New member has hens with worms

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Pinkjeanne

Pinkjeanne

Chirping
8 Years
Apr 2, 2014
22
12
92
Hi chicken lovers. I inherited 2 older hens 2 years ago, really as pets. This spring my husband & I bought 9 chicks: 2 Rhode Island Reds, 2,Americanas, & 5 Polish (no roosters). We live in the country & the hens free range all day & return to the coop in the evening. They constantly have worms, & DE hasn't helped at all. Since they are exposed to worms daily while free ranging, is it really necessary to worm them? If so, how often?
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


Sorry about your birds. Chickens that free range are going to be more susceptible to worms than run kept birds. DE will not take care of internal worms. It is great for external mites and such, but when DE gets wet, it loses it's ability to kill any internal worms.

So you might want to get them on a program of worming once or twice a year, depending on how badly they are picking up worms. You can take poop samples into your vet and for a small fee, they can test to see what type of worms you are dealing with and how often they are becoming infested.

Round worms are the most common of worm in poultry and do the most damage. Wazine (1 ounce per gallon of water) for 24 full hours will take care of all round worms. You will need to repeat this again in 10 to 12 days to get any eggs that have hatched as Wazine does not take care of eggs, only the live worms. (Eggs from these worms hatch after you worm, so this is why you will need to repeat this dosage)

Safeguard Liquid Goat Wormer is a great wormer and takes care of nearly all worms except a few species of Tapeworms. (Tapes are not all that common) 1/2 cc everyday for 3 days on standard sized fowl, 1/4 cc for bantam types every day for 3 days and they are wormed. I use either of these and have never had issues with worms.

Good luck with your flock. Worms can kill your birds over time, so it is important to keep them worm free. Here is an article from our learning center on internal worms and how damaging they can be...https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/internal-parasites-parasitic-worms-in-chickens

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask. :)
 
Last edited:
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Good luck with your flock, TwoCrows gave you some good suggestions and links.
 
TwoCrows said:
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


Sorry about your birds. Chickens that free range are going to be more susceptible to worms than run kept birds. DE will not take care of internal worms. It is great for external mites and such, but when DE gets wet, it loses it's ability to kill any internal worms.

So you might want to get them on a program of worming once or twice a year, depending on how badly they are picking up worms. You can take poop samples into your vet and for a small fee, they can test to see what type of worms you are dealing with and how often they are becoming infested.

Round worms are the most common of worm in poultry and do the most damage. Wazine (1 ounce per gallon of water) for 24 full hours will take care of all round worms. You will need to repeat this again in 10 to 12 days to get any eggs that have hatched as Wazine does not take care of eggs, only the live worms. (Eggs from these worms hatch after you worm, so this is why you will need to repeat this dosage)

Safeguard Liquid Goat Wormer is a great wormer and takes care of nearly all worms except a few species of Tapeworms. (Tapes are not all that common) 1/2 cc everyday for 3 days on standard sized fowl, 1/4 cc for bantam types every day for 3 days and they are wormed. I use either of these and have never had issues with worms.

Good luck with your flock. Worms can kill your birds over time, so it is important to keep them worm free. Here is an article from our learning center on internal worms and how damaging they can be...https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/internal-parasites-parasitic-worms-in-chickens

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask. :)
Click to expand...
do you mix the goat wormer in water too?
 
No, this is given orally. Get an empty syringe, no needle. I like to draw out the proper dosage and mix it with 1cc of gerber baby food. It is very easy to aspirate a bird shooting liquid down the throat. Using something thick will help to stop this. And 1cc fits nicely on the tongue with one dosage. Any more than 1 cc and you have to give it to them in 2 dosages. Hold the birds head level and squirt it on the tongue. Don't lean the birds head back, but level.

If you are uncomfortable giving them to them this way, you can get some warmed up, chopped, hard boiled eggs and mix this dosage in the eggs to hide it. Make sure not to give each bird so much egg they don't get all the meds. Just enough to get all the meds down their throats.
 
TwoCrows said:
No, this is given orally. Get an empty syringe, no needle. I like to draw out the proper dosage and mix it with 1cc of gerber baby food. It is very easy to aspirate a bird shooting liquid down the throat. Using something thick will help to stop this. And 1cc fits nicely on the tongue with one dosage. Any more than 1 cc and you have to give it to them in 2 dosages. Hold the birds head level and squirt it on the tongue. Don't lean the birds head back, but level.

If you are uncomfortable giving them to them this way, you can get some warmed up, chopped, hard boiled eggs and mix this dosage in the eggs to hide it. Make sure not to give each bird so much egg they don't get all the meds. Just enough to get all the meds down their throats.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I have a Hen that has to be given daily vit. I bet the egg thing would be so much better and I wouldn't come back in the house smelling like vit's
 

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