How do you know when to worm your chickens?

[azygous]

I have four that have "puddle poop". I can't recall the last time these hens, who have their own quarters separate from the flock, had solid poop.

I see no sign of worms in this liquid slop, but could worms be present anyway?

None are behaving as if they were sick. They lay normally.

 

[JanetS]

This sounds like some of my chickens only mine are not laying yet. They seem healthy and happy but have very runny poop. I hope you can get some answers here that help your chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

I look for a decline in weight. I light burden for many is of no consequence. If weight declining and worm sign noted then treat. Consider possibility of a change in diet being the cause.

 

[Folly's place]

By the time you see worms (and only some are big enough to see) you likely have a lot of parasites, especially in some of your birds. You can take samples to the vet to find out what's there, or use a broad spectrum wormer twice a year. Mary

 

[azygous]

It occurred to me that perhaps eating too much green grass is the cause of this brown, sloppy poop. Has anyone noticed an over-indulgence of fresh spring grass causing brown-gravy poop?

In addition, a friend has been giving me bags and bags of her grass clippings for my compost piles. My chickens have been spending a lot of time in these clippings, too. It wouldn't surprise me that this might be the cause of the runny poop, not worms. None of these hens have lost any weight.

 

[centrarchid]

Cecal poo varies greatly with diet. Ample greens make for more, darker and to my nose less stinky cecal poo.

 

[Smorz]

Just a note about grass clippings ... They can contribute to impacted crop. When grazing, chickens snip off pieces of grass. When fed clippings, they will eat it more like slurping spaghetti. Be on the lookout for symptoms.

 

[centrarchid]

Just a note about grass clippings ... They can contribute to impacted crop. When grazing, chickens snip off pieces of grass. When fed clippings, they will eat it more like slurping spaghetti. Be on the lookout for symptoms.

Make certain grit in diet is sufficient. My birds consume 12 inch lengths of fescue without trouble.

 

[BryanH]

Does anyone know if using De-worming feed is a good way ?

 

[Folly's place]

Deworming feed??? What's that? Mary