Age to deworm?

[Raelyn]

Right now my little flock is around 10-12 weeks old. They "free range" out in their tractor during the day and are put up in the coop at night.

At what age do I need to start deworming them? What brand of dewormer is the best for chickens this age?

Thanks!

 

[saladin]

I usually wait until they are around 4 months of age, but you can do it much younger.

I use Wazine followed 10 days later by Ivermectin. I do this in the early spring and then again right before fall.

 

[gritsar]

Chickens, like most creatures, can handle a small wormload easily. The youngest I have ever wormed is 9 months. I worm each year in November, when egg production is headed south anyhow (less eggs to toss). I use a broad spectrum wormer called valbazen (albendazole). I don't waste my time or money with wazine, which only kills roundworms. I start worming young enough that I really don't worry about a large number of worms dying at once and killing the chicken.

Someone a long time ago posted an interesting tidbit on BYC about how free range chickens naturally seek out plants that have parasite killing properties. Makes sense if you think about it. How many wild birds do you see falling out of the sky due to death by worms?

 

[krcote]

Quote:
Thank you thank you thank you thank you for using the correct term DEworming!!!!

 

[sham30]

I have a question about worming. I have been keeping chickens for almost three years now and I know this will get me a lot of flack but I have never dewormed them - they free range some times and also have there own large fenced in area. I have never seen worms in there poop, my hens are all large, well feathered and seem very happy and healthy. I was feeding DE for a while but stopped. Am I hurting my hens? I have only had 2 die and one was due to a tumor in her crop and the other for similar type of issue.

 

[saladin]

Quote:
Many folks never deworm their chickens with no problems whatsoever. I've had birds shed roundworms in the past so that is my focus in the use of wormers. If you've had no problems then there is most likely no need to worry.

 

[Raelyn]

Quote:
Thank you thank you thank you thank you for using the correct term DEworming!!!!

I'm a long time horse person and the phrase "worm them" has always driven me up the wall LOL

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[they'reHISchickens]

LOL.. naturally selecting plants for deworming...so THAT is why those darn chickens were eating our growing green pumpkins! And they had to sample each one, too.
Seriously, I think I should ivomec the young ones that will soon lay now and then do the older gals when they molt. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[gritsar]

they'reHISchickens :

LOL.. naturally selecting plants for deworming...so THAT is why those darn chickens were eating our growing green pumpkins! And they had to sample each one, too.
Seriously, I think I should ivomec the young ones that will soon lay now and then do the older gals when they molt. Thanks for the reminder!

I didn't say it was gospel, just something that was posted on here. Also, if I'm not mistaken, there is a class of wormers that can cause feather deformities if used during a molt. It would be up to one of the DEWORMING (better?) experts to tell you if that's true or not. I only know valbazen because it's what I use and prefer.

We recently switched vets, from our old timey vet to a new guy, pretty fresh out of veterinary school. He saw our older german shepherd for the first time a couple of weeks ago. When we expressed our concern that Jax was underweight he asked us when the last time Jax was WORMED!

I live in the South, have always lived in the South and I've never heard it called anything but wormed or as a verb, to worm.

From Dictionary.com:


wormed
[wurm]



verb (used with object)
17.
to cause to move or advance in a devious or stealthy manner: The thief wormed his hand into my coat pocket.

18.
to get by persistent, insidious efforts (usually followed by out or from ): to worm a secret out of a person.

19.
to insinuate (oneself or one's way) into another's favor, confidence, etc.: to worm his way into the king's favor.

20.
to free from worms: He wormed the puppies.

21.
Nautical . to wind yarn or the like spirally round (a rope) so as to fill the spaces between the strands and render the surface smooth.​

 

[EmtheFishLady]

I think everyone has their own way of saying things, and both terms are correct. I don't jump all over a yankee for saying "pop" when I say "soda"...