Found worms! Freaking out!

[casportpony]

So about a week ago, three game hens showed up. Don't know if someone tossed them over the fence or if they flew in. Anyway, today I noticed one is pooping poop with lots of what people call intestinal lining (to me it looks like blood and mucus), and in my flock this is never normal. So just now I weighed her and treated for worms and coccidia.

I'll see if I can get some poop pictures, and hopefully some good ones with dead worms!

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony I completely agree, and I've said so before also. The problem is getting people to do the fecals even once is hard, getting them to do it twice is even harder. Even with their dogs and cats. Some how, if the sample is "negative" they seem to feel they've wasted their money, ask them to do it again, and they think you're just trying to get more money for nothing. At least, that was my experience when I was working as a vet assistant. Tapeworms are almost never found in fecal floatation, BTW, as their eggs are incased in the little segments that we see in the stool.

And you're at the mercy of the tech or vet doing the fecal. Some only do direct smears, some do without a centrifuge, some do with a centrifuge.

 

[dawg53]

I think you are misinterpreting my statement. Obviously, any worms in the intestines are going to reproduce and eventually cause problems, as well as causing eggs to be shed into the surrounding area. I'm not saying to not worm your chickens, I'm saying that it is not an emergency freak out situation, there is time to get a fecal done and worm appropriately. Additionally, if you are seeing worms in the stool, that is not a light load. However, if you see worms, then you are able to tell what worms you have, and target those worms specifically. Random, broad spectrum deworming "just in case" is not appropriate, IMO. It creates resistance.

When you see worms in feces, it may or may not mean that a bird is overloaded with worms. Worms die, and are excreted from the host. Why would a parasite want to leave its host?
Broad spectrum wormers are used as monthly preventatives in dogs and cats, that's not "just in case."

As far as chickens; an environment where the soil is moist and warm most of the year, monthly worming is best. I've been doing this for quite awhile and there are plenty of wormers available on the market, rotation isnt a problem. I havnt seen resistance yet except with ivermectin, and I stopped using it and eprinex years ago.

There only two wormers that target specific worms in chickens; wazine (large roundworms) and praziquantel (tapeworms.)
If a chicken has large roundworms, most likely they have other types of worms as well. Broad spectrum benzimidazole wormers are the way to go when worming chickens. Most of them take care of all types of worms that a chicken can get, including two that treat certain tapeworms and flukes in higher doses.

If a chickens feet touch the ground, they'll get worms.
Chickens constantly peck the soil picking up and swallowing worm eggs, more than any other animal that I've owned, including hogs. Therefore they require frequent wormings...DEPENDING on soil conditions.
Birds kept on the same soil require frequent wormings.

 

[townchicks]

Broad spectrum wormers are used as monthly preventatives in dogs and cats, that's not "just in case."

Respectfully disagree, monthly "wormers" in dogs are designed as Heartworm prevention.It just happens that they also kill many intestinal worms. Heartworms are difficult and dangerous to treat, the treatment can end up killing the dog. So it makes a lot of sense to get rid of the larval form, before it gets to be an adult worm in the heart. However, I've never met a vet that recommends monthly deworming of dogs or cats for intestinal worms only. I live in California, and I'm an old broad, so I remember many, many years when we did not have heart worm here, and never had a vet recommend deworming without checking a stool sample first. Exception for puppies and kittens, of course, who get worms through the mother's milk. Chickens don't get that of course. So I stand by my statement, check a fecal sample first. If nothing is found, check again in 2 weeks. Yes that's exactly what I do. Never had worms found, 2 2 1/2 years in so far.

 

[casportpony]

So I stand by my statement, check a fecal sample first.

So what would you do if you had one pooping blood and mucus and had a negative fecal? Not trying to argue, just curious as to what you would do.

 

[townchicks]

Frankly, probably at that point, I'd take her to the vet. But I'm lucky, in that I can afford the occasional vet visit, and I have a great avian vet nearby. I know not everyone can. Maybe try probiotics first, and/or change of diet. Editing to add, after Corid, naturally. But then, I know you would have thought of that first.

 

[casportpony]

Frankly, probably at that point, I'd take her to the vet. But I'm lucky, in that I can afford the occasional vet visit, and I have a great avian vet nearby. I know not everyone can. Maybe try probiotics first, and/or change of diet.

Fair enough. I guess for me it's easier just to go ahead and treat them.

 

[WthrLady]

It's always a good idea to worm in the spring. Everything comes alive from the winter cold, new life...the birds and the bees...including worms.

I do worm in the spring, right before I start selling again, and before the laying really picks up. When we thaw, that's when the worm eggs start hatching again. Same deal with the other critters on the farm worming that is, not hatching. LOL

 

[WthrLady]

I use strike three. It's a triple strike, multi wormer with no withdraw period. I don't think they make it anymore. I have several bags in my freezer stocked up.

 

[dawg53]

I use strike three. It's a triple strike, multi wormer with no withdraw period. I don't think they make it anymore. I have several bags in my freezer stocked up.

You're right. The FDA pulled it. My birds wouldnt touch it.