Is This The Right Course of Action for Worms?

[anbhean]

Oh man, that stinks. I have no clue how they could have gotten tapeworms! The are mostly free range in my sunny backyard. There aren't puddles to speak of almost ever. Their coop and inside runs get cleaned regularly. Fresh water etc. The only thing I can think of is my one not so bright, but real pretty girl likes to sit on the feeder and poo in it. We change it constantly, but somehow, even hanging-- she finds her way on the feeder. But then she would have had to have tapeworms to give it... so back to the conundrum.

I'll keep after it till they are clear... but does this mean I have to hold off on introducing my two young girls? I was planning on starting that tomorrow... but I certainly don't want them getting tapeworm!

Also-- do you think my dog is at risk for getting them? Or even worse... can my family? Or are they species specific?

Thanks for the info!

 

[anbhean]

I'm sorry for all the additional questions! But my husband reminded me that when we first noticed the little white things in their poo a few weeks back-- they were actually moving. Small, round and moving... can tapeworm segments squirm? The ones since dosing them twice, definitely not moving though. Just thought I'd ask.

 

[dawg53]

I'm sorry for all the additional questions! But my husband reminded me that when we first noticed the little white things in their poo a few weeks back-- they were actually moving. Small, round and moving... can tapeworm segments squirm? The ones since dosing them twice, definitely not moving though. Just thought I'd ask.

Tapeworm segments can and do move some when excreted in feces. As the tapeworm grows inside the chickens innards, they shed a segment. Each segment contains hundreds of eggs. The segments with the eggs eventually work their way into and onto the soil where the eggs are eaten by insects and earthworms. The infected earthworms and insects are then eaten by chickens. Once the insect is digested, it frees the tapeworm egg which turns into larva after circulating through the chickens system...starting the lifecycle all over again.
Roundworm eggs on the otherhand can be directly picked up off the soil.

 

[anbhean]

Thanks Dawg53! And also,

. I'll dose them again in 6 days with the 24 hour fasting, and again 6 days after that.

I read that sunlight kills them pretty well so, theoretically if I keep my young girls in a different part of the yard with netting that the older girls haven't been on for sometime-- do you think it will be safe for them? I'm desperate to get them out of my basement! They are almost 4 months now and getting really bored with the kiddie pool and they really need to start socializing with the others (even if it is through a fence). I mean, if it's in my soil already, then pretty, much this is gonna happen to them eventually anyway right? So I guess I should just stop worrying about it and get them outside to enjoy the sun.

 

[anbhean]

Ok so now I'm getting really befuddled. I've treated my girls three times now in the past month. Once with 1/2 cc Valbazen... waited 10 days, then another 1/2 cc Valbazen. Still saw what seemed to be segments in their feces. Waited 10 days, treated again with Valbazen-- only 1 cc this time with a 24 hour fasting before so the worms were hungry (as suggested).

It's been three days and not only are the big worms one would expect with tapes not passing-- but there are still plenty segments (tiny "rice" looking dot) in their feces. I plan on treating a final time in three more days, but my faith in the effectiveness of the Valbazen is faltering. Why is this stuff not working better if just about the best on the market? Should I try something else? Could my girls possibly be immune to it after only this exposure to the medication? They've never been wormed before. I don't know, I guess I just thought I'd be seeing improvement after a month of deworming and deworming and deworming...

Doesn't help that I'm desperate to get my four month old hens out of my house, integrated and in the coop, but keep having to put it off week after week. Really frustrating! Anyone else have this happen?