# Weight loss?



## Silvertree (Aug 16, 2016)

Hi there. My hens all stopped laying and started losing weight. They ate normally and are free fed 17% layer feed, cracked corn, veggies, and oyster shell. They were dewormed with Wyzine and Sulfadimethoxine after finding ascarids and coccidia in a fecal float. Feather quality was always good, no mites seen. They all seemed perky and normal except for chapped and pale looking combs. Most of the chickens combs are back to the bright red, but still no eggs and not really gaining weight? Thoughts?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I strongly suggest that you get a follow up fecal test to see if your birds are roundworm free. It would be best to gather up feces from different birds. The problem with mixing wazine in water is that you dont know if all your birds drank the treated water, or drank enough treated water to be effective in a 24 hour period per instructions. This is why I recommend dosing birds orally with a wormer using a syringe without a needle. That way you know each bird got properly wormed. I mostly use valbazen or safeguard liquid wormers. There will always be coccidia found on the microscopic slide. When the microscopic slide is loaded with cocci, then there is an out of control cocci problem and sulfa drugs or corid will be needed to treat birds. However if there are only a few cocci on the microscopic slide, that is normal and no treatment is needed. If the microscopic slide is full of cocci the second time, I recommend corid 9.6% liquid solution which can be found in the cattle section at a feed store.
I recommend after treating birds for worms and/or cocci; feed birds buttermilk mixed in layer feed for about 5 days. After 5 days, feed them layer feed only. Dont feed them cracked corn, veggies nor oyster shell.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi Silvertree. Most of my hens are taking a break from laying right now. 
I would say that most sick birds look sick, puffed up and standing in one place. 
If your chickens have been found with ascarids, I would treat for more than that with Valbazen, .5 ml oral and repeat in 10 days. Some worms are there but not seen and can cause major damage. The sulfadimethoxine was what I go to because it kills cocci and is an antibiotic as well.

It must be hot where you are, I'm in Florida. I add ice to their water mid day, run the hose for a puddle on the ground, and have a fan pointed at the layer nests. My chickens are in the shade all day. So if your chickens are perky and eat and act normal, I would tend to think it's the heat. 

It's nice to hear from someone who has already been proactive with their chicken's health.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I would stop everything but their feed too. If it is hot where you are they need to get all they can nutrition wise from a balanced diet.


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