My first post,... This is the first flock I have had. Our hens are 8 mo old getting up to 10 eggs a day from 13 hens. We have never wormed them since we got them have all been healthy, except for some pasty butt as chicks. They were on medicated feed, until switch to Layena in August.
Last night as they were going up to roost I was checking them over and noticed that more then half had squishy crops, not over inflated felt near empty, no gross smells from any of them. They have pellets in feeder that we keep pretty much filled all the time. As weather has gotten colder they are eating more. We have ACV in the 2 water containers. They get grit and oyster shell too. We have no rooster unless he is hiding as hen some of the girls have feathers mussed up on back and near tail, possible rooster or pecking each other. Haven't seen any of them being mounted.
One of the hens is thin, eats treats and see her through out day eating. She is low on pecking order and we make sure she gets her share of things we put out for them. Checking the run and droppings see no sign of worms, although was freaked out after they had eaten some purple cabbage and the color of droppings were very strange colored!
Anyway even if they appear healthy and no visible signs of parasites should we worm them? Going on the near empty crops at roosting time would this be a possibility of them having worms? Also of the one hen(california grey) being so much lighter then the others?
After lurking this site for months we check them frequently for pests, spots, smells (lol), and watch for strange behaviors. Should I have them on a worming schedule, how long to toss out eggs after worming. Even chicken man at feed store said if they are healthy looking don't worm. So to worm or not to worm?
******I managed to answer my own questions, for some reason my tablet wasn't showing the sticky posts Admin can delete this post, Thank you ****
Last night as they were going up to roost I was checking them over and noticed that more then half had squishy crops, not over inflated felt near empty, no gross smells from any of them. They have pellets in feeder that we keep pretty much filled all the time. As weather has gotten colder they are eating more. We have ACV in the 2 water containers. They get grit and oyster shell too. We have no rooster unless he is hiding as hen some of the girls have feathers mussed up on back and near tail, possible rooster or pecking each other. Haven't seen any of them being mounted.
One of the hens is thin, eats treats and see her through out day eating. She is low on pecking order and we make sure she gets her share of things we put out for them. Checking the run and droppings see no sign of worms, although was freaked out after they had eaten some purple cabbage and the color of droppings were very strange colored!
Anyway even if they appear healthy and no visible signs of parasites should we worm them? Going on the near empty crops at roosting time would this be a possibility of them having worms? Also of the one hen(california grey) being so much lighter then the others?
After lurking this site for months we check them frequently for pests, spots, smells (lol), and watch for strange behaviors. Should I have them on a worming schedule, how long to toss out eggs after worming. Even chicken man at feed store said if they are healthy looking don't worm. So to worm or not to worm?
******I managed to answer my own questions, for some reason my tablet wasn't showing the sticky posts Admin can delete this post, Thank you ****
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