Worming

[farmchickens]

I'm hoping I'm posting this in the right forum. If not, I apologize.

I was curious if it was necessary to worm chickens, and if so with what,how often and how much?
Also, can the worms they have be given to other animals(livestock,dogs,cats)?
The chickens are in a coop with an outside area, and are not free ranging chickens.

Thanks for any help!

 

[airmom1c05]

My vet used to work for Tyson Chickens as their vet. He advised me to bring in a stool sample if I suspected a chicken might have worms. There is more than one kind of worm they can get, and the chicken should be treated for whatever kind it has. Some folks worm very often with Wazine which I think only kills roundworms. Others use Ivermectin which I think kills them all, but my vet said it's sort of crazy to worm a chicken that doesn't need worming. I tend to agree, although the stool sample test per bird is $12! Although there is no proof that food grade Diatomaceous Earth actually gets rid of worms, some say it does or at least is a deterrent. It is organic and safe to dust chickens for lice and mites as well as the coop and nest/laying boxes. It is also safe for chickens to eat in small quantities. I mix a teaspoon a week in cooked old fashioned oatmeal with plain probiotic yogurt and feed to my flock. They love it, and not one of them has runny poo constantly and none have given me reason to suspect worms. I also put a Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in every gallon of water they drink. That is supposed to be good for relieveing stress and other beneficial things. If your birds don't free range, they are less likely to get worms. I only have one at this time who free ranges. She is full of energy and lays 5 or 6 eggs a week, so I don't suspect a problem. If and when I do, I'll take a stool sample to the vet.

 

[farmchickens]

Thanks for the information! I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner. We were without internet for 3 1/2 days after I posted, then I forgot about this amongst taking care of our other farm critters.

Thank you for the information though, I do greatly aprpeciate it.

 

[CUDA]

All chickens that are on the ground will get worms, it is inevitable. The reason for treating them on a regular basis is to keep them healthy. Worms can sneak up on you, and by time you realize it, they are wasted away, and near death. They also do severe damage to the intestinal tract, which is why you see blood in the stool. Treating your fowl for worms is no different than treating your dog for heartworms. But, it is totally up to you to do it, not trying to tell you what to do. You can find more information HERE . Good luck!