Preventitive worming?

[gabby3535]

I have 9 young chickens.........all approx. 9-11 weeks old.
I have been adding DE to their feed since I got them, at 4-5 weeks of age.
They are outside in the coop and run, get ACV in their water daily, are being fed chick starter with occasional
treats of veggies, grass clippings, crickets and mealworms..............
They all are doing very well, but I am wondering about a worming protocol.
Some people say to worm 2 x year............and I wonder 'when' one should start this
regimen?
Do I wait until they show 'symptoms' of having worms...........and then every 6 months after that?
Or do I worm them when they have no symptoms (as in 'now'), and every 6 months after 'that'?
Do I switch off wormers every other time, like you do with horses...........or use the same one each time?
And, finally, what wormer and regimen does everyone recommend?
I need advice please..............

 

[threehorses]

What I do is worm them when they're four months old or fall comes first. That way they go into the winter as worm-free as possible (as winters they need all the nutrition they can get). Then I worm again in the spring.

Since you're using DE, I'd just worm with ivermectin once or twice a year. If you are concerned and only do it once a year, do a Wazine worming and wait two weeks and then do the ivermectin.

Hope this helps!

 

[chickletranch]

You definitely want to be preventative with the worming. We worm 1-2 x a year with Ivermectin and Fenbendazole, and use DE in the coop/pen and on the perches. I think 4-5 months is a good age to start, as they are maturing into adults. Best, Lynn

 

[gabby3535]

Okay.......so do you alternate the Ivermectin and Fendendazol........or are they given together?
Also, is the dosage based on weight, or what?