Worms, chickens, dogs, and people.

[n2h20]

I currently have 40 hens, 10 are several years old and 30 are two months old.
I let then free range on the weekends and evenings when I am home.
For the most part I'd say they are fairly helathy. A few years ago, I lost 4 or 5 within a 2 month period .

All seemed slow, and sitting in the corner and eventually died. I looked at their rear end and saw tiny little worms which were very active. Where these worms coming from inside or just feeding on the poop on the outside?

My dogs and kids share this free range area... which our backyard, grass and garden area. Should I be worried? Is there something I can spray (preferably natural) which would eliminate any worm or other parasite?

I'd hate to treat for works and loose te has for several weeks, but if I have to do it... So be it .

 

[TheYLWFlock]

What did the worms look
Like? A picture would be great!

 

[lazy gardener]

It's hard to tell what you were seeing without photos. Could be fly strike, or internal parasites. It sounds more like the former, though I've never dealt with it in my flock.

It's often said that 10% of the flock or herd carry 90% of the parasites or disease. That being said, my flock are considered to be livestock. I cull my flock on a yearly basis to maintain a strong gene pool. Removing the weak and non productive birds helps the remaining birds to remain healthy.

I'm also a fan of deep litter management in coop and run. IMO, keeping the birds off a bare soil, fecal impacted run is very important to the health of the flock.

I'm not an advocate of worming a flock unless a problem presents. IMO, routing worming is counterproductive. You might want to have a fecal float test done to see if internal parasites is even an issue in your flock.

I wish you the best.

 

[n2h20]

Lazy Gardener, Thank you. There is no visible issue now, but I do have a hen that's showing signs of being sick. I'll check her again tomorrow and see if there is anything out of the normal. She does have "runny" stool on the rear but no worms.

 

[n2h20]

What did the worms look
Like? A picture would be great!

This was last year and didn't get a pic but they were tiny little worms, maybe 1/8" in size and at least 20 or more.

 

[lazy gardener]

Do a thread or google search for poultry worms and fly strike and see if you find any pics that match what you saw.

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Do a thread or google search for poultry worms and fly strike and see if you find any pics that match what you saw.

X2!

 

[n2h20]

Yeah, gross! But that looks like what I saw.

Besides a dust bath what can I do to prevent that?

Seems like thats the aftermath of a sick chicken .

 

[aart]

But that looks like what I saw.

What looks like what you saw?
Maybe I missed something here?

Besides a dust bath what can I do to prevent that?

A dust bath won't prevent internal parasites(worms),
but it can help for external parasites.
A fecal float sent to a good lab will tell you what kind and numbers of worm(s) they might have and maybe even suggest a treatment.

 

[dawg53]

Sounds like fly strike to me, maggots. Worms cant survive outside their host. When excreted, they are either dying or are already dead.