Does gapeworm in snails die when cooked?

[adamgaco]

Hello,
I find a large amount of snails in the yard and garden that I usually throw in a bucket, crush and feed to my chickens. I know that no pesticides are used in our area and had read that snails are safe to feed to chickens. Moreover they quite like them and it's extra protein and calcium for them. Recently though I found out that snails can carry gapeworm and I have since stopped feeding them. I have been very curious though if cooking the snails would render them safe for the chickens. I have an old throwaway pot that I use a couple times a week for cooking food scraps for the chickens and it would be really easy to throw in my collected snails in the soup. However I can find no information about how high temperatures gapeworm (egg, larvae) can tolerate and if cooking would do the trick. Maybe even freezing can be effective? Does anyone have any information on the matter?

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you mean that snails carry tapeworms? Tapeworms are not that common in backyard chickens, so you would probably not have them around your flock. If you did, you would probably have seen the tapeworm segments in the chickens poop. Tapeworms are spread to chickens by chickens eating worms, snails and slug, grasshoppers, beetles, and flies. So, I probably would not worry about your chickens eating the snails, unless you first saw evidence of tapeworms. Your vet can also do a fecal float to rule out tapeworms. Here is what tapeworm segments look like:

 

[Folly's place]

More power to you for gathering snails, not something I'd be doing, just 'because'!
My best guess is that gapeworm wouldn't survive cooking, but really i have no idea if it's come up anywhere. Generally cooking does kill most eggs and all larva, so likely it's a 'yes'. Cooking living beings, even snails, while alive, isn't humane, IMO.
In some places, some snail species are toxic if eaten. Is that an issue where you live?
Mary

 

[dawg53]

More power to you for gathering snails, not something I'd be doing, just 'because'!
My best guess is that gapeworm wouldn't survive cooking, but really i have no idea if it's come up anywhere. Generally cooking does kill most eggs and all larva, so likely it's a 'yes'. Cooking living beings, even snails, while alive, isn't humane, IMO.
In some places, some snail species are toxic if eaten. Is that an issue where you live?
Mary

x2

 

[adamgaco]

More power to you for gathering snails, not something I'd be doing, just 'because'!
My best guess is that gapeworm wouldn't survive cooking, but really i have no idea if it's come up anywhere. Generally cooking does kill most eggs and all larva, so likely it's a 'yes'. Cooking living beings, even snails, while alive, isn't humane, IMO.
In some places, some snail species are toxic if eaten. Is that an issue where you live?
Mary

It also protects the garden so I think it's worth it XD. Thx for the opinion. I will crush them before cooking. We don't have any poisonous snails that can be mistaken for garden snails here.

 

[theoldchick]

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gapeworms

https://poultrykeeper-com.webpkgcache.com/doc/-/s/poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/gapeworm/

It is a good theory that cooking would kill the parasite but you would need to know how long to cook and at what temperature. I'd think I'd rather cook the snails than feed them raw but I ain't putting wild snails in my oven!

As mentioned fecal tests performed by a professional will give you excellent information about the parasite load in your chickens and exactly what you need to give to reduce the load.

 

[theoldchick]

I wanted to add that it is required the US to freeze raw fish before preparing it for sushi to prevent parasite infection in humans so, as you mentioned, that could be an option too! This might help:

https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/environmentalhealth/protection/docs/sushi.pdf

 

[Folly's place]

And if it's not mentioned in that article, there are specific temperatures and length of time that are necessary to kill parasites. The colder, the shorter the time. Pork fits in this too.
Mary

 

[Doriss]

Do you mean that snails carry tapeworms? Tapeworms are not that common in backyard chickens, so you would probably not have them around your flock. If you did, you would probably have seen the tapeworm segments in the chickens poop. Tapeworms are spread to chickens by chickens eating worms, snails and slug, grasshoppers, beetles, and flies. So, I probably would not worry about your chickens eating the snails, unless you first saw evidence of tapeworms. Your vet can also do a fecal float to rule out tapeworms. Here is what tapeworm segments look like:

I believe it's earthworms carry gapeworm.

 

[dawg53]

I believe it's earthworms carry gapeworm.

You are correct. Earthworms can be hosts for gapeworms as well as snails and insects.
https://ecopetlife.com/gapeworm-symptoms-in-chickens/