Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Beekissed]

Me neither...never worm, never had to. I check bowels during processing and am satisfied with what I find which is nothing at all with the birds that have been under my flock management. It's not luck when it happens consistently over almost 4 decades.

 

[gjensen]

I can't figure out if this makes me sound stubborn, ignorant, or lucky but I do annual fecals and have never had a heavy problem. Before I continue I should knock on wood... In 15 years I have never wormed a chicken of any age, or treated coops. Our feed medicated feed. I guess as the saying goes - "if it ain't broke I ain't gonna fix it"

Off to finish lighting the fire for the boiler and setting up the cones... it's semi annual butcher day here. Let's hope the weather holds.

I worm as much to prevent as I do treat. I have a semi regular routine. There is a partial rotation here, and I treat before the move. Birds kept in high densities for the area kept without rotation will eventually lead to high loads of any of the parasites.

I worm before they come into lay, before breeding season, and when they molt. This lessens the impact on eating eggs, and this is when the birds are being moved (less the molt). The idea is to have them "clean" before putting them on clean or cleaned ground.

Parasites is something we all have to contend with. It is kind of like fleas with dogs. They are going to get them. We all have to manage the load, and everyone's preferred management style is different. Everyone's scenario is different as well. The pressure from one region to another, and specific location is different. Heck some breeds and strains are more tolerant. Some individuals are.

The raccoons on our sea islands and approximate to our marshes, particularly in the southeastern corner of our state, are rather poor looking and on the small side. It is not diet. They have more access to quality food than anywhere in our state. Not only do they have the food that they have farther in shore, or farther north like yourself, but the marshes are full of food. It is like a buffet for raccoons, all year round. The difference is the parasite load. Everything is in surplus there to include the parasites. Every benefit seams to come at a cost. Anyone that has spent a day and night out in the woods, on these sea islands, in the summer, knows what I am talking about. Bull Island is a magnificent place to visit, but after May, you will have it to yourself. It is literally difficult to tolerate being there. I am talking about the places that are still in a wild state.

My point is that we all have to figure out our own way, and we will all eventually have a problem. Once we have a problem, the load is already established. Then it is a hard cycle to break, unless you have new ground to move them.

That is my view on the subject.

 

[thedragonlady]

I can't figure out if this makes me sound stubborn, ignorant, or lucky but I do annual fecals and have never had a heavy problem. Before I continue I should knock on wood... In 15 years I have never wormed a chicken of any age, or treated coops. Our feed medicated feed. I guess as the saying goes - "if it ain't broke I ain't gonna fix it"

Off to finish lighting the fire for the boiler and setting up the cones... it's semi annual butcher day here. Let's hope the weather holds.

Are you in the mountains of Tenn? If so, you get much more cold weather than we normally do.We also have hot, very humid summers that positively grow parasites.

 

[RedRidge]

I can't figure out if this makes me sound stubborn, ignorant, or lucky but I do annual fecals and have never had a heavy problem. Before I continue I should knock on wood... In 15 years I have never wormed a chicken of any age, or treated coops. Our feed medicated feed. I guess as the saying goes - "if it ain't broke I ain't gonna fix it"


Off to finish lighting the fire for the boiler and setting up the cones... it's semi annual butcher day here. Let's hope the weather holds.

Are you in the mountains of Tenn? If so, you get much more cold weather than we normally do.We also have hot, very humid summers that positively grow parasites.

No I'm in the valley. We rarely see snow and get below 20 an average of about 6 nights a year. It's very rate to have a day that is not above freezing. Good ole Southeastern heat and humidity. And way too much rain the last few years, but with drought problems all over the rest of the country I hate to complain about the rain.

 

[har]

Thank you very much for all the information you gave me about my roosters. This is what I keep them in. It is 4x8 with a center divide.

 

[hellbender]

As for worming and egg consumption, TheDragonLady and I are on par...more or less, with some slight differences in schedules.

After the yearlings that were not culled or caponized are put with the layers (first segregated where they can see each other for about 6 weeks), their daily rations has roughly a 5% component of food grade DE and that's it for worming.

I almost didn't respond to this because of the differing notions of the efficacy of DE but I too have the benefit of owning a microscope and the requisite knowledge to float and differentiate various parasite larvae. It has been my experience that my birds carry a very low parasite load over the four year span, the max. that I will keep a layer, regardless of how well she is producing.

To boot, in my opinion, Wazen is worthless and hand worming hundreds of birds is a non-starter. If I were unlucky enough to have mature birds with heavy worm loads...I would likely reconsider and worm the entire flock by hand a couple times per year.

Darned Senility!: I live in a high mountain valley with relatively mild winters (excepting this one past) and we do not suffer humidity to any real degree in summer.

I don't remember a night when a heavy blanket didn't feel pretty good after 10 PM.

 

[thedragonlady]

Thank you very much for all the information you gave me about my roosters. This is what I keep them in. It is 4x8 with a center divide.

In the winter, you might think about using a clear tarp also. Birds need sunshine.With sunshine, some fat, and animal protein, I think your birds will be in better condition.Any greens you can give them will help also.

 

[thedragonlady]

As for worming and egg consumption, TheDragonLady and I are on par...more or less, with some slight differences in schedules.

After the yearlings that were not culled or caponized are put with the layers (first segregated where they can see each other for about 6 weeks), their daily rations has roughly a 5% component of food grade DE and that's it for worming.

I almost didn't respond to this because of the differing notions of the efficacy of DE but I too have the benefit of owning a microscope and the requisite knowledge to float and differentiate various parasite larvae. It has been my experience that my birds carry a very low parasite load over the four year span, the max. that I will keep a layer, regardless of how well she is producing.

To boot, in my opinion, Wazen is worthless and hand worming hundreds of birds is a non-starter. If I were unlucky enough to have mature birds with heavy worm loads...I would likely reconsider and worm the entire flock by hand a couple times per year.

You don't have to worm individually using Valbazan and Frontline. I 1/2 teaspoons of either, per gallon for 3 days, changed every day, will do the job.I simply prefer to worm, and spray individually, at the same time, so I can adjust the exact dosage .Not a huge problem for me, as I keep so few birds .

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thank you very much for all the information you gave me about my roosters. This is what I keep them in. It is 4x8 with a center divide.

In the winter, you might think about using a clear tarp also. Birds need sunshine.With sunshine, some fat, and animal protein, I think your birds will be in better condition.Any greens you can give them will help also.

Yep, I was going to suggest a bit more sunshine too. How many birds do you keep in those 4x4s?

 

[hellbender]

You don't have to worm individually using Valbazan and Frontline. I 1/2 teaspoons of either, per gallon for 3 days, changed every day, will do the job.I simply prefer to worm, and spray individually, at the same time, so I can adjust the exact dosage .Not a huge problem for me, as I keep so few birds .

I've considered using Valbazen in their water but have always been concerned they might get too large a dose since the product is a suspension. I just might try it on a select group...Thank you for the information.