After keeping chickens for decades, for the first time ever I discovered a mature large roundworm in the poultry barn this morning. Right now I have just bantams, and one must have pooped it out.
Should I worm the flock? All of the chickens appear to be in good health, and are good weights. So it was kind of surprising to see a mature roundworm (almost 3" long) and its eggs sitting on the roost today!
I clean and sweep the barn twice a day, and sweep the outdoor run every couple of days, put down pulverized limestone to keep the barn floor and coop bedding dry, and use sand and woodstove ash in the run for dust baths. Is there anything I should be doing to make the environment less friendly to large-roundworm eggs?
It's likely that there have been worms in my flock for a while, but the chickens seem to have enough resistance and good nutrition/health to keep from being sickened or infested with them. I wonder whether putting them all on Piperizine is worth the risk and trouble, or whether the discovery of a mature worm is cause for concern?
Should I worm the flock? All of the chickens appear to be in good health, and are good weights. So it was kind of surprising to see a mature roundworm (almost 3" long) and its eggs sitting on the roost today!
I clean and sweep the barn twice a day, and sweep the outdoor run every couple of days, put down pulverized limestone to keep the barn floor and coop bedding dry, and use sand and woodstove ash in the run for dust baths. Is there anything I should be doing to make the environment less friendly to large-roundworm eggs?
It's likely that there have been worms in my flock for a while, but the chickens seem to have enough resistance and good nutrition/health to keep from being sickened or infested with them. I wonder whether putting them all on Piperizine is worth the risk and trouble, or whether the discovery of a mature worm is cause for concern?
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