Sophie Bennett
Worms are a common issue for chicken flocks, and they can cause serious health issues for chickens if left untreated. While it is almost impossible to keep a backyard flock from picking up worms, there are several ways to control and treat worm infestations. This includes regular deworming, providing a clean environment, and reducing stress. Deworming medications are available, but many chicken owners prefer natural treatments. It is important to consult a veterinarian for assistance in diagnosis, treatment, and control.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Frequency of deworming | Twice a year (spring and autumn) |
| Deworming procedure | Use different products in rotation to prevent resistance |
| Treatment | Medication, natural remedies |
| Prevention | Reduce stress, provide a dry and sunny yard, rotate pasture/pens/yards, remove and replace litter, keep coop clean |
| Diagnosis | Faecal test, observation of symptoms, post-mortem examination |
| Symptoms | Diarrhea, depression, reduced weight gain, weight loss, anemia, worms in eggs, decreased egg production |
| Common worms | Roundworms, gapeworms, threadworms, tapeworms |
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What You'll Learn
Rotate pasture/pens/yards periodically to break parasite life cycles
It is important to rotate pasture, pens, and yards periodically to break parasite life cycles and prevent worm infestations in chicken flocks. Chickens that are allowed to roam freely on the ground will undoubtedly be exposed to various parasites. In chickens, roundworms, gapeworms, threadworms, and tapeworms are the most common.
Chickens raised month after month on the same area are at a higher risk of contracting parasites than those given access to clean ground regularly. Therefore, rotating to fresh ground is essential for breaking parasite life cycles. Small pens that are moved daily can help in this regard. Additionally, it is important to remove and replace litter periodically to create an inhospitable environment for parasites. Sand can be used in coops and runs, providing a natural way to disrupt parasite life cycles without the need for frequent replacement.
To further reduce the risk of parasite infestation, it is recommended to provide the flock with a sunny and dry yard. Dry conditions on pastures significantly reduce coccidiosis, a parasitic disease. Proper pasture management includes fencing off damp or wet areas and planting high-tannin forages such as birdsfoot trefoil, chicory, and Sericea lespedeza, which may reduce the impact of parasites.
Regular deworming is also crucial in controlling worm infestations in chicken flocks. Most experts recommend treating chickens for worms twice a year, in spring and autumn, regardless of whether they show symptoms of infestation. This preventative measure helps maintain worm levels below those that could affect the flock's health.
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Reduce stress to avoid taxing the immune system
Stress taxes a chicken's immune system, providing worms with an opportunity to multiply and cause infections, diseases, and even death. Therefore, it is important to reduce stress in your chicken flock to avoid taxing their immune systems.
Firstly, provide your flock with a sunny, dry yard, and ensure they have adequate space to reduce stress and disease transmission. Regularly clean the coop, remove droppings, and replace bedding to minimize parasite eggs. You should also rotate pastures, pens, and yards periodically to break parasite life cycles and reduce parasite load in the soil. If you have a large flock, you may want to rotate your chickens through different pastures regularly to ensure they have access to clean ground.
Additionally, you can incorporate herbs into your chicken coop routine to reduce stress and improve your flock's overall health and immunity. Peppermint, for example, is refreshing and rich in essential oils that repel insects and internal parasites. Chamomile is commonly used to calm anxious or stressed chickens, and it also has mild antiparasitic properties. Lemon balm aids in soothing the digestive tract, making it harder for parasites to thrive, and it also boosts your chicken's mood. Hibiscus doesn't directly target parasites, but it strengthens immune responses, making chickens more resilient to infections and stress. You can sprinkle these herbs in nesting boxes, add them to dust baths, mix them into chicken feed, or steep them as herbal tea.
Finally, ensure your chickens have constant access to clean, fresh water, and keep their feed and water containers elevated to prevent contamination with faeces.
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Identify worms with a faecal test
While it is challenging to keep a backyard flock of chickens from picking up worms, it is essential to monitor and treat infestations to prevent long-lasting effects on your birds. A faecal test can help identify worms and determine the appropriate treatment. Here are some detailed steps to identify worms through a faecal test:
Collect a Fresh Faecal Sample:
Collect a fresh sample of chicken droppings, either directly from the infected chicken or from the coop floor if you suspect a flock-wide infestation. The sample should be no older than 30 minutes, and it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a short period if needed. Ensure you collect dark-coloured droppings without a lot of white material for the most accurate results.
Perform a Float Test:
Combine the faecal sample with a test liquid that has a specific gravity greater than the parasite eggs. This will cause the eggs to float to the top of the solution, making them easier to extract and examine. You can perform this test with a specialised kit or consult a veterinarian for guidance.
Examine the Eggs:
Once the parasite eggs float to the top, you can carefully extract them for further examination. You may be able to identify the species of worm by observing the eggs' characteristics, such as size, shape, or colour. Alternatively, you can use a microscope for a more detailed analysis, especially when dealing with smaller eggs or less distinctive features.
