Roundworm in poop

[Rick&Chris]

I was cleaning my coop and pasture today and found a long whitish worm (approx 3”) in a poop pile in the yard. I have never seen a worm before in the run or beneath the roost, however have recently noticed very watery poop and a reddish poop (pictured). I couldn’t get a photo of the worm because one of the girls grabbed it and took off when I was trying to examine it. It looked like roundworm to me when I searched online. FYI - I am in Southeast PA and temps are in the 60’s so I don’t think the watery poop is from drinking too much, as they did in the summer heat.

Do I treat the entire flock for seeing just one worm? What is best with no egg withdrawal? As always, thanks in advance!!

 

[CatWhisperer]

Have a fecal done to see if roundworm is your only problem. Treat every member of the flock. Realize that at some point they will get reinfected.

 

[Kiki]

I'd treat everyone at the same time.
You usually will not actually see a worm in the poop until the bird is so infested that there's no more room for the worms to stay inside of the chicken.

There is one approved dewormer on the market right now with zero egg withdrawal but it is very expensive.

Like a few hundred dollars a bottle expensive.
https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/product/poultry/Safe-Guard-AquaSol/1

 

[Rick&Chris]

Have a fecal done to see if roundworm is your only problem. Treat every member of the flock. Realize that at some point they will get reinfected.

Thank you - what do you recommend to treat them? I'd like to give them something that can go in their water, couldn't imagine treating each bird individually - but I will, if needed!

 

[Rick&Chris]

I'd treat everyone at the same time.
You usually will not actually see a worm in the poop until the bird is so infested that there's no more room for the worms to stay inside of the chicken.

There is one approved dewormer on the market right now with zero egg withdrawal but it is very expensive.

Like a few hundred dollars a bottle expensive.
https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/product/poultry/Safe-Guard-AquaSol/1

Thank you - it is just strange that I saw ONE worm - nothing else in the coop, run or pasture. Is it possible that the worm is not from a chicken, or is that wishful thinking??

 

[Kiki]

Thank you - it is just strange that I saw ONE worm - nothing else in the coop, run or pasture. Is it possible that the worm is not from a chicken, or is that wishful thinking??

One usually won't seem worms until they are given a dewormer.

Call the nearest vet and ask him if they will test some poop for you if you bring it into them in a dish.

 

[Rick&Chris]

Here’s a new poop found this morning. So strange. Almost rubbery with loose inside it. Thoughts?

 

[coach723]

Odd poops, watery or mucosy are not uncommon with a worm load. Since you saw a worm in a dropping, and you saw a dropping with a lot of intestinal shed, I would worm. If you can get a fecal done to confirm it that is always best, but if you can't I would worm them. Most worms will live their entire lives inside the chicken and you won't ever see them. The fecal checks for their eggs, which are microscopic. Knowing if roundworm is your only issue, or if there are other parasites, helps with choosing medications and dosing. For roundworms the usual recommendation is to treat the whole flock because they are so easy to pick up from the environment, if one has them then it's very likely more of them do. Most wormers available need to be direct dosed to each bird orally, they will settle out in a water solution, except for the one @Texas Kiki mentioned, which is extremely expensive. For roundworm the most common wormers are Safeguard or Valbazen. Safeguard liquid goat wormer is usually very easy to find at Tractor Supply or many feed stores, Valbazen you will probably have to order online. How many birds do you have? I do 2 dozen +/- pretty regularly, just lock them in the coop after they go to roost, go out first thing in the morning before daylight, take them off the roost one at a time and dose them. Once done put them in the run, when the coop is empty you are done. If you have a lot, and your birds are banded, you can do them in groups, just keep a record of who you did on what day, for roundworms they are dosed twice, 10 days apart.

 

[Rick&Chris]

Odd poops, watery or mucosy are not uncommon with a worm load. Since you saw a worm in a dropping, and you saw a dropping with a lot of intestinal shed, I would worm. If you can get a fecal done to confirm it that is always best, but if you can't I would worm them. Most worms will live their entire lives inside the chicken and you won't ever see them. The fecal checks for their eggs, which are microscopic. Knowing if roundworm is your only issue, or if there are other parasites, helps with choosing medications and dosing. For roundworms the usual recommendation is to treat the whole flock because they are so easy to pick up from the environment, if one has them then it's very likely more of them do. Most wormers available need to be direct dosed to each bird orally, they will settle out in a water solution, except for the one @Texas Kiki mentioned, which is extremely expensive. For roundworm the most common wormers are Safeguard or Valbazen. Safeguard liquid goat wormer is usually very easy to find at Tractor Supply or many feed stores, Valbazen you will probably have to order online. How many birds do you have? I do 2 dozen +/- pretty regularly, just lock them in the coop after they go to roost, go out first thing in the morning before daylight, take them off the roost one at a time and dose them. Once done put them in the run, when the coop is empty you are done. If you have a lot, and your birds are banded, you can do them in groups, just keep a record of who you did on what day, for roundworms they are dosed twice, 10 days apart.

I have 10 birds. The safeguard goat wormer - that is given orally? How much per bird? What is the egg withdrawal time? I have two Wyandottes, they are the heaviest, the others are lighter (barred rocks, etc). I fear putting it down the wrong hole, that is why I prefer the water soluble kind, but $300 is way too much $$.

 

[coach723]

Dose for Safeguard is .23ml per pound of bird weight. 2 doses 10 days apart for roundworms, dose 5 days in a row for capillary or gape worm. If you have a digital kitchen scale, that will give you a good weight. So a 4 lb bird would get .92ml and I would just round up to 1ml. You can usually get 3ml syringes at Tractor Supply, most pharmacies have 1ml oral syringes, just ask the pharmacist. Egg withdrawl recommendation is usually 14 days following dose. 10 birds-piece of cake!!
Seriously, it gets easier with practice. If you have help, one to hold the bird, one to dose, great. If not, draw the correct dose (shake well before drawing) just hold them under your arm (left if you are right handed). Pull down on the wattles to open the beak, some you might have to pry and hold with fingers, put the dose in the front of the beak .5ml at a time and let them swallow, repeat until entire dose is given. Done. If you have a spaz chicken, wrap them in a bath towel to help hold them. Wear work clothes, you may be covered in poo and wormer when you are done.