Worms????

[3 Blonde Ponies]

Do chickens need to be wormed on a regular basis like other animals???

Devon

 

[chfite]

I would not treat them unless there was something to treat.

Chris

 

[PeachStreet]

I was told to worm if you see worms in their droppings, otherwise they have a "manageable load". Others will say to worm twice a year, once in fall and again in spring. I am very new to this but found this article very helpful:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-worming.html

 

[Kevin565]

I don't have chickens but worm my other birds on a schedule. I find it easier to prevent worms than treat.

 

[LakeBird]

I was told to worm if you see worms in their droppings, otherwise they have a "manageable load". Others will say to worm twice a year, once in fall and again in spring. I am very new to this but found this article very helpful:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-worming.html

Thank you for the link - was very informative!

 

[dawg53]

I was told to worm if you see worms in their droppings, otherwise they have a "manageable load". Others will say to worm twice a year, once in fall and again in spring. I am very new to this but found this article very helpful:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-worming.html

How do you tell what is a managable load in a chicken? One worm is one worm too many. One worm lays thousands of eggs a day onto the soil to be picked up by your birds.

 

[dawg53]

I don't have chickens but worm my other birds on a schedule. I find it easier to prevent worms than treat.

Ditto. Rotating wormers prevents resistance to one particular wormer. It also prevents a weakened immune system.

 

[Buster52]

Ditto. Rotating wormers prevents resistance to one particular wormer.

Until there is a resistance to ALL wormers, Then we are all up a crick.

 

[PeachStreet]

How do you tell what is a manageable load in a chicken? One worm is one worm too many. One worm lays thousands of eggs a day onto the soil to be picked up by your birds.

I think a manageable load refers to the fact that they aren't sickened by the amount of worms they carry. For example, the member ADozenGirlz (aka The Chicken Chick) does not worm her flock. It was her blog that I posted the link for. However, after speaking to her personally I learned that she doesn't worm unless she sees worms. This is the method I'm most comfortable with. Everyone has to decide that for themselves, I guess.

Glad the link was helpful. I enjoy her blog immensely and can find answers to most anything there. Plus I find her way of doing things is often the way I'm most comfortable doing them and her advice hasn't failed me yet. I owe one of little pullets life to her actually!

 

[3 Blonde Ponies]

I guess if I got desperate to know, I could always run a fecal sample at work. ( I'm usually the one who does them anyway! )

Devon