When to start worming chicks?

[Nicole95]

Hi everyone, my question is pretty straightforward. I'm new at being a chick momma and wondering if/when I should be worming them. They're about 3 weeks old now. Also, what brand of wormer do you guys recommend??

Thanks!

 

[cafarmgirl]

I deworm the first time at 6 months old. I use Valbazen and liquid Safeguard for goats, rotating between the two. I deworm twice a year. How often you deworm depends on the climate where you live, warmer/wetter = more parasites. Drier climates = less parasites.

 

[realsis]

wow this is a great question. I have on hand wayzine and a wormer called ivermectin I also have levamisole for gape worm. there are different brands for different worms example phenothiazine is for cecal worms piperazine is approved for round worms. my health book says to avoid using a wormer unless you see the worms in the feces or your chickens look scrawny scruffy loose weight and lay fewer eggs. so far I haven't wormed mine yet. it says if it starts to effect your chickens health then worm. the health book says free range chickens might need wormed more often than caged chickens it also says after you use one wormer for a time parasites become resistant to that wormer. different wormers have different egg with draw periods. you can test your birds feces with a microscope and identity the worms that way. the duration between wormings can depend on climate. warmer climate you worm more often. some worm every six months. you see its up to you how you want and when you want to worm. wayzine is a common wormer. remember to check with draw period for eggs and the wormer you chose. hope this helps some. best wishes.

 

[cafarmgirl]

The problem with Wazine is that it only gets rid of round worms, chickens pick up a lot more the just round worms. So if your going to spend money on a wormer and time worming you are just as well off to use something effective. Valbazen will kill everything a chicken can pick up. Chickens are going to get worms, not if but when, there's just no two ways about it.

As far as waiting until chickens are so infested that they look bad and have worms and worm eggs in their poop? I'm sorry but I find that very poor advice. By that time they have a very heavy load of parasites and a lot of internal damage. Why let them get in that state before doing something about it? And yes, you can do fecals but you have to do them a lot because if the parasites are not shedding eggs at the time you do the fecal you will get a false negative. Far better off for the health of the birds to be on a regular and rotating deworming schedule.

 

[dawg53]

The problem with Wazine is that it only gets rid of round worms, chickens pick up a lot more the just round worms. So if your going to spend money on a wormer and time worming you are just as well off to use something effective. Valbazen will kill everything a chicken can pick up. Chickens are going to get worms, not if but when, there's just no two ways about it.

As far as waiting until chickens are so infested that they look bad and have worms and worm eggs in their poop? I'm sorry but I find that very poor advice. By that time they have a very heavy load of parasites and a lot of internal damage. Why let them get in that state before doing something about it? And yes, you can do fecals but you have to do them a lot because if the parasites are not shedding eggs at the time you do the fecal you will get a false negative. Far better off for the health of the birds to be on a regular and rotating deworming schedule.

Well said Cafarmgirl.
Nicole95. Three week old chicks dont need to be wormed. You can worm them at 10-12 weeks if their feet are on soil. Valbazen is best.

 

[Nicole95]

Thanks everyone! Great advice! I do agree with Cafarmgirl, I would never think it wise to wait to worm until there's already very obvious, destructive symptoms appearing. Not only does that clearly cause unnecessary damage and ill health to the chicken, but you now have one hell of an infestation to fight off. I worm all of my animals routinely that live strictly outside. I intend to do the same with the chickies, I just had no idea at what age to begin worming and which products were best. It's too funny that you can spend hours on google digging through material for an answer to such a basic question and come up with so many varied answers that you don't have a clue which is correct. Post on BYC on the other hand, and you get such great advice. Truly blessed I ran into this forum when I brought these ladies (hoping ladies) home.

 

[casportpony]

Hi everyone, my question is pretty straightforward. I'm new at being a chick momma and wondering if/when I should be worming them. They're about 3 weeks old now. Also, what brand of wormer do you guys recommend??

Thanks!

I use Safeguard/Panacur, liquid or paste (10% fenbendazole), it's safe to use on all types of birds/mammals of any age and even reptiles, I think. Since I have lots of animals here, it was the obvious choice for me.

 

[GrendaMonster]

The problem with Wazine is that it only gets rid of round worms, chickens pick up a lot more the just round worms.   So if your going to spend money on a wormer and time worming you are just as well off to use something effective. Valbazen will kill everything a chicken can pick up.  Chickens are going to get worms, not if but when, there's just no two ways about it.

As far as waiting until chickens are so infested that they look bad and have worms and worm eggs in their poop?  I'm sorry but I find that very poor advice.  By that time they have a very heavy load of parasites and a lot of internal damage.  Why let them get in that state before doing something about it?  And yes, you can do fecals but you have to do them a lot because if the parasites are not shedding eggs at the time you do the fecal you will get a false negative.  Far better off for the health of the birds to be on a regular and rotating deworming schedule.

Is it true that chickens will all eventually get worms? That terrifies me!