have finally labored, however I didn’t really feel I had the time to attend and see as this may have probably risked demise.

If you recognize of a therapy that works nicely and quick, please share within the feedback!

References

(1) Antiprotozoal medicine

(2, 3) Anticoccidial therapy in livestock

(4) Amprovine 9.6% Answer, CORID® 9.6% Oral Answer