Worming/parasite control

[mrannow74]

Hello, I have had chickens since about 2016 and have never wormed or given any sort of anti-parasitics. I also have never culled my flock but have lost some to foxes and the occasional sour crop. Some of my ladies have been getting dirty feathers on their backend and they all have mites. I also have started to have freshly laid eggs that are rotten. I was thinking of doing a good general deworm and mite control but they're molting as well. I am also thinking of culling the oldest ones (my newest ladies are a couple years old) that are god knows how old. Question is, what is the best way to go about the deworming/demiting? Is this a yearly good flock maintenance thing? they're backyard ladies around Princeton, MN. Thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello, I have had chickens since about 2016 and have never wormed or given any sort of anti-parasitics. I also have never culled my flock but have lost some to foxes and the occasional sour crop. Some of my ladies have been getting dirty feathers on their backend and they all have mites. I also have started to have freshly laid eggs that are rotten. I was thinking of doing a good general deworm and mite control but they're molting as well. I am also thinking of culling the oldest ones (my newest ladies are a couple years old) that are god knows how old. Question is, what is the best way to go about the deworming/demiting? Is this a yearly good flock maintenance thing? they're backyard ladies around Princeton, MN. Thanks

Welcome To BYC

If possible, take a sampling of poop to your vet and have them perform a fecal float to see if your flock needs deworming.
If that's not possible and you still want to deworm molting hens, it's best to use Albendazole.
Albendazole dosing is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10days.
https://totaltails.shop/products/albendazole-11-36-liquid-solution/

You see Mites or Lice?
For Mites, clean out your coop, dispose of the bedding (trash) or burn it. Spray the housing down with a Permethrin based poultry spray, making sure to get into crevices, nesting boxes, etc. Dusting the birds with a Permethrin based poultry dust can also help. Most Mites live in the housing and come out to feed on birds at night, so it's important to eliminate them from housing. Repeat cleanout/treatment in 5day intervals.

For Lice, dust the birds with a Permethrin based poultry dust, working the dust all the way through the feathers to the skin. Repeat dusting in 7day intervals. It's a good idea to spray down your coop/housing too. A cleanout is usually best.