How to worm free rangers

I've heard that and I do feed them pumpkin and seeds in the fall when they are in season.


I've also heard that about watermelon or watermelon rind. They eat a lot of that through the summer because we love it.


I got my first two chickens from an old man down the road. I've had them two years (going on three, wow) and I've never wormed them and I doubt the old man did. I know, shame on me. The third one I got from a wanna be breeder at a swap meet kind of thing they do here in the fall and I'd bet my children that guy didn't worm either. I'd say those three are the ones that need to be treated and because of them, the newer ones we got this past spring need treated, too. This is just one of those live and learn things.
 
Just to update:

Qtip swab was clean. I went ahead and put everyone in the coop for the night with some wazine. Noticed some scaly mites on a few so we lubed everyone up. I'm thinking we will keep everyone in the coop and run while we treat the feet. I'm not so sure about the one I thought was sick. I'll just keep an eye on her for now.

Thanks again for the advise.
 
That's excellent news, I'm glad for you and your chicken! I recommend you leave them in the coop for 24 hours including the one you checked for gapeworm. Leave the wazine in the coop during that 24 hours, so that they all drink some, that way they all get wormed. After 24 hours, discard the wazine and replace with freshwater and let them free range. After a day or 2 you'll see a difference in their behavior. I also recommend a day or 2 after worming, give them plain yogurt as a probiotic to build up their immune system, canned beef catfood (extra protein) and mix it in their feed to make a mash and give it to them to eat. Do this mixture for about 3 days straight. Throw their eggs in the garbage for 14 days. Dont feed the eggs back to them, you'll be extending the withdrawal time. Hope this helps.
 
I believe the Ivemectrin will treat the scaly leg mites too. So when you treat for the rest of the worm kingdom in 2 weeks you will also be hitting the leg mite.

Leg mites require treatment of the coop too. Make sure you are treating the coop / roost area too. Mites are like lice - - - they reproduce quickly. You will need to retreat to break the cycle. IT may take several weeks to kill moma mites and baby mites and hatching mites and egg mites, etc. . . .

Be faithful and consistent and you will suceed.
 
The pumpkin seed (can also use squash or gourd seed) does not kill the worms or wipe them all out. It contains a substance that paralyzes most of the worms so they turn loose of the intestine walls and get flushed out of the system, thus reducing the worm load. I did not want people to think that pumpkin seeds eliminates the worm problem. It reduces the number and is a way to help manage it but it does not wipe them out. I think it works on roundworms. Not sure if it works on any other type.
 

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