What do I need for prevention..

[mhegge]

Probiotics...what kind and how often etc. I keep reading about worms and worming...do you do that regularly and how? Aside from clean water and coop and good food...are there other preventative practices I should look into? We have 5 hens and a roo, all healthy and about 20 weeks, free range all day. Like to keep them as healthy as possible!

 

[ilovgemi]

Worming with piperazine dihydrochloride:
This is meant for roundworm treatment.
(Used once every two months)

I personally think it's a good idea to clean out boxes and/or nesting areas ever 1-2 weeks or when it appears at all unclean. I replace the wood shavings ( I use pine shavings because it is said to be unpleasant to nasty critters) in the hen house every 1-2 months. Every 3 months I make a solution of watered down disinfectant and spray it in everywhere. Make sure the chickens are outside while you do this. I also prefer to do this on a sunny day when the hen house can dry quicker. Make sure you are feeding your birds oyster shells (also known as grit) to ensure they are receiving enough calcium. Lots of chicken keepers send in fecal tests to their local vet atleast once a year to be tested for any unhealthy parasites that may be hanging around in your flock. Check your bird's legs regularly for scabie mites. Preventive flea and mite powders are available at most farm stores.
Hope this helped!

 

[chickens r life]

If you think you have a parasite or a disease in most cases, it's better to be safe and treat for that particular parasite/disease rather waiting until it's too late. Good luck!!

 

[shortgrass]

There are multiple questions there, but I have to ask a question first

How are you raising them; organic or conventional?

I'm organic, so to answer the multiple questions...

Probiotics; do you want to ferment your feed, supplement, or put some raw Apple cider vinegar in the water? They all have different benefits.

Do you want to prevent worms naturally, or just dose on a regular basis with chemicals?

I don't worm. Well not with chemical wormers. I practice grazing rotation and use things like wormwood, garlic, and pumpkin to prevent or de-worm.


I would assume if you want to use probiotics, that you are also wanting to stay on the "natural" side of worming?

 

[Akrnaf2]

Give on a daily basis
1 acv with mother in the drinking water. It has lactobacilli and acetobacilli, this bacteria are probiotic.
2. Hot chili in the feed the capsaicin is very anti parasitical natural agent.
3. Clean and disinfect the water and feed dishes at least once a week.
4. Replace water every day.
5. Keep a close flock.
6, practice strict bio security.
7. Add some vitamins to the feed once a week.
Good luck
Benny

You can make your own ACV
Here the link:
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/make-raw-apple-cider-vinegar/

I use this vitamins:

 

[mhegge]

There are multiple questions there, but I have to ask a question first

How are you raising them; organic or conventional?

I'm organic, so to answer the multiple questions...

Probiotics; do you want to ferment your feed, supplement, or put some raw Apple cider vinegar in the water? They all have different benefits.

Do you want to prevent worms naturally, or just dose on a regular basis with chemicals?

I don't worm. Well not with chemical wormers. I practice grazing rotation and use things like wormwood, garlic, and pumpkin to prevent or de-worm.


I would assume if you want to use probiotics, that you are also wanting to stay on the "natural" side of worming?

Definitely more natural. I'm not organic, but they are free ranging in 3 acres and there is feed and oyster shells for them. I've tried giving them pumpkins but the don't eat them. I'd rather prevent naturally than need to come to chemicals with anything. I'll do the raw acv in the water then. But what about worming...how do they get them? Best, and easiest, natural way to prevent if they won't eat pumpkin?

 

[mhegge]

After reading more, I'm going to do acv and garlic. How do you give the garlic though? One place said cloves of it in the water and another said powder in the feed. What's best?

 

[shortgrass]

I actually just cook them garlic cloves on the grill and feed as treats lol, or sometimes if I have too much in a batch of pickles, they'll eat that.

It's a seasonal thing for me; they munch on herbs like wormwood in spring, summer they get garlic, and fall they've been getting fermented pumpkins. It's the seeds that have the anthelmintic properties, so they don't necessarily have to eat the whole pumpkin

As far as prevention, Benny hit them all; fresh clean water, (ACV optional, 2tbso per gallon if you do) good nutrition, cleanliness; all that equals good immunity to be able to defend themselves against infestation

 

[mhegge]

Sounds good! Thanks!