First, It is 2:30 am and i just go home form work. Apologies if this has been posed before. I looked and didn't see anything, but I have been wrong before..... My sick hen Brigid is very light. Vet said she was underweight. I searched (underweight) and all the answers seemed to have to do with worming. DO they really get worms at this time of year? Do I need to have the poop analyzed before I worm, or should I just do it? It looks pretty normal. I know I should do all of them just in case. What is a good all-purpose wormer I could get at TSC or Farm n Fleet? One last question--We did catch her trying to get grit out of the litter box one day about a week ago--chased her out right away, but still--could she have gotten worms form that? (Cats do not have worms)
It could totally be worms. I'd probably worm her, with or without a fecal. Remember to follow the directions and reworm at the appropriate time.
No, she wouldn't have gotten worms from the litter box as far as I know. Worms in poultry are carried by earthworms, insects, and other birds. Here is a nice website that explains it: http://extension.unh.edu/Agric/Docs/internalparasites.pdf Some vets will do a fecal test for worms for a small fee. If she is older than 18 weeks or so if you suspect worms then you can worm her. Be aware you need to toss the eggs for awhile though, and this is called the "egg withdrawal period." Yes, they get worms at any time of year. Edited to add: You can also worm chickens less than 18 weeks of age of course, but it is not recommended unless they have worms I have read- you are not supposed to do it "just in case" if they are young, as their organs are still developing.
I use Valbazen. A fecal may or may not show the worms, but it is unusual for a chicken not to have any. They are also in the ground. I recently wormed mine with Valbazen and their feed consimption dropped by almost half -- the worms were eating nearly as much as the chickens were! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/457016/worming/10#post_5770173
