Deworming and other pest treatments

[calicocows]

Hi! I've been put in charge of a small flock of chickens for the year. I'm not sure if they've ever been dewormed, is that something that can just be done, even without a suspected infestation? If so, what dewormer, how much to use, and how to give it? I also suspect scaly leg mites on most or all, and some other sort of mite on one hen (scaly/dry/flaky skin and lesions on face and vent, as well as bad feather quality). Treatment advice for that as well, please?

 

[Debbie292d]

About half of us would say we never just periodically worm our chickens unless we had a reason or sign. The other half would say they do it regularly, like every six months or so. Your choice there. Safeguard is the one I'd turn to due to seeing that being popular here, but we've never wormed our chickens in 8 years, albeit using Ivermectin for SLM.

As for scaley leg mites, we've had them three times. We have silkies who are prone to those. The first two times we slathered their legs in vaseline every two or three nights for a total of three times.

The third time we had double the chickens so I didn't feel like slathering 30 some legs and feet. We applied two drops of Ivermectin Pour On 5% on the backs of their necks and repeated that in 10 days. Ivermectin is considered a dewormer too, so you could kill two birds with one stone!

Bad feather quality can be improved usually with higher protein. I'd try putting them on an All Flock 20% and give them oyster shell in a container on the side as all flock is low in calcium.

The one with lesions on her face and vent, maybe you could post pictures of that. Could be a pecking issue or something else?

 

[calicocows]

About half of us would say we never just periodically worm our chickens unless we had a reason or sign. The other half would say they do it regularly, like every six months or so. Your choice there. Safeguard is the one I'd turn to due to seeing that being popular here, but we've never wormed our chickens in 8 years, albeit using Ivermectin for SLM.

As for scaley leg mites, we've had them three times. We have silkies who are prone to those. The first two times we slathered their legs in vaseline every two or three nights for a total of three times.

The third time we had double the chickens so I didn't feel like slathering 30 some legs and feet. We applied two drops of Ivermectin Pour On 5% on the backs of their necks and repeated that in 10 days. Ivermectin is considered a dewormer too, so you could kill two birds with one stone!

Bad feather quality can be improved usually with higher protein. I'd try putting them on an All Flock 20% and give them oyster shell in a container on the side as all flock is low in calcium.

The one with lesions on her face and vent, maybe you could post pictures of that. Could be a pecking issue or something else?

Thank you! Three of these birds are silkies, so that tracks. I'll see if I can finagle the photos I took of the most sick(?) silkie onto my computer. Tech is not my strongest attribute haha. I've never seen any pecking order issues with these guys, but it doesn't mean they don't happen.