Homemade Worming Treatment! (Maybe?)

[RoosterML]

One night does not make a quantitative conclusion.

I agree and will keep the thread posted.

 

[Fairview01]

Using ivermectin every 90 days is the cheapest feed that anyone can buy.

 

[Morrigan]

In all fairness, there are studies that suggest pumpkin seeds have potential as dewormers. See:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22684690

"The results of the present study demonstrate that the administration of pumpkin seed was effective in controlling gastrointestinal helminths in naturally infected ostriches."

And

http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/veterinary/issues/vet-19-43-2/vet-43-2-4-1807-39.pdf

"Results indicate that compared to mebendazole, pumpkin seed was moderately e ective in reducing worm counts of Ascaridia spp. and Raillietina spp., marginally active in reducing worm counts of Heterakis spp., and moderately e ective in reducing egg output of the worms. e results suggest that pumpkin seed has the potential to be used as an alternative anthelmintic for chickens."

That being said, I have yet to see any study that comes close to showing pumpkin seeds to be as effective as the best commercial wormers.

 

[Willowspirit]

As long as you are fine knowing that your chickens have some indeterminate amount of worms before and after, go for it. But I think it’s silly to try to prove over and over what has not been proven by purporting to use scientific methods without using scientific methods.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Yikes, ya'll jumping down OPs throat but it seems like they're just doing something for fun.
Yesyes, serious issues require serious solutions. But they have clearly stated they don't have a serious problem and are trying something out to see if it changes anything for fun. They clearly don't have a worm load or they'd treat it as if they did. Theirs is one in a thousand threads and posts about fall deworming and pumpkin seeds and it was pretty obvious it was questioning. The topic is also based in part on facts and scientific studies, so of course it's not going away any time soon. As long as any studies exist showing any decrease in publicly viewable space you're just going to have to accept it as a regular topic.

Some of us ascribe to both natruapath and modern medicine. Lemon and honey for a sore throat, ginger for upset stomachs, antibiotics for infections. These things all work and it's a very reasonable way to handle our daily lives.

If your chicken has a serious worm problem get a test and some ivermectin or something. If they don't, feeding them pumpkin seeds may help keep them from having that serious worm load.

Having said that, I agree that this is pretty much just interesting to look at and won't actually prove or disprove anything about pumpkin seeds. It's too loose and doesn't even account for the majority of chicken parasites because it doesn't use a microscope or do a float check. Not to mention one data point isn't enough. And personally, I would have mixed in some other things as well like DE just to see if enough minor things could add up. The only things this could cover are tapes and roundworms and even then only maybe.

And OP, if your one hen was having watery poops and then didn't, while it could be a fluke, you did just STUFF them with fiber. (Oats and ground pumpkin seeds.) It might make sense for them to have thicker poops after that.

 

[RoosterML]

Using ivermectin every 90 days is the cheapest feed that anyone can buy.

Sorry I don’t get it. Why would I give a wormer every 90days and then have to deal with the withdrawal time?

 

[RoosterML]

Yikes, ya'll jumping down OPs throat but it seems like they're just doing something for fun.
Yesyes, serious issues require serious solutions. But they have clearly stated they don't have a serious problem and are trying something out to see if it changes anything for fun. They clearly don't have a worm load or they'd treat it as if they did. Theirs is one in a thousand threads and posts about fall deworming and pumpkin seeds and it was pretty obvious it was questioning. The topic is also based in part on facts and scientific studies, so of course it's not going away any time soon. As long as any studies exist showing any decrease in publicly viewable space you're just going to have to accept it as a regular topic.

Some of us ascribe to both natruapath and modern medicine. Lemon and honey for a sore throat, ginger for upset stomachs, antibiotics for infections. These things all work and it's a very reasonable way to handle our daily lives.

If your chicken has a serious worm problem get a test and some ivermectin or something. If they don't, feeding them pumpkin seeds may help keep them from having that serious worm load.

Having said that, I agree that this is pretty much just interesting to look at and won't actually prove or disprove anything about pumpkin seeds. It's too loose and doesn't even account for the majority of chicken parasites because it doesn't use a microscope or do a float check. Not to mention one data point isn't enough. And personally, I would have mixed in some other things as well like DE just to see if enough minor things could add up. The only things this could cover are tapes and roundworms and even then only maybe.

And OP, if your one hen was having watery poops and then didn't, while it could be a fluke, you did just STUFF them with fiber. (Oats and ground pumpkin seeds.) It might make sense for them to have thicker poops after that.

Thank you. I was beginning to feel all alone.
I do have some DE left in a bottle.
I also have a whole other tray of pumpkin seeds just waiting to be brewed into yet another secret potion. Don’t forget I do still have 2 more Chinese food containers full of the first mix.
Good point on the fiber = firm poop.
Anybody who uses PDZ knows that watery poop is the worst to clean up. I have two Delaware hen sisters all subject to same everything from food to housing and one has normal poop and the other has always been watery. It’s nice to finally not have it that way even if it’s just short term. Thank you Pumpkin seed and Oatmeal Potion.

 

[RoosterML]

But I think it’s silly to try to prove over and over what has not been proven by purporting to use scientific methods without using scientific methods.

Are you insinuating that my scientific visual inspection of the poop board is not scientific??

 

[aart]

Are you insinuating that my scientific visual inspection of the poop board is not scientific??

Anybody who uses PDZ knows that watery poop is the worst to clean up.

You might just need a better sifter and technique, but yeah

 

[Bio cryo guy]

I'm just curious... Let's say you do notice some worms in the feces while doing your inspections. What exactly are you planning to proclaim on here? Are you going to try and say something along the lines of, "Hey, this might be working!"... Because that is where the biggest problem currently exists. You're going to give those few other readers who misinterpret your "results" another glimmer of hope to use an unproven product. The only thing you have accomplished by visually noticing worms in feces, is knowing your chickens have worms. Nothing more.
Why are you getting so much criticism? Because a lot of us on here in the scientific community (and those who are not) get exhausted trying to help keep people properly informed. We all want what's best for everyone's chickens; they're amazing animals to raise!
With that being said... Please don't let any of our comments squash your curiosity! Continue doing what you do, and keep learning!!! Just please, choose your words wisely.