- Mar 10, 2014
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Hi BYC! Long time lurker and admirer here - finally posting - regrettably because I suspect my flock has roundworms. :-(
Just over two weeks ago, I acquired 4 new hens and a roo. 2 of the girls are definitely pullets - said to be about 7 months old: A Leghorn and an Amerucana. The Leghorn has been laying like crazy since I've brought her home, and been putting on a reasonable amount of weight. However, the Amerucana is still quite small, not laying and dropping an uncomfortable amount of feathers wherever she goes. The two older gals are said to be rescues - one Speckeled Sussex, one Lavender Orp.
In an attempt to practice good chicken-keeping, I've been keeping them quarantined from my existing flock (two very healthy, happy Buff Brahmas) and did a round of 400mg Tetracycline Hydrochloride for a week in their water just to sort of...practice caution. (I don't know these birds' story, afterall) and since they seemed to be troubled by something: I noticed some labored breathing, opening mouths really big, generally runny poop, pretty light weight all around. Of course I never suspected worms - feeling sheepish about that. All seemed to go well during/after antibiotics, everybody looked quite a bit more perky and inclined to weight gain, nice healthy looking poops, much less of the panting - only when being held, now really. I've been letting them range together during the day - but keeping them in individual kennels at night (it seemed like they were inclined to pick on each other at first). They are adjusting well, getting along, etc. and so I introduced my gals just yesterday during "range-time" - no trouble there either.
This morning during rounds I noticed the Leghorn has a considerable amount of worm-filled droppings in her area. Quite an unsettling and disgusting sight, by the way. I'm talking - LOTS of worms. My untrained eye tells me roundworms. Seemingly dead. I suspect/hope this is a good sign: maybe she's passing dead worms because they are dying in her little body? But, I assume this is plaguing my whole flock? Maybe that's why Amerucana is not putting on any weight? And maybe why the big gals seem to breathe heavily when picked up?
Here is a picture of the poop in question:
I've ran around looking at other poops today, big ones, small ones, runny ones - and I can't see any worm eggs like I've seen in other folk's pictures. So. I don't know what's happening here.
Here's a really big one which I took a nice close-up of (are those eggs?):
I guess, my question is: is it safe to worm so soon after administering antibiotics? (Just completed 6 days ago). Should I even worm? What should I use? (I will reference other posts I've seen, too). Am I correct in suspecting roundworms?
I know I should probably worm them all including my Brahmas now that they've possibly/probably picked 'em up from running around/pecking together.
I guess I felt the need to start a whole new thread because I haven't seen a worm to poop ratio quite as sizable as this anywhere. Is my chicken just being destroyed by these guys??? Help! Thank you, you wonderful, knowledgeable chicken people!
Just over two weeks ago, I acquired 4 new hens and a roo. 2 of the girls are definitely pullets - said to be about 7 months old: A Leghorn and an Amerucana. The Leghorn has been laying like crazy since I've brought her home, and been putting on a reasonable amount of weight. However, the Amerucana is still quite small, not laying and dropping an uncomfortable amount of feathers wherever she goes. The two older gals are said to be rescues - one Speckeled Sussex, one Lavender Orp.
In an attempt to practice good chicken-keeping, I've been keeping them quarantined from my existing flock (two very healthy, happy Buff Brahmas) and did a round of 400mg Tetracycline Hydrochloride for a week in their water just to sort of...practice caution. (I don't know these birds' story, afterall) and since they seemed to be troubled by something: I noticed some labored breathing, opening mouths really big, generally runny poop, pretty light weight all around. Of course I never suspected worms - feeling sheepish about that. All seemed to go well during/after antibiotics, everybody looked quite a bit more perky and inclined to weight gain, nice healthy looking poops, much less of the panting - only when being held, now really. I've been letting them range together during the day - but keeping them in individual kennels at night (it seemed like they were inclined to pick on each other at first). They are adjusting well, getting along, etc. and so I introduced my gals just yesterday during "range-time" - no trouble there either.
This morning during rounds I noticed the Leghorn has a considerable amount of worm-filled droppings in her area. Quite an unsettling and disgusting sight, by the way. I'm talking - LOTS of worms. My untrained eye tells me roundworms. Seemingly dead. I suspect/hope this is a good sign: maybe she's passing dead worms because they are dying in her little body? But, I assume this is plaguing my whole flock? Maybe that's why Amerucana is not putting on any weight? And maybe why the big gals seem to breathe heavily when picked up?
Here is a picture of the poop in question:
I've ran around looking at other poops today, big ones, small ones, runny ones - and I can't see any worm eggs like I've seen in other folk's pictures. So. I don't know what's happening here.
Here's a really big one which I took a nice close-up of (are those eggs?):
I guess, my question is: is it safe to worm so soon after administering antibiotics? (Just completed 6 days ago). Should I even worm? What should I use? (I will reference other posts I've seen, too). Am I correct in suspecting roundworms?
I know I should probably worm them all including my Brahmas now that they've possibly/probably picked 'em up from running around/pecking together.
I guess I felt the need to start a whole new thread because I haven't seen a worm to poop ratio quite as sizable as this anywhere. Is my chicken just being destroyed by these guys??? Help! Thank you, you wonderful, knowledgeable chicken people!