worms

[bugkiller]

I posted something about my chickens over eating. They just started eating 3 times more than usal. Some one told me they could have worms. How can i tell if they have worms.

 

[jacklinz]

they make a wormer for chickens best i remember. give them diatomatious earth to roll in and a little in the feed. it should help. it gets bugs and everything.

i think the wormer i used you put in their water for 3 days. check at MurrayMcMurray they know everything about them, it is their business.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Some vets will do a fecal test for worms for a small fee. You can also look for them as you view the poo every day, but it takes a pretty good infestation apparently in order for you to actually see them in the poo.

Some people just worm them if they suspect worms...it is a personal choice. Some have never wormed their chickens and some do it on a schedule.

 

[Judy]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ts-is-not-coryza-or-crd-parasites-are-rampant

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/457016/worming/10#post_5770173

http://healthybirds.umd.edu/Disease/Deworming Birds.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/323454/large-worm-in-egg

I recently wormed mine with Valbazen (the one I recommend) and saw feed consumption drop nearly by half. I do live in a proven "wormy area," though. They seem to be more prevalent in moist warm areas than really cold ones, or places like deserts. One experienced breeder who lives near me worms his 5 or 6 times a year. Some people never worm, particularly if they truly free range, and the chickens have access to a wide variety of plants. I have been worming once a year but plan to increase to twice a year.

There is no evidence that DE has any effect on worms, that I have seen. There are some natural wormers on the market; I am not familiar with their effectiveness, and some people use things like pumpkin seeds and cayenne. Again, I don't know that there is any research showing that these work. The only wormer approved for chickens is piperazine, which kills only roundworms, so people have learned to use wormers marketed for cows, goats, etc. Valbazen is the only one that gets all types of worms, and it is relatively safe even if the birds are heavily infested, as it kills slowly. Of course, any medication has side effects and dangers, so you really should research and decide for yourself.

 

[ChirpNEggBaby]

I keep wormer on hand but never use it except with caged birds/show stock and ones that make eggs only for hatching as....DO I REALLY want that in my eggs and then in my body or the body of my dogs or anything/body that consumes the eggs? Keep in mind what goes in does come out...not only in poop but in the eggs. :-/

I live in FL-warm/moist and NEVER use wormer-but my chickens do free range. BUT I do throw some tobacco dust couple times a year around and they will pick that up with scratch and bug hunts.

Do keep in mind that some breeds are really heavy feeders...like your cornish and your rocks.