Do you preventively deworm your flock?

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

This is my first spring with the girls. I am wondering if I should do a worm treatment. They arrived June 5th last year at 20wks old, and I was told they had been vaccinated and 'everything' which I assumed meant worms too. I don't know of any issues. (but maybe I a missing it?)

what do you think ? I am a big fan of vaccines (I have living memory of family members who had Polio and lived their whole lives with the issues that come from that), but I am not a 'preventive medication' kind of person for myself. I prefer to eat well and get lots done outside to keep healthy.

I had one broiler have flystrike last year and it was the most horrible thing I ever saw. Sent weeks pulling larva out of his ass. It was horrific. He recovered from it, and died in my arms shortly after, I have wondered if the worms were the cause.

that's me! now tell me about you...

 

[Eggcessive]

There is no vaccine for worms. If you would like to worm your chickens, Valbazen is very good. Dosage is 1/2 ml orally, and repeated in 10 days. SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer is also used with more doses. Dosage is 1/4 ml orally for 5 days. Both require an egg withdrawal of 14 days after worming.

You could ask your vet to do a fecal float on some combined droppings if you suspect worms. My vet will let me do that especially if I am there with a pet already. But some won’t unless they see the chicken.

Worming depends a lot on what climate you are in, and in hot humid areas, worming is more important. If you see large roundworms in the poop, you have worms. But other small worms and larvae are too small to see without a microscope. Some people worm twice a year, some more if they live in a tropical area, and if you live in cold dry climate, you may only worm once a year or never.

Flystrike is caused by fly larvae. It is important to clean off any collected droppings or poopy butts in warm weather. Control flies with permethrin spray in the coop, keeping droppings cleaned up, keep bedding dry and as clean as possible, and screen wire can be used over doors.