Pumpkin seeds as a dewormer?

I regularly and intentionally feed our birds the guts and seeds of squash and cucumbers.  Cucurbits, such as pumpkins, squash and cukes, are known to provide some worming action.  I believe the round worms and I believe it merely causes them to pass.  It doesn't kill them, per se.  I doubt it is effective as a complete de-wormer of all kinds and types.

Even if there wasn't this limited worming action associated with cucurbits, the quality of feeding them this summer/fall favorite is worthwhile, imho.

Well, I did not know about using pumpkin seeds as a dewormer.   My chickens love all manner of plants with seeds.  They have a ball after Halloween.  They get a steady supply of cucumbers and squashes during the growing season, so they should be clean as a whistle inside.

Chris

I always feed my hens the leftover halloween pumpkins (do take the candle remnants out!) It keeps them busy and is a great source of carotene. I've heard that pumpkin is a natural dewormer however, I've never seen any proof. I wish that someone would do fecal tests on their flock, show that they have worms, and then feed pumpkin, and then do a fecal again. Until then, I'd say that pumpkins are an excellent feed and source of environmental enrichment, but that's it.

Do you need to do anything special to the pumpkin seeds to prepare them before giving them to the chickens?  They seem too big to eat as they are.  I find myself wanting to chop everything up into chicken bites before giving them snacks...  

You might be surprised at what they can manage to swallow!  Some of them eat mice and snakes whole.  They will also peck at things to pull out bite sized pieces.  Pumpkin seeds wouldn't present any problem to them at all.