Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

Where is everybody, did you all crash out from the heat? It's about to do me in I know that, I'm ready for it to be under 90 for sure. My poor hens in the main coop aren't even laying that much, they have severely cut back on laying in the last few days. I can't blame them a bit, it's just too darned hot to put out that much effort.

I got all of my birds wormed this evening, so that was something I really wanted to get done. I had wanted to wait for cooler weather since I usually do it in the spring & fall but I saw worms in some poop the other day that was left on my front porch, so I figured I had better get it done. Maybe they will all feel better after they get rid of the worms. That wormer I use has vitamins & stuff in it too so usually they pick up on laying after they get it. I don't like the way they changed the formula on it now though. It used to be in pellet form & now it's granules. They didn't mind eating the pellets since that's how their feed comes, but they were balking at eating the granules tonight, so I hope it soaks up into the food overnight & they get hungry in the morning. They were eating it, but not like they normally would & there was food left over when I went by at dark & there usually isn't. I guess they'll eat it if they get hungry enough.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

What kind of wormer do you use?

I haven't seen any signs of worms with my girls but I know that doesn't mean that they don't have any. I have been feeding them some early pumpkins from the garden.
Has anyone else had good luck with natural wormers like that?

 

[HEChicken]

Were you seeing roundworms or tapeworms? Most other worms can't be seen in the poop without a microscope. If you were seeing tapeworm oocytes, be aware that most wormers don't have any affect on tapeworms.

 

[chicken danz]

What kind of wormer do you use?

I haven't seen any signs of worms with my girls but I know that doesn't mean that they don't have any. I have been feeding them some early pumpkins from the garden.
Has anyone else had good luck with natural wormers like that?

I use natural wormers like pumpkin (its actually the seed coating that worms them), cayenne pepper, and diatomaceous earth off and on when I have it available and as I think about it. But I also have a very aggresive worming program simply because I have so many birds. I do try to worm about once a quarter. I use safeguard for one worming, then ivermectin for the next one. Safeguard is a more aggressive wormer and gets more worms but the birds hate it and even if you add sugar to the water it's very hard to get them to drink it. There's no way I could individually dose my birds.
I really don't like worming in the heat of the summer because I like to keep pans of water out for the birds to stand in to keep them cool.
I've never seen evidence of worms in my birds except one little hen while they were alive but I have found them doing necropsies. So I know they are there. The group that has the biggest incidence of worms are my layers who free range all the time. I am sure that is because I have no way to control where they are getting all of their water. So they won't drink the wormer water if they dont' have to.
I've been really out of it the last several days. I wasn't getting any sleep because I was being kept awake by the worst leg cramps I've ever had. Last night I mixed up a concoction of honey, sea salt, vinegar, lemon, and water and drank it. Then I drank a bunch of water afterwards because it made me thirsty. I slept like a baby and even slept late this morning. I feel so much better. It's amazing how disoriented you can get when you don't get any sleep.
It was 101 here yesterday about 4pm. Looks like its going to be equally as hot today and maybe the following two days. Sure makes it hard to get things done. It seems like it takes me 10 times as long to get anything done. I'll sure be glad when this is over. I've only had one casualty so far (Knock on wood). I have a little brahma pullet that received some obvious brain damage from the heat. I've been treating her with vitamin E and St. Johns wort and seems to be slowly improving. As long as I can keep her from getting scared or uptight she is standing normal now. But any loud noise or the cat walking by or something will make her do flips and go into spasms. I do think she will probably recover.
I did have a few chicks that I found dead in the brooder house yesterday. That hasn't been a problem lately. So I am going to assume it was heat as well. Even with a fan in the window it has been really hot in there.
I got a few birds moved to the new hoop coop although it isn't really completely finished. It's done enough to hold birds though. They sure seemed to enjoy being outside. I have some more I need to get moved but I really didn't want to chase birds around in the heat too long.

 

[Trish44]

What kind of wormer do you use?

I haven't seen any signs of worms with my girls but I know that doesn't mean that they don't have any. I have been feeding them some early pumpkins from the garden.
Has anyone else had good luck with natural wormers like that?

I've been using the Rooster Booster Triple Wormer & it covers round worms, cecal worms and capillary worms. I like it because you mix it in with the food instead of trying to get them to drink water they don't like the taste of. My laying flock is free range too so they're not in the coop & run except at night & morning till we let them out. You most of the time won't see the worms, it's just best to worm them at least twice a year.

Were you seeing roundworms or tapeworms? Most other worms can't be seen in the poop without a microscope. If you were seeing tapeworm oocytes, be aware that most wormers don't have any affect on tapeworms.

They were round worms I saw, so this wormer should cover that. I may use something else in a couple of weeks but this one covers the most common ones.

 

[Trish44]

danz I'm glad you finally got some sleep, I know how that is to go around sleep deprived, I did a lot of that when my leg was keeping me awake. It just makes you feel bad in general with no sleep, it does me, I just feel physically ill.

Well my granddaughter is coming for the afternoon so I'd better get myself around. I was messing with my chicks in the brooder & the incubator, so I need to get myself together. Have a good day everyone & try to stay cool!

 

[chicken danz]

I finally have someone coming out this morning to look at my site and work up an estimate for my site preparation. I had this guys name first but didn't call him because I knew he didn't have much for equipment and he didn't do concrete work. But at least he answered the phone and is coming right out. I figured it would be cheaper to get the concrete work and the dirt work done by one person but so far I haven't had anyone doing concrete work call me back.
I'm at the point of feeling frantic.
It's amazing how no one else including my DH sees my need to get this going. I'm still waiting for an answer from him as to whether he wants an additional 10 feet added or not. He'd better decide quick because in about an hour I'm going to be telling the guy what I want.
Who would have thought this would be a big deal?
That heat was insane again yesterday. I couldn't believe the forecast for a week in advance had highs in the upper 70's. Thats more like it.

 

[HEChicken]

Yay - glad you have someone coming out. Will be waiting to hear what he says!

 

[chicken danz]

Well he says it's going to cost me a mint. I am about to give up. It's really discouraging. Adn then the concrete is even worse.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

@chicken danz What are you building/adding to?