Recurring Tapeworms

[casportpony]

Thanks! Not sure which one I will find locally but will dose accordingly.

Since Equimax has twice as much praziquantel it will treat twice as many birds.

 

[Figtree]

I, too, followed many of @dawg53 threads and advice I worm once a year with Equimax in order to routinely treat my chickens for recurring tapeworm. Equimax is a horse dewormer and can be found at most feed stores or online for about $15. It kills tapeworms because is has praziquantel, but must be dosed carefully. Tapeworms are persistent for me and as much as I hate to give my chickens a chemical dewormer, I have found that nothing else works. I would rather deworm them annually than risk losing them to a tapeworm infestation. Good luck

I wanted to ask, you said you dose once a year with Equimax because of a persistent problem. Are you meaning you dose once a year and don’t see evidence or just once a year to keep it minimal?

 

[theoldchick]

https://poultrykeeper.com/digestive-system-problems/tapeworms-and-fluke-in-backyard-fowl

The thing about treating tapeworms in all species of animals is giving the correct dose of medication at the correct time and controlling exposure to the intermediate host. Chickens who free range will constantly reinfect themselves by eating various insects. Thus, if your chickens free range expect to retreat for all species of parasites with the correct medication at the proper dose and time. In addition have a vet examine a fecal sample to see exactly what you are dealing with.

 

[SonoranChick]

I should have clarified that I plan to dose once a year. I say this because I first found tapeworms in their droppings last year, and treated them. I don't think it worked because I only gave one dose and did not repeat 10 days later. About 4 months later, I found more tapes in their droppings. I held off dosing again right away, because the girls were just starting to lay and I wanted to see if maybe the worms would go away on their own...wishful thinking Of course they didn't go away, so I am treating again this year. I will not treat unless I see evidence. I know just because I don't see them doesn't mean they aren't there. I also know chickens naturally have worms in their system if they live outside in the dirt. It's a tricky situation and I respect everyone's right to treat as they see fit. I may adjust my routine accordingly...my biggest fear would be to lose a hen to a worm problem because I failed to treat it properly, you know?

 

[Figtree]

I should have clarified that I plan to dose once a year. I say this because I first found tapeworms in their droppings last year, and treated them. I don't think it worked because I only gave one dose and did not repeat 10 days later. About 4 months later, I found more tapes in their droppings. I held off dosing again right away, because the girls were just starting to lay and I wanted to see if maybe the worms would go away on their own...wishful thinking Of course they didn't go away, so I am treating again this year. I will not treat unless I see evidence. I know just because I don't see them doesn't mean they aren't there. I also know chickens naturally have worms in their system if they live outside in the dirt. It's a tricky situation and I respect everyone's right to treat as they see fit. I may adjust my routine accordingly...my biggest fear would be to lose a hen to a worm problem because I failed to treat it properly, you know?

This is pretty much the same situation I am in and I totally am in line with your thinking. Thanks! Very much appreciated and nice to know I am not the only one.

 

[SonoranChick]

you got it! I hope all goes well for you and you are able to terminate, or at least regulate, those gross freeloaders.

 

[Louisetho2]

This is pretty much the same situation I am in and I totally am in line with your thinking. Thanks! Very much appreciated and nice to know I am not the only one.

Hi! Sorry I know that thread is a bit old but I am having the same issue. Tapeworm, deworm, and tapeworm are back a few weeks later. My chickens also free range all day...
did you finally get rid of the tapeworms??

 

[Eggcessive]

Hi! Sorry I know that thread is a bit old but I am having the same issue. Tapeworm, deworm, and tapeworm are back a few weeks later. My chickens also free range all day...
did you finally get rid of the tapeworms??

There are hosts for tapeworms—flies, earthworms, snails, and slugs, plus the contaminated soil. So to get rid of them, you may need to remove droppings, any hosts, and I would also change the coop bedding. If you don’t keep bees, a permethrin-based insecticide sprayed inside the coop, may help to get rid of some hosts. @casportpony may be able to help about the need to possibly retreat after a certain length of time.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Darkling beetles are really common in coops, I know I have them, and they are intermediate hosts for some tapeworms of chickens. Since these are the parents of those dried mealworms we buy for our birds, chickens understandably love them.

 

[Louisetho2]

There are hosts for tapeworms—flies, earthworms, snails, and slugs, plus the contaminated soil. So to get rid of them, you may need to remove droppings, any hosts, and I would also change the coop bedding. If you don’t keep bees, a permethrin-based insecticide sprayed inside the coop, may help to get rid of some hosts. @casportpony may be able to help about the need to possibly retreat after a certain length of time.

Thanks for your reply. I do scoop the poop out of the coop every morning, change bedding every week. I also do a “poo hunt” every evening and I pick up poo from the backyard. They free range all day. I sprinkled garden lime in my backyard yesterday after someone advise me to do so but i doubt it will do anything ... I am not 100% sure it is tapeworm as it is yellow/orange segments but people have told me they look like tapeworm