New to chickens Questions about worming ?

[kbreak]

I am new to chickens. I have had my flock for about 3 months. I have noticed some of them are having watery poop. I have noticed some poop on there feathers. (not much) I put Apple cidar vinegar in there water about 4 times a week. (1 Tbs/gallon of water) They free range all day and get layer pellets and flock raiser with small amount of crushed corn. They do eat some of our table scraps that I rake out for the cats. My questions are:
1. If it is worms would I be able to see them in the poop?
2. How often should they be wormed?
3. What do I worm them with? Is there worm medicine I can use that I don't have to discard the eggs?

Any advice ?? Thanks for any advice !!

 

[Judy]

There are no simple answers to any of these questions. I'll tell you a little about it then give you some links.

You usually won't see worms in poop though it depends both on what worm and how infested they are. Usually a vet will do a fecal smear if you take a sample in, for not a lot of money. A negative smear doesn't necessarily mean no worms, though.

Worms are more common in wet than dry areas, or at least lots of folks assume that. If you are in the desert, you may not need to bother. Where i live it is wet -- and probably where you live, too. There is an experienced breeder with excellent birds who lives in my area and says he worms 5 or 6 times a year with a chemical wormer. I wormed mine with Valbazen a couple of months ago, and by the immediate drop in feed consumption I am assuming they had a good load of worms. I usually worm once or twice a year. Some people who free range their birds do not worm, or rarely do, on the assumption that they find natural wormers in their foraging.

You will read that you should not eat eggs for 3 or 4 weeks after a chemical wormer, but some eat them anyway. The drug in Valbazen is also formulated to be used in people. You can hatch eggs after worming, though. If you choose to eat them, I would not give them away or sell them on the chance someone may be allergic to the drug.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/538241/roundworms

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/323454/large-worm-in-egg

http://healthybirds.umd.edu/Disease/Deworming Birds.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/457016/worming/10#post_5770173

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ts-is-not-coryza-or-crd-parasites-are-rampant