Just a damp rag and a gentle swipe on the smudges only. Then train your birds to the nests and keep a deep litter in the coop and run so that they aren't tracking mud from their feet into the nests. That eliminates the problem before it starts and you'll still occasionally get a smudged egg but it won't look like it's been rolled around in poop. Those that I get that are too poopy, I just feed to the dog. He loves them! But, mostly, I never get dirty eggs..the occasional smudge now and again.
Excellent solution! That's everyone's first thing when they hear of someone's flock having pale combs...give them a worm medicine! I'll tell you true, at different times in a chicken's life they are going to have more pale combs than they usually wear...this is indicative also of lower hormone levels during times of molt or during the winter slow down, etc. This does not mean they are anemic, necessarily, but not as fertile. Look at young pullets and note that their little combs and wattles are pale at first~NOT meaning they need wormed!~but redden up as they grow sexually mature and the hormones are reaching a peak. Hormones fluctuate throughout the year according to the bird's age, the season, etc.
I've never taken a poop sample of any of my animals to the vet, though if it gives someone more confidence there is nothing wrong with it, but it's not a necessary function nor is it unwise to not take samples to the vet..it's a husbandry preference and according to your goals for your flock or your husbandry methods, it will determine whether you consult a vet.
I'll tell another truism...you will never completely rid your flock of worms and the goal should not be to do so. Every animal has their parasite~even us~and unless they overgrow into infestation levels, one never really knows it. Acceptable loads is the goal and animals healthy enough to carry acceptable loads of parasites and still function normally will live longer and perform better than animals that keep getting over growths of internal parasites that need medicines all the time to help them live and get rid of the worms.
Nothing wrong in throwing a spring tonic or pumpkin seeds down their gullet once a year or so, but to put them on a schedule and check their stool for any evidence of oocysts is kind of defeating the purpose of having backyard animals, IMO, as we want to eat healthy foods...what is so healthy about sick animals that cannot live without medicinal help? Unless one is eating their small bowel after processing, it's not likely the worms they carry will ever effect us at all.
Biologists say that 90% of the herd or flock's parasites are carried by only 5% of the animals...and culling for thrift, health and performance can eliminate that 5% to a good degree. How are we going to know what animals are in the 5% if we keep chucking meds down their throats so they can live well and perform well? That's the same problem big ag has today is crutching up sick animals so they can produce, whereas in the olden days those sick animals were eliminated and that left the naturally strong and healthy animals for our foods.
It tends to be MORE expensive than the whole cloves which make fine seed garlic too....
