Worming Tips

[krista74]

Just after some advice from the chicken Guru's please! I have 2 BO pullets and 4 RIR pullets, all laying, and all around 8 months old at a guess.

It appears that two of my RIR's are having some cleanliness issues.

All of my girls have large 'bustles' - lots of fluffy feathers around the butt area! And the two RIR's in question seem to be getting poop stuck to their butt feathers!

It's not horrendous, more like a little stripe of poop where it must 'run over' the feathers when they do their business.

Health-wise, everyone is great. All lively, active, and eating like horses. They free range and have a good diet, and their living conditions are good too.

I have dusted everyone for lice multiple times and have also treated for worms - a liquid that is added to their drinking water. The trouble is that my girls really don't seem to drink very much. They have lots of water about (all currently with worm treatment added to them) but it's winter here and I guess they're just not thirsty!

Is there an easier or more effective way to worm them all?

Is it likely that this (worms) could be what is leading to the dirty tail feathers?

I really don't want to bathe everyone, particularly since (a) Its so cold and (b) Our birds don't really like to be picked up. At. All.

Thanks in advance,

- Krista

 

[dawg53]

Use scissors to trim back fluff and feathers on their rear ends. That will give them a "clear shot" to the ground.

 

[Stiggy]

Yes trim the butt feathers . some people make up the worming liquid then turn it into mash/ soak their food in it so that they know its been digested

 

[krista74]

Is there an art to feather trimming, or can I just chop away without fear of harming them?

I had it in the back of my mind that some feathers bleed if cut too far back? Am I right or is this just some rubbish I read somewhere?

Either way, Hubby and I will play 'hair-dressers' on the weekend

Hopefully that will help them keep clean. They do dust bathe but it can't be easy to get that stuff off!

Thanks everyone!

- Krista