After dewormer

[Aapomp831]

You are correct about large roundworms having a direct lifecycle and tapeworms having an indirect lifecycle. However the following poultry roundworms have both a direct and indirect lifecycle:
Capillary worms, cecal worms, eyeworms, gapeworms, gizzard worms.

Well now I’m wondering if one of my birds had tapeworm; she mysteriously got sick and died of what I assumed was sour crop, she was so skinny....

 

[dawg53]

Well now I’m wondering if one of my birds had tapeworm; she mysteriously got sick and died of what I assumed was sour crop, she was so skinny....

You wouldve seen rice like segments in her feces.View attachment 2408774

 

[Aapomp831]

You wouldve seen rice like segments in her feces.View attachment 2408774

Oh ok, nothing like that. I check the poop board everyday

 

[Morrigan]

Have you had a fecal float test done to determine what type of worms you have?

Also, if possible, you might want to looks for fresh droppings passed in the afternoon. For whatever weird reason, that's when the tapeworm segments are generally passed. When my flock had tapeworms, I never saw any evidence of it on the poop boards.

 

[dawg53]

The only way to tell if birds have worms is having fecal samples looked at under microscope.
There are alot of reasons why chickens can become skin and bones, for example; ecoli infections, enteritis, impacted gizzard or crop, sour crop as you mentioned, tumors/cysts, wasting away, as well as diseases...there are just too many things to list.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Chickens are infected by eating roundworm eggs (called A. galli eggs), that are passed out of another chicken

Or any other number of hosts.. like wild bird visiting the area.. say hawks that just consumed a bird loaded maybe passing them in feces flying over one's pasture... dropped on the ground.. it does NOT have to come from another infected CHICKEN.. I see chickens dig through dog poo, pig poo, and others looking for tasty treats including maggots.

Round worms and others do not equal a bad keeper.. they equal a keeper who birds have access to nature, they are part of the environment and some places more than others..

Quite the opposite of what someone indicated that it may be LESS likely.. I say more likely to get roundworms free ranging than confined.. IF the flock is roundworm free.. it will come from outside sources.

Although I agree a microscope is the best way to determine parasite species load count.. I will also note that you could get clear test all day long and it may not be the whole picture.. it's just one tool.

The dog which I witness round worms come out.. the end/plug portion of the dropping was worm free and maybe denser.. farther up, it was softer and the worms were visible.. Since I saw it happen, I know it wasn't maggots. And despite my chicken float coming back clean.. less than a week later, I saw a broody pass a load of round worms.. since only round worm and tape worms are visible. One rescue dog had tape worms and it look like rice crawling around the anus.. said by the veterinarian to have been caused by ingesting a flea.

Earthworms can host roundworm eggs.. it has NOT been an issue with MY stock density, sandy acidic soil with wet mild year round climate. I don't fear my birds eating earth worms or catching round worms..

One thing not mentioned by the OP is follow up treatment.. Usually anything you use has a recommended follow up time line to catch anything newly matured and put an end to the life-cycle. Otherwise treating on occasion is knocking SOME load down and that may be it.. possibly even creating resistance to that drug by the next generation. Get familiar with YOUR internal parasite load.

Another worming alternative though I know not which species.. is Ivermectin.. used off label, (pour on) it's also effective at treating many mites and lice. though also requires individual treatment..

droppings, contaminating the run, feed, water, etc. Moving your chickens to fresh ground and keeping water and food dishes clean, are strategies for combatting reinfection.

These are good basic suggestions!

Noting that my birds usually access an acre also and I still remove whatever waste I can using a dog poo shovel daily on my normal rounds as part of my husbandry practice..

ETA: Worms and tape worms don't kill a bird in healthy condition. There were other issues at play, consider getting a necropsy if you have another unexplained death. Sorry for your loss!

 

[ackie]

Quite the opposite of what someone indicated that it may be LESS likely.. I say more likely to get roundworms free ranging than confined.. IF the flock is roundworm free.. it will come from outside sources.

That is a fair point. I hadnt considered non-chicken sources. Thank you.

 

[Aapomp831]

Thank you for all the valuable information

 

[dawg53]

Quite the opposite of what someone indicated that it may be LESS likely.. I say more likely to get roundworms free ranging than confined.. IF the flock is roundworm free.. it will come from outside sources.

Another worming alternative though I know not which species.. is Ivermectin.. used off label, (pour on) it's also effective at treating many mites and lice. though also requires individual treatment..

It's a FACT that birds kept on the same soil are more susceptible getting worms and NOT by free ranging.

Ivermectin has lost its effectiveness treating roundworms in poultry, due to its overuse treating external parasites on poultry.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

It's a FACT that birds kept on the same soil are more susceptible getting worms and NOT by free ranging.

Ivermectin has lost its effectiveness treating roundworms in poultry, due to its overuse treating external parasites on poultry.

Too many terms get tossed around these days like free range.

My birds even when locked down in their coop are free range.. without soil.. just kiln dried bedding, solid raised floor.

While I understand what you are saying.. It very much matters your stock density, soil type, weather pattern, and other things. Don't overstock your land... the birds do enough ranging to not be overusing it.

But tell me.. in a closed set up with NO worm load.. how would they then contract them.. No soil contact either.. JUST for conversation sake and to quite my spinning mind? TIA, I'm here to learn.

I suspect.. even know, that efficacy of many drugs varies regionally due to the overuse you mention in addition to the lack of follow through I mentioned earlier. One's local vet or agriculture department might have accurate information respectively to what is most effective in the area.