Protocol for Tapeworm segments in poop

[arizona_chicken_noob]

I was just sitting out with my birds and was surprised to see what looked like a fresh chicken poop covered in tiny vanilla sprinkles. They did not move but a quick forum search tells me they are almost certainly tapeworm segments. And my birds range in the yard (and dig through the horse manure) so plenty of things to find.

My question is, what treatment is recommended? I didn't take a picture but it looked exactly like this old thread from 10 years ago. They are rather reminiscent of maggots but as I said the poop was very fresh / no time for fly larvae to develop.

I'm seeing a lot of conflicting information regarding these worms, some sources saying no medication is approved and others saying "they're very hard to get rid of".

Valbazen at .5 ml? Fenbendazole? Please let me know what works and I will get right on that

 

[Eggcessive]

Ignore any older threads about tapeworm medications, since Valbazen and fenbendazole are not that effective against tapes. You need something with praziquantel. That includes Equimax horse paste 0.16 ml for a 5 pound chicken and repeat in 14 days. Also Zimectrin Gold horse paste at a different dose, or Droncit tablets can work. The main problem with tapeworms is that they are spread by an intermediate host around the chicken yard. Those include flies, worms, beetles, snails, slugs, and grasshoppers. They eat tapeworm eggs from droppings in the environment, then your chicken eats the bug or worm, and they get it again. Limiting those, and cleaning up droppings can help. Only treat that chicken you see with those droppings. Treating the whole flock may not be necessary. I am wondering why the tapeworm segments were not moving in a fresh dropping. Do post a picture if you see another.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good video of tapeworm segments:

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

Okay @Eggcessive I have finally come across another one and I didn't think anything was moving until I pulled out my phone and realized, with horror, the movement on the screen (which was larger than life size)

Tapeworms in Chicken Poop

• arizona_chicken_noob
• Nov 10, 2023

So many poops in the yard that look normal, only 4 birds, so I will have to watch more carefully to see which one it is. I must have just missed whichever bird deposited this.

I can get the wormer -- I need to worm my horse too so maybe that will help things (though I'm not seeing that the same species can infect both horses and chickens). Any tips on getting the paste in the chicken safely? Would she have any problem with the sticky texture? Should I mix it with food and isolate that bird?

Another thing on my mind, is that I wonder if my climate will help or hinder the tapeworm recovery. It hasn't rained in months. Still trying to figure out if Arizona is at particular risk or if our dryness might help them to die out faster. Plenty of beetles and flies but no slugs or snails to speak of.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Any tips on getting the paste in the chicken safely? Would she have any problem with the sticky texture? Should I mix it with food and isolate that bird?

Go out early in the morning, grab her from the roost. Draw up the correct dose into a needleless syringe and direct oral dose her.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Eggcessive]

Good advice from @Wyorp Rock . Yes those tapeworm films show a slow movement, so you have to watch closely. I have only seen them live in my great hunter cat’s droppings. They get them from eating fleas or moles/mice. Each species has their own variety of tapeworms, so the horse’s and the chicken’s would be different and not transferrable.