To worm or not to worm that is the question.

[GooseBuddha]

I would agree with OldHen but...This year for the first time I've dewormed. This came about because my close neighbor acquired a number of new chickens, one of which had worms and died (might have been compromised by other issues as well). Here's the Backyard reality, our flocks sometimes mix and who knows what came in on the new chicks?  I recently lost nearly all my laying hens to a predator, so I didn't want to risk losing any of my new pullets or one older hen. We both dewormed in September, and we both just finished our second treatment with Valbazen, (1 cc for standard foul, 1/2cc for bantams/small chickens). We administered 2 doses, 10 days apart and eggs need to be discarded for 10 days (no layers for me right now so it's not a problem.)
I will point out that non-worming advocates have a good point as far as natural order. I am not a production breeder or egg producer, I keep these animals for my own use and fancy. The loss of just one animal has a lot of impact.

 

[GooseBuddha]

Do you discard the eggs for 10 days after each dose administered? So that would be 20 days total? And did you put the medicine in each bird's beak or in their water? Thanks. I've adopted some new birds that are infested with ringworms.

 

[Justso]

Do you discard the eggs for 10 days after each dose administered? So that would be 20 days total? And did you put the medicine in each bird's beak or in their water? Thanks. I've adopted some new birds that are infested with ringworms.

Yes, eggs are discarded 10 days after each dose. You need to dose them with the specific amount by size so it is administered by mouth. Let me know if you have any other questions!

 

[GooseBuddha]

Thanks so much!

 

[m5thfl]

DE should worm the animals. I know pumpkin seeds can be used for dogs, but I've never wormed my dogs either.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Outside of killing the good bacteria and other things that help chickens survive the problem i had with the ideal of worming is your using something thats for another animal to do this and yet it really hasnt be aproved in chickens. So as much as one can estimate when it would be ok to eat said chicken or eggs can you really be sure. I know some medication stay in our system for a month and the amount is small but the damage still can be done in away if its the same with chickens. If i can refrain from worming i am going to i prefer not using chemicals if its not needed or required to keep a healthy flock.

Dewormers are not antibiotic's, they do not kill any bacteria, good or bad, they kill parasitic worms. As far as using something labeled for another animal? I do not know of any species specific dewormer. Many wormers are used for many different animals, including humans unlucky enough to pick up some parasite, the active ingredient is the same. The few that are labeled for chickens are woefully inadequate, they only treat roundworms and there are many parasites chickens can get other then roundworms. That is why most people use other wormers "off label". Also, not all parasites will show up in the droppings, not as the worm itself or the eggs. So a clear fecal sample does not mean the birds don't have worms. As far as letting nature take it's course? Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world of green pastures and rainbows, nature is often incredibly cruel and wild creatures often live a very short life and die a hard death compared to our pampered pets.

Yes, chickens and any animal can handle a certain amount of parasites. But how do you know when the numbers are out of control? Do you wait until the birds start showing poor condition, loosing weight, having diarrhea etc? Often times when they've gotten to that point it's hard to bring them back, parasites do a lot of internal damage.

As far as DE as a wormer? Tried that years ago when it was all the rage, chickens got worms. So I deworm my birds a couple times a year, parasite loads are kept under control very easily. But it all boils down to a personal choice, what you want for you and your birds. Research poultry parasites thoroughly, don't rely simply on what you read on a forum, we all have our own opinions. But do your own research and base your choice on that.

 

[appps]

Generally during spring and autumn they go through a little phase where they are really not laying as much. They are all moulting or broody time of year. That's when I aim to worm so I'm not really loosing much in the egg department.

I have a lot of wild birds that sneak into our pen despite my efforts to keep them out and mine love to raid the compost heap for worms when out wandering. Both are good ways to catch worms. I have children who touch the hens so I like to know they aren't going to be transferred to them if they do have them. I was told to alternate treatments using a different one each of the twice a year.

I have read lots and lots of posts on natural methods for treating them with seeds and de. Have yet to read one where somebody actually had success curing an outbreak with them, lots of I prevent them, no I've got them, that got rid of them, which makes me wonder if nothing would have worked just as well........ . so I stick to stuff comes out of a bottle

 

[beccaWA]

It's winter here, so the hens aren't laying much. I will deworm. It's my idea that since they free range so much that they could pick things up. I found a dewormer that looks similar to a small layer pellet that you add a little every day to their feed. The small bag is to be used with 50 lbs of feed. I'm sorry, I can't recall the name of it, but I got it at the feed store and there is NO delay to eat the eggs. I do not sell eggs during the worming period (just me) but I do eat them myself.

 

[GooseBuddha]

Dewormers are not antibiotic's, they do not kill any bacteria, good or bad, they kill parasitic worms.  As far as using something labeled for another animal?  I do not know of any species specific dewormer.  Many wormers are used for many different animals, including humans unlucky enough to pick up some parasite, the active ingredient is the same.  The few that are labeled for chickens are woefully inadequate, they only treat roundworms and there are many parasites chickens can get other then roundworms.  That is why most people use other wormers "off label".  Also, not all parasites will show up in the droppings, not as the worm itself or the eggs.  So a clear fecal sample does not mean the birds don't have worms.  As far as letting nature take it's course?  Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world of green pastures and rainbows, nature is often incredibly cruel and wild creatures often live a very short life and die a hard death compared to our pampered pets.

Yes, chickens and any animal can handle a certain amount of parasites.  But how do you know when the numbers are out of control?  Do you wait until the birds start showing poor condition, loosing weight, having diarrhea etc?  Often times when they've gotten to that point it's hard to bring them back, parasites do a lot of internal damage.

As far as DE as a wormer?  Tried that years ago when it was all the rage, chickens got worms.   So I deworm my birds a couple times a year, parasite loads are kept under control very easily. But it all boils down to a personal choice, what you want for you and your birds.  Research poultry parasites thoroughly, don't rely simply on what you read on a forum, we all have our own opinions.  But do your own research and base your choice on that.

 

[GooseBuddha]

Cafarmgirl: What do you use to deworm?