My chicken has worms and one ate it!

[ChickenKiera]

So today I saw a worm in one of my hens poop and I took a picture of it. Then another hen came over and ate it!!!! i tried you get it out of her mouth but it didn’t work. I know I should of just gotten rid of it as soon as I saw it . I have lots of chickens so it is difficult to tell which one pooped it out and I forgot the which chicken ate the worm!! I’m stupid. What is the best product to stop worms and will the hen that ate it get ill?

 

[ChickenKiera]

So today I saw a worm in one of my hens poop and I took a picture of it. Then another hen came over and ate it!!!! i tried you get it out of her mouth but it didn’t work. I know I should of just gotten rid of it as soon as I saw it . I have lots of chickens so it is difficult to tell which one pooped it out and I forgot the which chicken ate the worm!! I’m stupid. What is the best product to stop worms and will the hen that ate it get ill?

Also, there is one of my hens whose comb is more pale then usual so maybe she is the one with worms?

 

[CindyinSD]

Someone smarter than me will give you an answer which I suspect may include ivermectin, but the chicken eating the worm probably won't get worms from that worm, which is or soon will be mushed into mush in the gizzard. The bad news is that if one has worms they likely all do. From what I've read, this is a pretty simple treatment.

 

[CindyinSD]

A pale comb can mean she's not currently laying--common in hot weather or other stressors (maybe including having worms ) @aart

 

[FortCluck]

I would treat the whole flock. If one has it, they all possibly can.

Here are BYC articles on worming:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/worming.54249/


https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/worming-chickens—medicines-and-dosing-information.73369/

 

[Ms Clucky]

Diatomatous earth food grade. Make sure it is food grade. You can put some in their feed. You can google how much to put in it.

 

[FortCluck]

DE does not work for worms. DE is ineffective when it is wet, it will not kill internal parasites.

 

[CindyinSD]

DE does not work for worms. DE is ineffective when it is wet, it will not kill internal parasites.

I second that. DE is way over-hyped, imo. I have a big bag of it in my garage if anyone wants it.

 

[FortCluck]

I second that. DE is way over-hyped, imo. I have a big bag of it in my garage if anyone wants it.

DE creates a dusty atmosphere that is not good for chicken, humans, or any animal. It is a myth that it helps with worms. Most people who claim that it does work have never had worms to begin with so they cannot prove that it is a preventative (they have no proof of worms on their property) and they cannot prove that it kills worms (they have no proof that their chickens had worms).

Some people recommend you put it in your feed if you have weevils because it dries out the bugs and kills them. I have found this ineffective as well. I put my scratch bags in the freezer to kill the weevils so that the chickens can get more protein

 

[Eggcessive]

I would treat for roundworms, and treat all chickens. Use Valbazen 0.08 ml per pound or about 1/2 ml orally for a standard size chicken. Give it once and repeat it in 10 days.
SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer is also very good. It can be given 2 ways. To treat round worms, give it 0.25 ml (1/4 ml) per pound or 1 1/4 for a 5 pound chicken once and repeat in 10 days. To treat hard to get capillary or gapeworm, give it for 5 consecutive days. Try to clean up droppings and keep bedding clean and dry. Many worms have intermediate hosts, such as worms, snails, slugs, and flies, and those should be removed to control worms in the environment. Deep litter is also a good way to promote worms.