Consult a Veterinarian:
If you are unsure about the type of worm infestation or the appropriate treatment, take the faecal sample to your local veterinarian. They can test the faeces, identify the specific worm or parasite, and recommend suitable treatments to eradicate the infestation.
By performing a faecal test, you can accurately identify the worms affecting your chicken flock and implement targeted treatments to control and prevent future infestations. It is important to act promptly to maintain the health and productivity of your chickens.
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Use artificial worming medications
It is important to deworm your chicken flock regularly to prevent worm infestations from affecting your hens' health and productivity. If you don't deworm your hens regularly, worm numbers may build up to unhealthy levels, causing the symptoms of a worm infestation. The only way to completely protect your chickens from worms is to keep them in a coop at all times, where they don't have access to any soil, and to keep the coop scrupulously clean of droppings. This would also mean no insects, no greens from the garden, and never feeding birds on the coop floor. However, most backyard chicken keepers don't want their chickens to be confined for their whole lives.
There are a few main types of internal worms that can affect chickens: roundworms, gapeworms, threadworms, and tapeworms. A heavy load of worms can interfere with a hen's ability to absorb nutrients and therefore affect her health and egg production. Most hens can probably handle a light parasite load without their health or production being at risk.
There is a dearth of clear advice for chicken owners on worming and deworming medications for backyard chickens. This is because commercial egg-laying hens are raised in a strictly controlled environment where they cannot come into contact with most internal parasites. As a result, companies that develop deworming medicines have not conducted the necessary research and testing to label their products for use in chickens.
Despite this, there are some artificial worming medications available for chicken flocks. Here are some options:
- Safe-Guard Aquasol: This is an FDA-approved fenbendazole oral suspension designed to treat roundworms in backyard flocks. It is the only chicken dewormer designed for home use that has been approved by the FDA. It is administered by adding a dose of 1 mg/kg BW (0.454 mg/lb) to drinking water for five consecutive days.
- Levamisole: This is an effective anthelminthic (anti-worm drug) that can be used to treat worms in chickens.
- Hygromycin: This is another effective anthelminthic that can be used to treat worms in chickens.
- Kilverm Poultry Wormer: This product treats all four of the most common chicken worms and is suitable for all poultry, including laying hens. It can be administered through the flock's drinking water.
It is important to rotate worming medications to avoid parasites from developing resistance. For example, you could treat your flock with one medication in the spring and a different medication in the fall. This helps to ensure that the worms do not become resistant to any single treatment.
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Implement natural preventative treatments
To implement natural preventative treatments, it is important to understand how chickens get worms. Worms are parasites that invade a chicken's digestive system, causing discomfort and sapping the bird of nutrients. They are spread through poultry droppings, and chickens can become infected when they eat slugs, snails, earthworms, and insects.
To prevent worms from infecting your flock, it is recommended to provide your chickens with a sunny, dry yard and rotate their pasture, pens, or yards periodically. This helps break the parasite's life cycle and reduces the risk of contracting worms. Additionally, regularly remove and replace the litter in the coop to create an inhospitable environment for parasites.
It is also important to keep stress levels low for your chickens, as stress can weaken their immune system, making them more susceptible to worms. Knowing the normal behavior of your chickens is crucial, as they are prey animals and may not show signs of illness until it is too late.
While it is challenging to completely protect your chickens from worms, especially if they roam freely, you can include certain ingredients in their daily diet to help protect them from parasites. However, it is always recommended to consult a veterinarian for assistance in diagnosing, treating, and controlling worms in your flock.
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Frequently asked questions
Clinical signs associated with high worm burdens can include diarrhoea, depression, reduced weight gain, weight loss, anaemia, worms in eggs, and decreased egg production. However, many of these signs are not specific to worms, so a definitive diagnosis should be made by microscopic examination of the faeces for worm eggs and/or larvae. You can also take a manure sample to your local poultry specialist or veterinarian, who will be able to run a few tests to count the worm presence inside the stool sample provided.
Worms are primarily spread through poultry droppings. They can also be spread by wild birds, rodents, and insects.
Most experts recommend that chickens are treated for worms twice a year, in spring and again in autumn. This is a preventative measure that should be taken regardless of whether your chickens have the symptoms of a worm infestation.
You can include certain ingredients into your chickens' diet on a daily basis to help protect them from parasites, like mites and lice. You can also keep your flock in a sunny, dry yard and rotate pasture/pens/yards periodically to break parasites' life cycles.
Fenbendazole is the only product that is currently approved for the treatment and control of roundworms and cecal worms in chickens and turkeys in the United States. It is available as a medicated feed (Safe-Guard) or in a water-soluble formulation (Safe-Guard AquaSol) to be added to drinking water. Kilverm Poultry Wormer is another medication that treats all four of the most common chicken worms and can be delivered through drinking water.
