I'VE GOT WORMS!

[dawg53]

I've read that pumpkin seed is also a natural dewormer..maybe just a preventative? My birds don't seem to like the seeds but the love the pumpkin itself so much that last year I had a bunch of hollowed out pumpkins in the garden with chicken butts sticking out where they ate them and then crawled inside to keep eating.

Your chickens would have to eat a pickup truck load of crushed pumpkin seeds in order for it to be effective. A 125ml bottle of Safeguard liquid goat wormer is cheaper, quicker, more effective, and very safe to use.

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

Your chickens would have to eat a pickup truck load of crushed pumpkin seeds in order for it to be effective. A 125ml bottle of Safeguard liquid goat wormer is cheaper, quicker, more effective, and very safe to use.

I rotate Safeguard and Ivermectrin with my birds and horses..no goats but I do have a bottle of the goat version on hand too.. I let my girls eat all the pumpkin they want but I agree, I don't depend on it to do much, maybe some runny poos the next day..but if there's someone out there looking for an all natural way..?
As far as I've noticed, there is no 'all natural' dewormer that actually works as a treatment..maybe as a preventative but I can't trust that with my birds..guess I just don't have that much faith in it
ETA- so is it the seed or the meat of the pumpkin that's supposed to be the preventative?

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
It is the seed that contains curcurbitin (sp)...that is the natural wormer. Again, it must be crushed & eaten in large quantities.
Consider eliminating ivermectin for your birds and use valbazen or Rooster Booster triple wormer in rotation with safeguard. Ivermectin has lost its efficacy as a wormer in poultry.

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

Where can valbazen be found? I've not seen it at my TSC..I have used Rooster Booster before but right after I got it and used it, I read a big thing on here somewhere saying it was junk so I went back to the Ivermectrin.. I know it's kinda the same with the horses, so many dewormers are just useless anymore from people using them not knowing what they are trying to kill or 'just because'..
I'm not organic or anything but I do try to only medicate when needed so I don't follow a particular schedule..I usually do late spring and again after the first couple frosts of the winter. I'm going to kick myself hard if you tell me that's wrong...lol

 

[Eggcessive]

Valbazen can be found at Southern States and Rural King stores. How far are you from Point Pleasant? They have a S. states, and right across the Ohio River is Rural King in Gallipolis, OH. Just google it, and you will find many online stores with it.

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

Oh, no worries.. I actually have a SS pretty close to me (I'm about 2 hours I think from Pt Pleasant)..I buy my feed, bedding and hay from SS, but I rarely go inside the actual store so never pay attention to what they have there...kinda forget they're even a livestock supply..lol
and thank you! They're closed today but I'll definitely make a trip tomorrow so I can add it to my supply box

 

[dawg53]

Where can valbazen be found? I've not seen it at my TSC..I have used Rooster Booster before but right after I got it and used it, I read a big thing on here somewhere saying it was junk so I went back to the Ivermectrin.. I know it's kinda the same with the horses, so many dewormers are just useless anymore from people using them not knowing what they are trying to kill or 'just because'..
I'm not organic or anything but I do try to only medicate when needed so I don't follow a particular schedule..I usually do late spring and again after the first couple frosts of the winter. I'm going to kick myself hard if you tell me that's wrong...lol

No need to kick yourself lol. It's best to worm chickens just before spring. Spring time is when egg output picks up quickly. Spring time is also worm time and that's when internal damage occurs effecting egg production in conjunction with the health of the flock. Worming just before spring time will take care of worms and also egg withdrawal periods so you wont have to toss eggs in the garbage.
A regular worming schedule is best due to worm eggs excreted in feces onto the ground. It's the only way to end the worms lifecycle, rotating pasture helps. Warm moist or wet soil may require frequent wormings whereas dry or cool/cold soil may require less frequent wormings.
Worming during molt isnt recommended. Birds are under enough stress during molt. Either before or after molt is okay to worm.

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

I do rotate pastures, so that's good to hear. Lol.. Well I guess I wasn't too far off base..my theory was is if I dewormed after the first frost that that dose would be enough to carry them through winter and early spring. I don't do anything during molts, just bc I know how hard it is on them. My girls didn't start laying this spring until about a month after I dosed every one and I still tossed the next 3 weeks or so of eggs. This coming spring may be different though as these girls are all young and this is their first year laying.
I was wondering what consequences this weather was going to have on parasites this year. .it's wrecked havoc on my incubating and I do dry incubation..considering a dry hatch as well to see if that helps.
And thank you so very much for the advice ♡ I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about my critters, but I've only been owned by chickens for a little over a year total (had to start from scratch this year due to a feral dog pack slaughtering birds last year) but I've been owned by horses my entire life and a lot of the basic maintenance is similiar.

 

[dawg53]

I cant help you with hatching, that's a different ball game for me. You've got a good knowledgeable grasp on worming, you'll do just fine.

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

I'm definitely a hatchaholic and would hatch year round if I could.. but looking forward to the day when my silkies are old enough to do it for me.
And again, thanks for everything! If I have any worries, I know who I will be messaging...lol