Worming- when do you do it?

[ADozenGirlz]

Do you worm your flock as a matter of regular flock management or at the sign of a problem? Looking for some guidance. Thanks!

 

[gritsar]

I worm once a year, in November. That's when most of my girls seem to be having a slow down anyhow. Less eggs to throw away.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

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How long after worming are eggs edible again?

 

[BarefootMom]

umm never and I have never heard of anyone (locally) doing it. And I know A LOT of chicken people.

I guess it is one of those things that we won't do unless there is ever a problem.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

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Interesting. I've had chickens for two years and I've never done it either, but I know some people do it routinely.

 

[gritsar]

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How long after worming are eggs edible again?

Depends on the wormer. I know one person that uses the same wormer I do - valbazen (albendazole) and doesn't throw the eggs away at all. While I wouldn't recommend that, I can tell you that albendazole is what is commonly prescribed to treat worms in humans, so I can't see where it would harm you.

Some folks worm routinely (even more often than once a year). Some never worm. Others only use natural products, that may or may not work.

My thinking is, I worm my dogs and cats once a year. My dogs are on heartworm preventative they take each month. Why would I treat my chickens any different?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
How long after worming are eggs edible again?

Depends on the wormer. I know one person that uses the same wormer I do - valbazen (albendazole) and doesn't throw the eggs away at all. While I wouldn't recommend that, I can tell you that albendazole is what is commonly prescribed to treat worms in humans, so I can't see where it would harm you.

Some folks worm routinely (even more often than once a year). Some never worm. Others only use natural products, that may or may not work.

My thinking is, I worm my dogs and cats once a year. My dogs are on heartworm preventative they take each month. Why would I treat my chickens any different?

Sounds right to me. Thanks for your input.

 

[wrangler]

Just found a worm in some poo and was wondering the same thing. Mine free range and I've never given it much thought until seeing one.

Looks like you are talking about worming birds one at a time though. How would you worm an entire flock? I have about 45 birds and am trying to figure out how I would do them one at a time...at night perhaps? I don't know.

jo

 

[gritsar]

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I can tell you what I do with my seperate flocks, 30-something birds divided between two coops. I enlist the help of my husband. Some people might be more graceful than I am and can handle it alone, but I'm a klutz.

We go into the coop before letting them out in the morning. DH holds one, I draw up the wormer in a needle-less syringe, open the beak and slowly squirt it in (so they don't choke). That chicken is then released out the door so no one gets double dosed. Move on to the next one. If a chicken is reluctant to open their beak, gently tug on the wattles, the beak will open. I suppose you could use the same basic approach at night while they are on the roost, just take care that no one get double dosed. Flashlights to see by are great things to have, if you can keep the light low enough to not get them off the roost.

With the valbazen you give 1/2 cc per chicken, orally, undiluted. 1/4 cc for bantams. In the case of a heavy worm infestation - which if you are seeing worms in their dropping you almost certainly have - repeat in 10 days to 2 weeks.

The common egg withdrawel time - the amount of time you will have to discard eggs - is two weeks.

Get a bird rid of worms and you will see a world of difference in looks, feed conversion and productivity.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:

I can tell you what I do with my seperate flocks, 30-something birds divided between two coops. I enlist the help of my husband. Some people might be more graceful than I am and can handle it alone, but I'm a klutz.

We go into the coop before letting them out in the morning. DH holds one, I draw up the wormer in a needle-less syringe, open the beak and slowly squirt it in (so they don't choke). That chicken is then released out the door so no one gets double dosed. Move on to the next one. If a chicken is reluctant to open their beak, gently tug on the wattles, the beak will open. I suppose you could use the same basic approach at night while they are on the roost, just take care that no one get double dosed. Flashlights to see by are great things to have, if you can keep the light low enough to not get them off the roost.

With the valbazen you give 1/2 cc per chicken, orally, undiluted. 1/4 cc for bantams. In the case of a heavy worm infestation - which if you are seeing worms in their dropping you almost certainly have - repeat in 10 days to 2 weeks.

The common egg withdrawel time - the amount of time you will have to discard eggs - is two weeks.

Get a bird rid of worms and you will see a world of difference in looks, feed conversion and productivity.

Oh, for the love of Pete (whomever he is!)... I didn't know it was an individual, oral dosing thing.

Good times.