Roundworm in my chickens. Should I treat!?

[GardenTeacher]

Hi all,

I keep 9 chickens in a public school (it's so fun!) and unfortunately just found roundworms in some feces. So far I have just found one wormy poop but I assume that all my birds are infected. Honestly it explains a lot: They are 8 months old and all hens but we never get more than 6 eggs a day. Some of the birds looks a little stunted in growth.

So, what should I do? Treat naturally with acv, garlic, yogurt and hope for the best? Or use Wazine? The eggs go to our students so I'm concerned about the impacts of treatment.


Thanks for your thoughts!!

 

[dawg53]

See post #2 in this link for treatment.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/942933/worms-in-poo#post_14505003

 

[KayTee]

If you already have a worm infestation (even if it's only one or two girls) then garlic etc won't do enough to get rid of it. It may help as a preventative in the future, but you need something more to get rid of established worms.

However, don't panic - not all wormers require an egg withdrawal period. The person who knows most about that on BYC is Kathy (Casportpony). If you have a look at some of her past posts you will probably find some brand names that you can buy locally, or if you are lucky she will see this post and chip in with suggestions.

If you do end up giving a wormer that requires a withdrawal period then don't just throw the eggs away. Cook them (scrambled or hard boiled) and give them back to the chickens. It will give them an extra protein boost, which is no bad thing when they are being wormed, and since they are getting a dose of wormer every day the (possible) low residue in the eggs won't have any negative impact on them. Your students will not only learn a valuable lesson about the transmission of medication through animal products, but also about recycling and avoiding waste!

 

[cafarmgirl]

X2. Worms are so damaging, it's best to treat the birds with something effective. ACV, garlic etc. etc. will not prevent nor treat worms of any sort. Wazine will only get the round worms, if they are carrying anything else, and there are many worms they can get, it won't touch those. Better off to use one of the products in Dawg's post and consider keeping them on a regular deworming program.

edited to add: It is not advised to feed back eggs to chickens who have been treated with dewormer. By doing so you expose any additional parasites they have, ie worm eggs that hatch after your first deworming, to those trace levels of wormer. That is how parasites develop resistance to these products. Same reason not to feed them to dogs or any other critters.

 

[KayTee]

Flubenvet is one wormer that doesn't require egg withdrawal periods:

http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-medication/flubenvet-used-for-worming

 

[dawg53]

Flubenvet is one wormer that doesn't require egg withdrawal periods:

http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-medication/flubenvet-used-for-worming

Flubenvet isnt sold in the United States. Valbazen is the safest wormer available and kills all known types of worms that chickens can get including flukes.

 

[KayTee]

Flubenvet isnt sold in the United States. Valbazen is the safest wormer available and kills all known types of worms that chickens can get including flukes.

Thank you Dawg - that is the only problem with an international forum - products available in one country are impossible to get elsewhere.

Case in point - antibiotics - in the US you can just go down to the local farm shop and pick up antibiotics (or coccidiosis medication) off the shelf. Here in Europe we have to catch the chicken and take it to the vet (assuming we can find a vet who treats chickens), who will take a look at her then prescribe us exactly what we knew we wanted all along!

Medication is so strictly controlled here in France that you can't even buy paracetamol, aspirin or indigestion tablets anywhere other than a pharmacy!

 

[KayTee]

X2. Worms are so damaging, it's best to treat the birds with something effective. ACV, garlic etc. etc. will not prevent nor treat worms of any sort. Wazine will only get the round worms, if they are carrying anything else, and there are many worms they can get, it won't touch those. Better off to use one of the products in Dawg's post and consider keeping them on a regular deworming program.

edited to add: It is not advised to feed back eggs to chickens who have been treated with dewormer. By doing so you expose any additional parasites they have, ie worm eggs that hatch after your first deworming, to those trace levels of wormer. That is how parasites develop resistance to these products. Same reason not to feed them to dogs or any other critters.

Cafarmgirl, I understand what you are saying about trace levels of wormer in eggs fed to other animals (dogs etc.) However, if you are feeding a trace level of wormer back to a chicken at the same time as you are giving a full dose of wormer in the water then I can't see the problem. I agree that you should stop feeding them back their own eggs once you stop the wormer but at least whilst you are worming them you can recycle some of the eggs, rather than just throwing them in the compost.

 

[dawg53]

I wish we did have flubenvet. It is a very good wormer and I'm sure a lot of folks would use it.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Cafarmgirl, I understand what you are saying about trace levels of wormer in eggs fed to other animals (dogs etc.) However, if you are feeding a trace level of wormer back to a chicken at the same time as you are giving a full dose of wormer in the water then I can't see the problem. I agree that you should stop feeding them back their own eggs once you stop the wormer but at least whilst you are worming them you can recycle some of the eggs, rather than just throwing them in the compost.

But when you give a full dose of wormer it's a one shot dose, full strength, it passes through their system, does it's job and is processed out by the birds body. So if you keep feeding the eggs with trace levels of wormer in them you are continuing to deliver those trace levels. Any worm eggs in the bird that hatch after the first dose of wormer will then be in contact with those low/trace levels. Granted I am talking about wormers that are dosed directly, one dose orally with a repeat dose in 10 days. I suppose if one is using some type of wormer such as one in the water or a pelleted wormer that is fed continuously over a period of time then yes, might as well feed the eggs back I guess since you are basically delivering a low dose of wormer longer term via feed or water anyway.