Do You Need To Worm?

I have been reading on here alot about worming. My 5 chickens are 14 weeks and I monitor their poop, and all seems well. Every now and then there is a slightly watery poop, but then back to normal. I did 3 weeks ago have a problem with cocci in 1 bird, but treated and all is well. So my question is if I don't see worms do i need to treat anyway, like once a year?

The best and only way to answer that question is to take two fecal samples six months apart to the vet to be checked for parasites. They will identify what, if any, parasites they find. Then depending on your climate make your choices on how many times a year to worm.

If you see worms in your birds' droppings then you have a problem. That means there is a tremendous number in their systems and damage is being done.

Monitoring poops will never tell you for sure whether or not your birds have worms unless you see them. Not seeing them doesn't mean they're not there. It's the nature of worms to stay inside the body (where they won't die) and just send their eggs (microscopic - don't try looking for them) out in the droppings to infect other birds.

So it's a good practice to worm either on the results of a "fecal egg count" done by a vet (they look under a microscope for the eggs, not for worms) or to do a preventative worming twice a year.

I aim for when my birds aren't laying, preferably before they molt.

Also aim for natural prevention methods in between. That means very dry porous dirt. In other words, course sand controls worm infestations better than top soil or heavy dirt. Dry is better than moist. Compacted horse-stall shavings are more dry and better against worm infestations than hay. You can try using things like VermX, cayenne pepper, or DE (food grade only, very sparingly) in their feed in between wormings in hopes that they help keep numbers lower. I don't believe any of those products actually treat an infestation.

If you worm twice a year, worm the first time with Wazine. I wait til 4 months but my babies aren't on dirt til that time. If yours are, you can work as early as 8 weeks with Wazine. But I'd wait til later unless you have a reason to believe they're wormy. Then first worming, do wazine first - then follow up in 2-4 weeks with a stronger broad-spectrum wormer like fenbendazole, Valbazen (albendazole), or ivermectin. Wazine doesn't kill larva of rounds, but the latter products do. So you won't have to keep repeating the worming.

Some people recommend worming more often, I like to worm less often, work on the environment for worm control, and use a broad spectrum that twice a year after the initial wazine treatment.

As for the droppings, when you see loose droppings, try providing more living bacteria to help assist the gut in the form of yogurt, acidophilis capsule/tablet contents, or Probios brand dispersible powder. Beneficial bacteria line the intestines and naturally help the birds be more resistant to diarrhea and illness. (They also provide B vitamins and help the birds digest their food more efficiently.) So giving this in small amounts helps when you see diarrhea.

Thank You thank you this is the best web site! I think I will worm. Like i said they are 14 weeks, do you think I can do it now. They are in a sand run that is dry, and are allowed out on the grass on weekends and in the afternoon. It has been really rainy up here in Vermont. I will go to the feed store to find Waizene, sorry spelling.

You could certainly do it now. By the way, Wazine 17 is what you want - not the cat/dog stuff. It's also labeled "piperazine 17%" by Durvet if they have that. Look in the cattle/swine supplies if you don't find it in the poultry section. It's the same piperazine 17% for all applicable creatures.

Warning, at that young age use nothing else but Wazine. Your birds are on sand, I couldn't ask for a better non parasite medium to keep them on.

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I definitely wouldn't use ivermectin on her. Only Wazine. Sometimes you can use fenbendazole on younger birds, but I really like to wait til they're 4 months old personally. I should have made that clear. Thanks Robin.

The only time I'd deviate from this is if an *avian* vet advised otherwise.

Quote:
I definitely wouldn't use ivermectin on her. Only Wazine. Sometimes you can use fenbendazole on younger birds, but I really like to wait til they're 4 months old personally. I should have made that clear. Thanks Robin.

The only time I'd deviate from this is if an *avian* vet advised otherwise.

Yep, if a vet says it dies without it what else is there to lose. But the likelihood that young birds are going to have that kind of load of parasites is pretty slim.

When They are older and i do this treatment, How long do I have to toss the eggs?

Also what is the dosage? I have Buff. Orp. breed. Thanks Veronica