When Should I De-worm my chickens?

[ranchhand]

Quote:
18 years and I have never seen a worm. Until I see evidence from the once yearly fecal exam, done by my vet, I will not treat.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I am not planning to worm my chickens unless there is a problem. But I do give very small amounts of DE in their feed as a precaution.

 

[CaliBlueChicken]

Well I still have not De-wormed my chickens. I think that I will only do it if I see symptoms and I do use DE as a preventative so I think they should be fine. Thank you to all who have replied and asked questions. Have a great evening

Oh yea and Happy Autumnal Equinox!

 

[ruth]

Quote:
I also do NOT worm (nor do I vaccinate) my chickens - nor my goats, peafowl, geese, guineas, ducks and everyone runs together around the farm without fences so they are all in each others "space". I got a farm and animals so that I could eat healthier and using poisons in my birds and my milk goats and on my crops (which I also raise organically) just doesn't make sense to me. Thankfully, never had a "sick" animal yet.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
You can treat wry neck/crook neck with Polyvisol (liquid baby vitamins) - but they are sort of expensive - OR - what I've started doing is simply crusing up a B, B12 and/or B Complex vitamin and adding it to a small amount of drinking water. I have a little chick that just hatched with its neck twisted down and it couldn't walk, could only run backwards and tumble over. I gave it a few drops a day (almost full strength) and today, on day three, its running around the brooder picking on the others. I also make them a little neck brace using a strip of tissue that I fold and then wrap around their neck and tape so that the head and neck stay upright till they get better. At first they will run in circles and flip over and act a little crazy but after a few hours they get used to it.

I will give vitamins because I find that vitamin deficiency seems to be the cause of most "issues" but I don't worm unless there's a real reason to and so far I haven't seen it, and I don't vaccinate. However, all of my flock are free ranging and can eat healthy, natural, foods.