What is to young to worm?

[sham30]

I have some older birds and younger birds - my question is what is to young to worm? My youngest hens are 5 months. Thanks in advance

 

[mstricer]

Are you seeing worms? If not why do you want to worm?
Michele

 

[SteveBaz]

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X2 and they say worming 2 times a year anyway but do you have reason to be concerned?

 

[dawg53]

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Starting out, I usually wait til they are about 8-10 months before I worm. However, if you see them acting lethargic, not eating/drinking, unthriftyness, worms in poop, generally not acting like a chicken should... by all means worm them. It's not necessary to see worms in poop in order to worm them. When you see them in poop, it means they are overloaded with them and have no other place to go...but out.

 

[GoldenSparrow]

This thread has been very helpful!

 

[mstricer]

I've never worm mine, I give them things that are considered a preventive. Plenty of pumpkins when in season, chopped up garlic, AVC in there water, cayenne pepper, yogurt. I know what they say but I think the chemicals of harsh. We don't worm our dogs and cats unless there's a problem.
Michele

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
You might care to read the first post in this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=576036

 

[mstricer]

I am sort of swing toward "natural" treatments and I just wanted to add that they had been on DE, garlic, kelp and cayenne daily since I got them. It didn't really help.
As you can see in the sentence "natural" treatments those things are not treatments but preventives, if your bird is gut loaded you CAN NOT use these to treat. If I suspected my birds had worms I would have the poo tested at the vets and if it were positive, then I would treat whole flock. I clean up poop boards every other day. unless it looks messier, I check there poo then. I understand what everyone says about 2x a year. I just don't so it and I don't medicate my chicks. I have cat who, recently killed and ate 3 baby rabbits, I think we all know that rabbits are the biggest tape worm carry there is, because I'm grossed out by tape worms, I called the vet to see if I should worm him, he told me, the wormier is harsh on their systems and they don't like doing it, unless I actually see them, which takes 6 months to run it's coarse, still watching 3 months in. So I guess its just a personal chose, I always just wonder the reasons, not telling anyone they are wrong, we all do what we feel to be best for our birds.
Michele

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Good for you, glad you will have samples tested often. Good luck.

 

[sham30]

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X2 and they say worming 2 times a year anyway but do you have reason to be concerned?

A few of my older hens are seeming kinda thin, not as big and hefty as they normally are and a couple are kind of slow. I feed a real good layer feed, they get cracked corn and black oil sunflower seeds as well a lot of treats. I worry where we have really harsh winters going into one thin is not a good idea.