When to start deworming?

[BDutch]

Hello, chicken friends!

How do you handle deworming for your chickens? Do you do it on a schedule or only once you notice a shift in behavior or worms in their feces?

We don't live in a particularly wet climate, and it gets hot in the summertime.
We live on clay soil, which I've read can make us more prone to worm infections.
Our birds mostly keep in a large run. We put down pine shavings to try to decrease the muddiness as our girls have stripped the run absolutely bare of grass. I do let them free range a couple of times a week when my husband or I work outside or are available to monitor them.

Our birds are about 8 months old, and so far, I haven't noticed anything wriggling or out-of-sorts with their feces.

Should I pre-emptively worm them? Or wait until I see worms?

My concern in waiting would be the risk of re-infection. We can't burn our yard to kill off worm eggs. Is there any way to treat the coop, run, and yard if worms do become an issue?

In have chickens for 8 years on the same soil. Never dewormed. Never seen a worm infestation.

If your chickens have enough space and you can keep the soil healthy there is no need to deworm as prevention. The medicines make the chickens vulnerable for new problems. Only with a serious worm infection you need to deworm.

Btw, I have a open run (strong netting on top) have plants/bushes in , made a hood drainage it and put lots of autumn leaves in the run every autumn.

 

[BDutch]

I have been reading about a research with several large population chickens . It was conducted at the Wageningen University in my country.

The conclusion was: its better to not treat chickens with dewormers as long as the infestation is not bad / doesn’t weaken them. Only need to deworm if the infection is bad. The farmers, with many chickens, let a vet check regularly.

It’s normal that chickens are lightly infected. This has no negative impact on their health.
Dewormers are not healthy for chickens. And a worm infection will return anyway because of the infected soil/environment.

I’ll try to look for the research report. .

 

[BDutch]

Who likes to read more abou welfare / researches and organic farming ?
https://www.pluimveeweb.nl/site/ass..._free-range_laying_hens_-_monique_bestman.pdf

 

[dawg53]

I have been reading about a research with several large population chickens . It was conducted at the Wageningen University in my country.

The conclusion was: its better to not treat chickens with dewormers as long as the infestation is not bad / doesn’t weaken them. Only need to deworm if the infection is bad. The farmers, with many chickens, let a vet check regularly.

It’s normal that chickens are lightly infected. This has no negative impact on their health.
Dewormers are not healthy for chickens. And a worm infection will return anyway because of the infected soil/environment.

I’ll try to look for the research report. .

Perhaps you would like to host a few worms and tell us how you feel after a few months.

 

[Sussex19]

I have been reading about a research with several large population chickens . It was conducted at the Wageningen University in my country.

The conclusion was: its better to not treat chickens with dewormers as long as the infestation is not bad / doesn’t weaken them. Only need to deworm if the infection is bad. The farmers, with many chickens, let a vet check regularly.

It’s normal that chickens are lightly infected. This has no negative impact on their health.
Dewormers are not healthy for chickens. And a worm infection will return anyway because of the infected soil/environment.

I’ll try to look for the research report. .

I totally agree with this.
Also, if you don't keep deworming all the time, you get a lot of heathy soil organisms, which process the poop.
Lately when I go out after dark, any poops on the ground are covered in tiny creatures which are doing the same job as dung beetles do. In the morning, its all gone!
I think the thing is, different soil types, different climates, and most likely different breeds, all make a difference.
So I think it up to the individual to make a decision on how they want to do things, based on their location.

 

[Sussex19]

Perhaps you would like to host a few worms and tell us how you feel after a few months.

I kind of wonder, how did chickens survive for hundreds of years before one could just go to your local farm shop to by a wormer?

 

[dawg53]

I kind of wonder, how did chickens survive for hundreds of years before one could just go to your local farm shop to by a wormer?

They died sooner but produced alot of offspring.

 

[dawg53]

I totally agree with this.
Also, if you don't keep deworming all the time, you get a lot of heathy soil organisms, which process the poop.
Lately when I go out after dark, any poops on the ground are covered in tiny creatures which are doing the same job as dung beetles do. In the morning, its all gone!
I think the thing is, different soil types, different climates, and most likely different breeds, all make a difference.
So I think it up to the individual to make a decision on how they want to do things, based on their location.

Like I mentioned, it all depends on your soil conditions.

 

[Sussex19]

They died sooner but produced alot of offspring.

But did they though?
We have got a fairly old book written by a very well respected man, who didn't worm is chickens.
His laid for many years, and would have lived for many more if he didn't put them in the soup pot.

 

[Sussex19]

Like I mentioned, it all depends on your soil conditions.

Agreed!