UGGHHHH!! Worms now!

[coloradochick]

One thing after the other

So looking on the poop board this morning I found a worm. It's approx 2-2.5 inches long and has ridges in its body and is white. Is this a round or tape worm? Or something all together different? Also is there a valbazen product that I can put in the water?

 

[Judy]

I'm no good at identifying worms (or fly maggots either) but the link below might help. I can answer the Valbazen question: no. You have to dose them individually. I did it by putting the dose on a scrap of bread, one for each chicken. It really shouldn't be that hard to squirt it in their mouth, though. You just need nighttime and a light. A helper would be good, too, of course.

http://healthybirds.umd.edu/Disease/Deworming Birds.pdf

 

[wilobrookfarms]

Was the worm segmented? Probably a tape. A round worm looks like a bean sprout.

 

[coloradochick]

If by segmented you mean ridge-like, not smooth then yes. I took a pic of it with my phone but can't download to the laptop. But I am thinking we're dealing with tape. Nasty things. And of course when I looked at the link that Judy posted, we have all the varmits that carry the worm that the chickens have access to. Uggh. So it's Valbazen, Albendazole that I'm looking for at the feed stores. And I have to give it orally? This will be an eventful night

 

[Judy]

Good luck finding it at a feed store. I had to order it online. I used Jefferslivestock and had it in 3 days, I believe; their price was as good as any, around $40. Fortunately, tapeworms are not THAT much of an emergency.

 

[serenityNH]

I've dealt with a lot of tape worms with my foster dogs, I assume they are the same for chickens? Tape worms are usually smooth, no ridges they look kind of like a small piece of linguini- gross I know but that's the best description I can think of

 

[coloradochick]

They're not? I keep reading if you see worms in the poo then there's an overload in the chickens of them. Well then maybe I can just order online. But I think our co-op might have it if I remember right in my hunt for respiratory meds 2 weeks ago

Then I read that too many worms might be the cause for the respiratory ills. Anything to add on that? I've had chickens for several years now but since we've moved I've had nothing but problems. I think it might be the old barn that was used for cattle prior. I wish I could talk DH into leveling the thing and building a new one in a different spot that would solve many issues I'm sure. Hmmm.....something to work on

 

[dawg53]

Coloradochick. Empty your inbox please.