The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[shortgrass]

Is there a natural de-wormer where you can still eat the eggs?

Garlic, pumpkin seed extract, and/or Wormwood

The most natural you can get

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: One thing I encourage people is NOT to worm routinely. If you suspect worms, find a vet that will do a fecal and take in a dropping sample. It doesn't cost a lot.

Worming is hard on the system and can make them more susceptible to worm overload in the future, unfortunately. Worms only become a problem if there is an overload...and that is usually a sign of other underlying immune system or environment problems.

If you do have overload, there are often changes in husbandry that can PREVENT this from happening with just a few easy changes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

One thing I encourage people is NOT to worm routinely.  If you suspect worms, find a vet that will do a fecal and take in a dropping sample.  It doesn't cost a lot.

Worming is hard on the system and can make them more susceptible to worm overload in the future, unfortunately.   Worms only become a problem if there is an overload...and that is usually a sign of other underlying immune system or environment problems. 

If you do have overload, there are often changes in husbandry that can PREVENT this from happening with just a few easy changes.

x2, not sure how deworming chickens became so normal, I won't, and never will. If a chicken is showing a worm load by regurgitating or pooping out worms I would assume something is wrong with her and would cull before I wormed her, a healthy chicken carries a reasonable worm load and it is quite normal and natural, it's the same with external parasites too, a healthy chicken tend to them as well, the only ones I look out for is the persistent broody who does get off the nest enough, another reason to use a broody or break her.

 

[slordaz]

x2, not sure how deworming chickens became so normal, I won't, and never will. If a chicken is showing a worm load by regurgitating or pooping out worms I would assume something is wrong with her and would cull before I wormed her, a healthy chicken carries a reasonable worm load and it is quite normal and natural, it's the same with external parasites too, a healthy chicken tend to them as well, the only ones I look out for is the persistent broody who does get off the nest enough, another reason to use a broody or break her.

probably someone writting a book that didn't actually have experience with chickens. My new flock is coming up on a year old and they have yet to have an over load, they get free ranged plus FF , fruit , veggies and some yogurt which keeps the bad stuff from getting a foot hold

but with my flock I either gotta remember to start using heavy duty gloves or invest in bandaids and maybe blood banks, got a white and brown leghorn that went broody on me and a rooster if anything upsets his hen that like to draw blood

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with other posters. IMO a chicken with worm overload needs to be culled. Look at management practices first before resorting to routine worming. Are the birds kept in a wet pasture? Or a barren run? Fix these issues first. Boost their immunity with FF. Worming should be a last resort, IMO. Then... there are plenty of natural options, including the flock who self medicates when forage options allow so.

 

[EastNashChick]

Agreed with other posters.  IMO a chicken with worm overload needs to be culled.  Look at management practices first before resorting to routine worming.  Are the birds kept in a wet pasture?  Or a barren run?  Fix these issues first.  Boost their immunity with FF.  Worming should be a last resort, IMO.  Then... there are plenty of natural options, including the flock who self medicates when forage options allow so.  

What is FF?

 

[Molpet]

What is FF?

Fermented Feed
https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Here is also a good podcast. Scroll all the way to the bottom for the audio. http://www.urbanchickenpodcast.com/ucp-episode-048/

 

[Phoenixxx]

Is there a natural de-wormer where you can still eat the eggs?

I use the wormwood preparation from Molly's herbals. For an active infestation, use double the recommended dose. It actually works! You can order it online. I only use it when needed (whenever I see coccidiosis in new chicks - my adults don't have problems anymore) and it doesn't alter the flavour of the eggs or anything.

 

[lalaland]

count me as another fan of Molly's herbals.

My flock is in a good sized run, but they tend to stay under the coop and under the pines - and that is where the droppings build up. So, yup, worms. This spring I have grandiose plans of digging out under the coop (its an old construction trailer) and hauling that dirt to the garden and replacing it with garden dirt.

Having the chickens in the run for 8 or 9 years means there is a pretty good build up of cysts. I've had to keep them more confined the last year because a neighbor dog from down the road was picking them off. I doubled the run - its about 1,500 feet , but still, the flock has its favorite places to be.

I could move the coop and run, but I'm happy where it is, and it would be quite the underaking to move the coop, run fence, etc.

I do think health helps a chicken handle the normal worm load, but even a very healthy chicken can get overrun - stress, age, change, etc.