Small yellow worms/maggots in stool?? *PIC* HELP!

[Wyorp Rock]

Is this what you meant : https://www.bunnings.com.au/richgro-5kg-natural-garden-lime_p2983311
If so I’ll get some on the weekend and do I just sprinkle it everywhere in my backyard?! Can I let the chicken free range afterwards?
I’ll keep worming and usimg lime until no sign of yellow worms. I gave them worming tablets yesterday morning and last night when I did my poo hunt I couldn’t find any worms in their poop.
Also see attached, I just saw my hen pooped and I took a photo of it straight away. Those little balls were already in the poop. I squashed it between my fingers and they’re really hard, can’t break them it’s like calcium or rock solid.

Do you by chance give your hens any scratch that contains millet?

 

[Louisetho2]

Do you by chance give your hens any scratch that contains millet?

I am not sure I would have to check when I get home. I don’t think I’ve seen millet in it though ... and it’s only my Isa brown who has those little balls in her poo I’m 100% sure of it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I am not sure I would have to check when I get home. I don’t think I’ve seen millet in it though ... and it’s only my Isa brown who has those little balls in her poo I’m 100% sure of it.

It's very odd! I have not seen that before, is she foraging in a different place than the others?

 

[Louisetho2]

It's very odd! I have not seen that before, is she foraging in a different place than the others?

No they all free range together and follow each other. Other than that and the yellow wormy things she’s perfectly healthy and lays every single day... I posted it on a few chickens fb group and no one have ever seen that before I guess I just have a unique hen ahaha

 

[Louisetho2]

It is my belief that some individuals will be more susceptible to worms than others but I was certainly not suggesting you cull them..... my suggestion was to try treating your land with agricultural lime as well as worming them. If those are tape worm proglottids which they appear to be, then they are full of tapeworm eggs and are dispersing onto your pasture as you can see in the photo where they are travelling onto and up the blades of grass in order to be eaten by a third party. The eggs will then be released and shed back onto the land and the risk of re-infestation of your chickens is therefore quite high once the wormer you are using has gone through their system. It might be a good idea to pen them for a period of time somewhere that poop is more easily cleaned up or conditions are less favourable for the life cycle of the tapeworm to be completed.

I wonder if @Sue Gremlin would be available to give advice/opinion as she is a student of parasitology.

Hi there. I got garden lime today, and started sprinkling it in the chicken run. See photo attached, am I doing this thing right ? My backyard is so big I’ll need probably 10 bags of it ahah
It says on it to water it afterwards. Do I need to or just leave it like that?
Thanks

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

Sorry for the delayed reply. Since you have dry weather, it would probably be best to water it in. Did you follow the instructions for the application per square meter/yard. That looks a little heavy but difficult to tell from a photo. I would be inclined to confine them to the run.... maybe make it bigger.... until you get the tapeworm situation under control, because it sounds like it may be impractical to manage such a large free range area and whilst the lime should help, is only part of a long term strategy of regular worming and poop removal to get things under control and break the cycle.
I am no expert on tapeworms as I have not had to deal with them myself, so my advice is based upon things I have read and been told. Understanding the life cycle of the pest or parasite you are dealing with is key to controlling it, so do your own research. Different conditions will mean different management may be required to control it.

 

[Louisetho2]

Hi

Sorry for the delayed reply. Since you have dry weather, it would probably be best to water it in. Did you follow the instructions for the application per square meter/yard. That looks a little heavy but difficult to tell from a photo. I would be inclined to confine them to the run.... maybe make it bigger.... until you get the tapeworm situation under control, because it sounds like it may be impractical to manage such a large free range area and whilst the lime should help, is only part of a long term strategy of regular worming and poop removal to get things under control and break the cycle.
I am no expert on tapeworms as I have not had to deal with them myself, so my advice is based upon things I have read and been told. Understanding the life cycle of the pest or parasite you are dealing with is key to controlling it, so do your own research. Different conditions will mean different management may be required to control it.

There wasn’t any instructions on how much per square meter... I just sprinkled it. I didn’t have enough so I mostly did the areas where the chickens spend most time. I guess I’ll have to do part 2 next weekend... and also I’ll have to water it in tomorrow, I didn’t et as I couldn’t find anywhere on internet if I have to let it dry or water it.
I can’t make my run bigger, it’s all cemented around and if I let them inside they let me know they’re not happy! It sounds like a big job to get rid of those tapeworms.. I’ll finish putting lime everywhere next weekend but I’m going away in 2 weeks as well and I’m stressed enough to leave my chickens with someone else to look after them

 

[Louisetho2]

Hi

Sorry for the delayed reply. Since you have dry weather, it would probably be best to water it in. Did you follow the instructions for the application per square meter/yard. That looks a little heavy but difficult to tell from a photo. I would be inclined to confine them to the run.... maybe make it bigger.... until you get the tapeworm situation under control, because it sounds like it may be impractical to manage such a large free range area and whilst the lime should help, is only part of a long term strategy of regular worming and poop removal to get things under control and break the cycle.
I am no expert on tapeworms as I have not had to deal with them myself, so my advice is based upon things I have read and been told. Understanding the life cycle of the pest or parasite you are dealing with is key to controlling it, so do your own research. Different conditions will mean different management may be required to control it.

Also, my partner suggested treating the backyard with insecticide ... would that help? He’s a greenskeeper and has all the products (we live on the course) but I don’t want to do it and let My chickens inside the run for 3 days if it won’t help...

 

[rebrascora]

Personally I am not a fan of insecticides (I'm a beekeeper), but if you are already in an area where they are being used then it may benefit your situation. My own feeling is that there is a balance in nature and when things get out of balance, as is suggested by your tapeworm issue, using something which creates further imbalance (like an insecticide) may well cause other problems down the line.
In my opinion there are no quick fixes in these situations that don't have potential longer term consequences which may be unforeseen at this time, but you have to make a decision based on your own ideals and circumstances. I'm sorry, I can't tell you what will definitely work and what will not.

I have just done some more research and it appears that it needs to be quick lime rather than garden lime but the birds would need to be removed during treatment. The link below was written by a parasitologist from Darwin, so may be helpful in your situation....
https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/233779/internal-parasites-worms.pdf

 

[Louisetho2]

Personally I am not a fan of insecticides (I'm a beekeeper), but if you are already in an area where they are being used then it may benefit your situation. My own feeling is that there is a balance in nature and when things get out of balance, as is suggested by your tapeworm issue, using something which creates further imbalance (like an insecticide) may well cause other problems down the line.
In my opinion there are no quick fixes in these situations that don't have potential longer term consequences which may be unforeseen at this time, but you have to make a decision based on your own ideals and circumstances. I'm sorry, I can't tell you what will definitely work and what will not.

I have just done some more research and it appears that it needs to be quick lime rather than garden lime but the birds would need to be removed during treatment. The link below was written by a parasitologist from Darwin, so may be helpful in your situation....
https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/233779/internal-parasites-worms.pdf

I’ve read that hydrated lime can give the chickens chemical burns... if I sprinkle it in my backyard, how long should I keep them in the run for ?