How often do you worm your chickens?

[Smitty's Farm]

I paid $9.89 for a flat rate shipping, but I was desperate. I have been looking for it everywhere. I just talked to someone today that says they get a 50 lb bag from their tractor supple store for about $35. I keep thinking that I'll find some somewhere locally. The search is still on.

 

[dlhunicorn]

I worm three-four times a year alternating regularly an ivermectine (ivomec eprinex in the USA) with once a year treatment with fenbendazol.
My birds are pets .

 

[picklespickles]

so most people worm as a precaution rather than as a reaction?

i do feed mine a lot of hot peppers which may have been helping them without my knowing.

i have never seen them have odd symptoms. but if they were to, what would be some symptoms of having worms?

thanks

 

[dlhunicorn]

I do not use DE in my run and my birds are not penned and free-range my yard daily . The weather here is such that there are insects year round (though less in the winter)... If you have a run with fewer insects (particularly if you use DE to keep the resident insect population down) then you will probably not need to de-worm as often as I do.
Peppers (acitive ingredient caipsicin>sp?) stimulates the immune system and has no de-worming effciacy as far as I am aware of. Pumpkin seeds etc ( curcurbita) has been shown to aid in the expulsion of adult worm infestations buit you have to ingest such a great amount (and once again is only effective on a certain developmental stage) that in practicality is more for management than to treat an active infestation... if you bird has worms then you will need a med to treat.

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

Hey Dlh, is it true that birds don't have the receptor to taste capsaicin(sp?)?

 

[dlhunicorn]

as far as I am able to determine, the answer ito that question is yes (they "can't " taste it)... it irritates the intestinal lining so I imagine you can give too much though.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
Most people seem to do that. I prefer not to pump my animals (and kids) with precautionary meds..... I medicate only when nessesary. I also don't treat symptoms, but the cause!
I think the pharm. companies make a LOT of $$$ out of pushing people to medicate every month or 6 or whatever THEY say is the correct amount of time....

 

[paganfish]

Not to steal the thread but I have a question regarding worms...

My mouser cats have been getting visits from the neighbor's cats and, I think, now have worms.

Will they spread to the chickens? If so...should I start treating with DE? I sprinkle it in their coop once a week to keep moisture down and for DML to start clumping...but not their food. Or not deliberately, anyway. Should I put it in their pellets now? Just in case?

What about the mousers? Should I put some DE in their dry food? Will it help them? I'm planning (or was) on getting some de-wormer for the cats...just in case. Will this have an adverse reaction on chickens? They interact with the cats...

Again, sorry...I didn't mean to steal or hog your thread but this was exactly the question that was on my mind earlier. You can either let me know here or IM me.

Peace-

Pedro

 

[greyfields]

The worms infecting your cats will not be the same ones in your poultry (as far as I'm aware). I believe the species need to be pretty closely related in order for the same parasite to cross species (like goats to sheep). The exception, of course, is coccidiossis which really isn't a parasite - but will jump from one flock to the next.

I'm going to put my bullet proof helmet and vest on here.... There is utterly no evidence that DE in any way prevents or controls internal parasites in animals. There is some evidence that it may hinder external parasiets. But, DE has been scientifically studied by Universities and shown to have no benefit (except to the people selling it).

I wish, I truly wish it did work, because anything organic in my book is great. But, what you ought do is save your money and do the following:

1) Collect some chicken poop.

2) Take it to your vet to do a float.

3) If parasites are identified, they will give you a prescription which works specficially for those parasites actually identified.

4) Administer the anthelmic per instructions.

DO NOT DEWORM IF NO PARASITES ARE IDENTIFIED. For the long term sustainability of your farm, prophylactically deworming is the worse thing you can ever do. It ensures the most rapid course to dealing with paraistes which are immune to deworming, and then you have a very serious issue to deal with.

The fecal float will cost less than a bag of DE. The dewormer, depending on how many animals, will cost about the same as 1-2 bags of DE. Spend your money wisely.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
Lots of folk swear by DE, and treating them with DE is a LOT cheaper in the long run - a 50 pound bag costs me $25
Can you link up those scientific studies so we can read what they say and who paid for them?