Worm in poop

[Therese Brown]

Hello does anyone know what type of worm this is and how to treat. It was in my chickens poop this morning. I looked because I noticed a few had loose stools and messy bottoms

 

[coach723]

Looks like a roundworm. You can use Safeguard Liquid Goat Wormer, or Valbazen. Safeguard is usually the easiest to find locally (you can also use the horse paste), the Valbazen you usually have to order online. Safeguard dose for roundworm is .23 ml per pound of bird weight, dose once and then repeat in 10 days. The dose is given to each bird orally with an oral syringe. I would worm them all, roundworm is very easy to pick up in the environment, they have all been exposed. They are not always excreted in droppings, doesn't mean they aren't there. Depending on the worm load in your environment, and the ease with which roundworm is picked up, you may need to worm regularly to keep your birds healthy. Some can worm once or twice a year, some may need to do more often, every flock is different.

 

[Therese Brown]

Looks like a roundworm. You can use Safeguard Liquid Goat Wormer, or Valbazen. Safeguard is usually the easiest to find locally (you can also use the horse paste), the Valbazen you usually have to order online. Safeguard dose for roundworm is .23 ml per pound of bird weight, dose once and then repeat in 10 days. The dose is given to each bird orally with an oral syringe. I would worm them all, roundworm is very easy to pick up in the environment, they have all been exposed. They are not always excreted in droppings, doesn't mean they aren't there. Depending on the worm load in your environment, and the ease with which roundworm is picked up, you may need to worm regularly to keep your birds healthy. Some can worm once or twice a year, some may need to do more often, every flock is different.

Thank you. This is my 1st experience with them having worms that I'm aware of and it's a bit scary. Don't want them to get hurt. I also have chicks that I just started letting outside. Do u suggest that l treat them as well

 

[coach723]

If they are older than 6 weeks you can worm them if you want to. If they are on ground that your other birds are on then the eggs are present in the soil. It can be only a few days after ingestion for the eggs to hatch in the proventriculus, it takes 28 to 30 days for the worms to become adults and then shed eggs in the birds droppings. The birds ingest the eggs while scratching and pecking in the dirt and then the cycle starts. The meds kill the worms but not the eggs, so that is why you do two treatments 10 days apart, to get any eggs that hatch after the first dose, and break the cycle. Until another egg is ingested and it starts again. I just put 5 week olds out, I won't worm them until the next round for my older birds, unless I see symptoms.
I have to treat for roundworm in my flock about every 3 months, some do it more often than that, some less. If getting a fecal done is doable for you then you can do that a month after treatment and see if you are clear (do a mixed sample of several droppings), then do one in 6 months to check again, unless you see symptoms before that. That will help determine how often you may need to treat. Some vets will do for chickens, some won't. There are also mail in options for fecals. Otherwise, you just watch for symptoms to tell you when it's needed. Many people have different opinions on worms and worming, some will say that carrying a load of worms is not a big deal. My experience has been different and I've had very sick birds and a couple with blockages from roundworms, so I worm regularly. I find worming to be preferable to emergency care and possibly losing one caused by something that I can prevent.
When you are ready to treat, lock all the birds in the coop after dark once they've gone to roost. Early the next morning before it's light go out and take them off the roosts one at a time and dose them, it's much easier then, they are calmer. Turn them out into the run and when the coop is empty you know everyone got dosed. An inexpensive digital kitchen scale is good for getting weights. You can round up to the nearest mark on your syringe for easier dosing, a little too much is better than a little not enough. Shake the medicine well before drawing up your dose, it settles out. If you have a bird that struggles you can wrap it in a towel like a burrito to hold the wings. Pull down on the wattles and the beak will open. Give the dose in the front of the beak 1/2 ml at a time and let the bird swallow, repeat until the whole dose is given. That reduces the risk of the bird aspirating the medication. It's not as hard as it may sound and it gets easier with practice. I do 25 to 30 birds in about 1/2 an hour.

 

[Therese Brown]

If they are older than 6 weeks you can worm them if you want to. If they are on ground that your other birds are on then the eggs are present in the soil. It can be only a few days after ingestion for the eggs to hatch in the proventriculus, it takes 28 to 30 days for the worms to become adults and then shed eggs in the birds droppings. The birds ingest the eggs while scratching and pecking in the dirt and then the cycle starts. The meds kill the worms but not the eggs, so that is why you do two treatments 10 days apart, to get any eggs that hatch after the first dose, and break the cycle. Until another egg is ingested and it starts again. I just put 5 week olds out, I won't worm them until the next round for my older birds, unless I see symptoms.
I have to treat for roundworm in my flock about every 3 months, some do it more often than that, some less. If getting a fecal done is doable for you then you can do that a month after treatment and see if you are clear (do a mixed sample of several droppings), then do one in 6 months to check again, unless you see symptoms before that. That will help determine how often you may need to treat. Some vets will do for chickens, some won't. There are also mail in options for fecals. Otherwise, you just watch for symptoms to tell you when it's needed. Many people have different opinions on worms and worming, some will say that carrying a load of worms is not a big deal. My experience has been different and I've had very sick birds and a couple with blockages from roundworms, so I worm regularly. I find worming to be preferable to emergency care and possibly losing one caused by something that I can prevent.
When you are ready to treat, lock all the birds in the coop after dark once they've gone to roost. Early the next morning before it's light go out and take them off the roosts one at a time and dose them, it's much easier then, they are calmer. Turn them out into the run and when the coop is empty you know everyone got dosed. An inexpensive digital kitchen scale is good for getting weights. You can round up to the nearest mark on your syringe for easier dosing, a little too much is better than a little not enough. Shake the medicine well before drawing up your dose, it settles out. If you have a bird that struggles you can wrap it in a towel like a burrito to hold the wings. Pull down on the wattles and the beak will open. Give the dose in the front of the beak 1/2 ml at a time and let the bird swallow, repeat until the whole dose is given. That reduces the risk of the bird aspirating the medication. It's not as hard as it may sound and it gets easier with practice. I do 25 to 30 birds in about 1/2 an hour.

Can u tell me what u use and where u get it from. My tractor supply only has these 2 options so I got both. Have u used either of these products and what dosing did u use. Thank you for all of your help

 

[coach723]

I use the Safeguard for goats, and I use Valbazen. I get the Safeguard at Tractor Supply, when they are out I order it online, there are many sources there, I think Walmart.com had the best price last time I ordered it. Valbazen I also order online, I just look for whoever has the best price at the time. Dosing for Safeguard is in my post#2 above, .23 ml per pound of bird weight. Dose once and then again in 10 days. Some parasites have become resistant to ivermectin, so I don't use for internal parasites in my birds. You can get oral syringes at Tractor supply (the ones that say "luer slip" are good for oral meds, the ones that say "luer lock" are better for injectables) or you can get them at any pharmacy, just ask for them. I buy them in bulk on amazon. A one to three CC/ml size is best for worming.

 

[Therese Brown]

Thank you so much