Ucky, just found worms or eggs in poop, help!

[blr8t2]

Ok so I have spent the last hour scouring the net looking for advice. I come across pictures that look just like what I see http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo19/CindiQ/Forum2010/ChickenPoopWithRoundwormEggs.jpg (not my picture, found it while searching). Some are smaller and roundish, some look like tiny worms. I have never noticed this before and I am sure I would have as my chickens have the run of the property, and being chickens, they mostly frequent where i go, and follow the same path. And we all know how much they poop. And I don't like stepping in it so Im always looking down so as not to step in the squishies. And the white things are very noticeable. So anyway some look, 2 different opinions throughout the net. Some say roundworms some say tapeworms. I do use DE but not religiously, I will now. It is mixed profusely with their food right now, and tomorrow I will go get apple cider vinegar and some garlic. I despise chemicals, and prefer not to waste those wonderful eggs. So does anyone know for SURE what these are by looking at the picture? I would assume the 2 types of worms mentioned look different from one another. All but one hen seem healthy and she is walking around eating but looks smaller then usual and her feathers are kinda messy. She just looks like us when we have the flu. Alive but unkempt lol. The weird thing is just recently hens that stopped laying, started again and I get 7 eggs a day now instead of one. So this HAS to be recent and not so bad yet. I just get visions of someone buying my eggs and getting a worm/worms in them, which I read can happen. DOUBLE YUCK!

 

[dawg53]

Those are tapeworm segments. Each segment carries hundreds of oocysts to be deposited into the soil. The oocysts will be eaten by earthworms, ants, flies, beetles and other insects. The infected insects will be eaten by your chickens. Your chickens will then be infected completing the tapeworms lifecycle.
Keep using DE, ACV, garlic...and your birds will eventually die unless you treat with chemicals.

 

[blr8t2]

I am not opposed to chemical treatment if that's all I can do. I just don't want to treat for something if it's the wrong thing. Andyes I know the only way to get a 100% right answer is to have the poop tested, I would rather treat than waste money on a vet or lab. But since I read all those things can help, I will be incorporating them into the birds' diets daily, maybe once treated those things will be a preventative measure. Can't hurt anyway.

 

[Michael Apple]

I have used Enzum wich kills all worms. Valbazen does the same I found out. Better get some Valbazen wormer from the feed store. I think it is 1 cc for large hens and 1/2 cc for Bantams. Do it again in 10 days.

 

[dawg53]

I am not opposed to chemical treatment if that's all I can do. I just don't want to treat for something if it's the wrong thing. Andyes I know the only way to get a 100% right answer is to have the poop tested, I would rather treat than waste money on a vet or lab. But since I read all those things can help, I will be incorporating them into the birds' diets daily, maybe once treated those things will be a preventative measure. Can't hurt anyway.

I gave you a 100% right answer, you are dealing with tapeworms. Purchase valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer. Use a syringe without a needle and dose your birds orally undiluted, 1cc orally to each bird. Redose again in 6 days, and again in another 6 days if necessary. Tapeworms are difficult to get rid of and I can assure you that DE, ACV, and garlic are useless against them even as a preventative or treatment.
Jefferslivestock.com carries valbazen, they ship quick.

 

[Michael Apple]

Yup.

 

[blr8t2]

Got meds today from local IFA. Went out to check for eggs and one rooster was squawking loudly, unlike him. He's a tiny little serama and usually can't make much noise! Noticed his comb is off-color, almost looks purple, but it's like a coating of dry skin is on it or something, it's weird. It's not frostbite, all but one made it through winter this year without that yay! so Im assuming he is sick from the worms. Fun job catching the little booger, dosed him already, everyone else looks fine. This will be a chore with 17 chickens to dose individually! Wish me luck.