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Chickens are prone to worms and other parasites, but it doesn’t have to be a problem. There are some effective treatments that are easy to use, such as using Valbazen for chickens with worms.
In this article, I’m going to explain what Valbazen is, how you should use it, how it works, and what to expect.
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What is Valbazen?
Valbazen is a “broad-spectrum” dewormer. It’s effective at controlling several types of worms, liver flukes, and other parasites that can cause health concerns in chickens, sheep, cattle, and other animals.
It’s commonly used by farmers to control worms across their livestock and can be just as easily used to treat backyard chickens.
If you think or know your flock is suffering from parasites, Valbazen might be the best solution. You should discuss your options with your vet to err on the safe side, but if you’ve talked about it within the chicken owning community, you’ll know how popular it is.
How Does Valbazen Work?
Valbazen basically starves worms, larvae, and parasites over a two-day period. It’s one of the safer treatments, it can even be used to treat worms in humans.
You can either use it as a treatment to rid your flock of worms or as a preventative measure.
Here is a list of all the worms is kills:
- Bankrupt Worm
- Barber Pole Worm
- Brown Stomach Worm
- Heads and segments of tapeworms
- Hookworm
- Intestinal worms
- Lungworms
- Nodular Worm
- Small Intestinal Worm
- Small Stomach Worm
- Stomach and intestinal worms
- Thread-necked Intestinal Worm
How to Use Valbazen?
If your chickens are heavily infested with worms, killing them all at once can put stress on their bodies and cause some health issues.
If you haven’t been proactively worming, to perform a complete and thorough deworming treatment plan it’s recommended you use Wazine as well.
Wazine is another treatment that you add to their drinking water, and it’s very effective at killing roundworms in particular. Using this will allow your chickens to dispose of these parasites first, and it’s easier on their bodies.
After using Wazine for 10 days, you can start giving your flock Valbazen. You can do this by either squirting it down their throats from a syringe (this isn’t as difficult as it sounds).
Or, just soak it into a small piece of bread and feed this to each chicken. Just make sure each chicken is ingesting a complete dose, but this isn’t difficult as chickens are always happy to gobble up some food.
To keep on top of parasite problems, you can use just Valbazen next time. I’d give your vet a call to be sure, but you should use it every 6 months or so.
How Much Valbazen Should I Give My Chickens?
The recommended doses are:
One-half cc/ml for standard size chickens;
One-quarter cc/ml for smaller chickens;
Is There an Egg Withdrawal Period After Using Valbazen?
I’ve read both sides of the argument as to whether or not you should allow an egg withdrawal period after treating your flock.
Some backyard chicken owners do not stop eating eggs during and after treatment. They say the treatment is safe for humans, so in such a small amount there is nothing to worry about.
There are also those who say you should take a 2-week withdrawal period.
Reading the specifics of Valbazen on Zoetisus, one of the suppliers of the drug, they say you should not slaughter cattle within a set time period. They don’t talk about chickens specifically though.
Personally, I’d say the answer is whatever makes you feel most comfortable. I can’t find any scientific or conclusive evidence either way.
Post-Valbazen Care
It’s a good idea to boost the immune system of your chicks after using dewormers. It can take a toll on their bodies processing the treatment and expelling the worms.
The best way to do this is to mix some high-protein foods and probiotics into their feed. Mine love scrambled eggs, cat food (don’t tell kitty I’m sharing her food), buttermilk and plain yogurt.
You’ll know your chickens and what they like best. It’s a good excuse to share some tasty table scraps and treat them.
What Are the Other Ways to Treat Worms in Chickens?
There are a few treatments backyard chicken owners use to control worms in their flock.
The most common over the counter or prescribed drugs are Valbazen and Wazine as I’ve discussed in this article.
Wazine is an FDA approved drug that can be added to drinking water to remove roundworms, nodular worms, and some other parasites.
It’s not as complete a treatment, I covered above how you can use it to kill roundworms to lessen the stress on chicken with several types of worm.
If you’re looking for a more natural treatment or a home remedy, the two most popular methods are:
Apple Cider Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar is used to treat a variety of ailments in chickens, it’s awesome stuff.
Some owners say it also helps to eradicate worms from their flock.
Diatomaceous Earth - I’ve used diatomaceous earth for a number of things over the years, it’s great.
It’s very effective at killing fleas in the home, and will also kill worms hiding out inside chickens when it’s digested.
In Summary
“Worms” and “parasites” are horrible sounding words, but with some proactive care and the right treatments, you can keep your flock parasite-free.
Valbazen is one of the most effective and easiest treatments for worms in chickens. I recommend checking it out - along with the other suggestions I’ve covered in this article - if you’re looking for a solution.
