Tapeworm infection?

[Iara]

Hello all! I'm new here and to chicken keeping, was hoping for some advice. I will try and give all the relevant info and photos to help. So, I have 5 chickens living together in a large field that has thick under growth and they forage for bugs etc as well as the food and water we provide. They have been here a few months and seem healthy, happy and are all laying well and consistently. They like to sleep in their laying boxes sometimes and recently when I go to poo pick in the morning one box has consistently had poo with eggs in. I have attached photos of the eggs for reference. All other poo I have found in the coop seems healthy.

I have looked through many posts and think it is probably a tape worm. However, the bits/eggs/segments are perfectly spherical not like any other tapeworm segments I have ever seen in other animals and do not look like a rice grain as described in other posts. They also do not move like other tapeworm segments. If anyone has the time to take a look and give an opinion it would be much appreciated as I would like to give them the correct medication and have to throw away as few eggs as possible, thank you : ).

 

[LaFleche]

Welcome to BYC!

Tapeworm segments only move for a short time after being expelled with the droppings, and then just look like those in your picture. I think it is tapeworm and would recommend Flubenole 5% powder for deworming:
Dosage for tapeworms: 1,2 g per kg feed, given for 7 consecutive days. No other feed or treats on the side.

You can use the eggs for your chickens: boil them and feed them back during the treatment.

Mix a bit of germ oil with their usual feed, then add the previously measured amount of Flubenole 5% and mix well until the feed is kind of coated with the powder.

Fly eggs would be rather elongated and much thinner: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=fly+eggs+on+poop&iax=images&ia=images

 

[Iara]

Thank you for the quick reply! Great to know that the segments only move for a short time. I'll look for that medication and treat them asap and at least the eggs won't be completely wasted. Will report back with any updates : ).

 

[Iara]

Quick question . . .
I bought the Flubendazole wormer for chickens but it says it is only 1%. The 5% Flubenole product says it is for pigs. Just wanted to double check I can give them the 5% product for pigs and that it is safe to do so? Thank you!

 

[LaFleche]

Quick question . . .
I bought the Flubendazole wormer for chickens but it says it is only 1%. The 5% Flubenole product says it is for pigs. Just wanted to double check I can give them the 5% product for pigs and that it is safe to do so? Thank you!

Not so long ago, the one that now is labelled for pigs, was labelled for chickens also. And dogs and cats and fish etc. Take the 5% version and proceed as described above.

 

[Iara]

I see, they are trying to make it more confusing haha : ). Thank you again, will proceed!

 

[LaFleche]

I see, they are trying to make it more confusing haha : ). Thank you again, will proceed!

Yes. And of course selling the product in miniscule tubes under different names and declared as especially for dogs, especially for cats, especially for fish etc. so each species under a different name/label and with an enormous markup.

 

[Iara]

I did notice that sort of thing, all the same active ingredient but different branding and animals and prices. Sneaky.

 

[Iara]

Hi, just a quick update to say the Flubenole 5% arrived and I treated the whole flock and fed them the cooked eggs. All poo is now parasite free and they all seem happy and healthy. Thank you again for the advice : )!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They have been here a few months and seem healthy, happy and are all laying well and consistently.

I have looked through many posts and think it is probably a tape worm. However, the bits/eggs/segments are perfectly spherical not like any other tapeworm segments I have ever seen

Hi, just a quick update to say the Flubenole 5% arrived and I treated the whole flock and fed them the cooked eggs. All poo is now parasite free and they all seem happy and healthy. Thank you again for the advice : )!

Those white perfectly spherical objects in the poop are oyster shell that has been smoothed and polished in the gizzard, then expelled through the digestive tract (pooped out). Not tapeworms