Red worms in poo UPDATE** 9/22/11

[flashover1969]

I figured it would. I don't know why, but I always get the heebyjeebies when it comes to nasty things like these messing with our farm animals.
Hope the treatments go well for you Fishnet

 

[fishnet1971]

Flash that's it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG you are the FIRST person who has been able to identify these buggers!!!!!!! My VET didnt even know what they were!!!!!!! I am positive that is them. holy crap bat man. (pun intended here)

ok, so dawg, the Val will work as well?

thank you sooo much Flash. This has been wracking my brain for weeks.

But after looking these up, is it possible for chickens to get them? seems like humans and pigs are the only ones who can get these???

 

[fishnet1971]

I have been finding these around my yard the last few weeks. Under their water dish, under logs, etc. they are hammerhead worms, a planarian worm. hmmmm hope these have nothing to do with the others...

 

[Spinster_Sister]

that is disgusting! I found this info on another site: (www.allaboutworms.com)

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In general, most garden worms are quite harmless and in most cases they can be beneficial to your garden, plants, and trees. Most garden worms help to control destructive termite larvae and grubs, as well as other destructive garden pests. They can also help mix the earths soil by burrowing into the ground or even writhing around in topsoil. While most garden worms are helpful, so they should be left alone, there are some that are dangerous and should be eliminated. One such worm is the hammerhead flatworm (land planarian).

The hammerhead flatworm does not help to control other pest populations as most worms do. They actually kill and eat earthworms, exclusively. The hammerhead flatworm is considered a parasite and it devours its only prey by pushing its throat outside if its mouth and snapping up any part of the earthworms body. It melts the earthworms body with an enzyme and slowly eats it until the earthworm is completely consumed.

The hammerhead flatworm can reach up to 20 inches long and its body is very slimy, which allows it to move along the ground in a gliding motion. The body secretes mucus from glands on its belly or underside. The hammerhead is native to Indo-China, but it makes its way around the world by traveling in greenhouse plants. For the most part, hammerhead flatworms can survive just about anywhere, so no one region is 100% safe. While this unique worm can survive in scorching hot to freezing climates, they may suffer somewhat in drier regions.

Hammerhead flatworm sightings are common in the early morning hours, especially after a hard rain. They are nocturnal however, and they love wet surfaces. This means that they will stick to just about any surface that’s wet or moist, as well as on tree branches and trunks. Keep in mind that there are several varieties of land planarians. Two of the most common sightings are the hammerhead flatworm and the flatworm with a pointy head (instead of a hammerhead) and a dark brown body. The hammerhead flatworm is usually medium-brown in color with dark markings or stripes. Some hammerhead worms may appear gray to greenish/gray as well. All types feed on earthworms, so beware.

If you have a hammerhead flatworm infestation, there are several ways to control and/or kill populations. The first thing to keep in mind is if you attempt to chop them up or even smash them, the pieces will only regenerate into new hammerhead flatworms. So, it you chop the flatworm into 7 pieces, you will end up with 7 new worms! Hammerhead flatworms must dissolve completely in order to get rid of them. Effective treatment methods include: salt, vinegar, and citrus oil. These products must be applied directly to the flatworms in order to be effective. Spreading them around the soil or areas where you the worms have been spotted won’t dissolve these parasites completely. You can use a spray bottle for the vinegar and citrus oil methods and you can simply pour the salt over the worms to dissolve them. Good luck!

 

[Silkiesandco]

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Yuck!

 

[flashover1969]

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I saw that too, however worms do not care if the living warm blooded host is a chicken, pig, or human. If the chickens consumed something like fecal matter from another animal that was infected, I believe they would become the new host for that organism. I am not a Parasitologist, so who knows

Here is a little more info on fluke worms that I found at http://www.poultryhub.org/bird-health-and-disease/parasitic-worms-or-helminths/

"Flukes are flattened, unsegmented, leaf-like parasites. Flukes are hermaphroditic (each individual has both male and female sex organs) and all trematodes infecting poultry have an indirect lifecycle. Their lifecycles vary in complexity and can involve up to four hosts. More than 500 species have been found in birds but only a few are known to cause disease."

 

[fishnet1971]

flash, that is a great site. I have used it more than once. It seems to me that the hammerhead worm is not a harm to animals at all. only to other earthworms that it kills and eats.

I watched 'poo' all weekend long, and have not seen any moving orange critters in three days. I will re-Valbazene again in a few days and cross my fingers. I emailed my vet with the photo of the fluke and have not gotten anything back from him yet.
hmmmmm....

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

I'm afraid I find this thread and discussion fascinating. Maybe I am due to switch careers after all? Hmmmmmm........

Here's a funny audio called "Parasites" I heard over a year ago. It starts out scary, but my whole family, and then several coworkers, listened to it a couple times, very entertaining!

http://www.radiolab.org/2009/sep/07/

Its approximately one hour in length. Good to listen to while housecleaning!

 

[fishnet1971]

ohhhh GOOD one.. I saw a show on Discovery 'Alive inside us' I think it was called like that. It really is interesting!!!! I wouldnt actually worry 'bout these, but my hen has gotten skinny and I just want to make sure she is healthy!

I watched her poop last night and (I know this is gross, but we all have done it at one time or another) inspected it pretty good with a stick. No orange things on the outside or inside. hmmm..... the 10 day mark for the Valbazene is today. I am planning another dose tonight to hit them for the eggs. I HOPE this may be the end of them.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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I saw the same show. I inspect poo on a daily basis. I think it's a must for any chicken owner.