Roundworms!!!

[torismith]

Tonight I treated my flock of 12 with Valbazen for roundworms. A few days ago I found some worms in someone’s stool so I treated them all(will do a second dose in 10 days) After doing more research I’ve offically creeped myself out after googling about roundworms. Apprantely they will live on your ground for years. How have y’all prevented them from getting the worms or your dogs getting the worms if your hens free range. Wont they continue to get worms if the worms are in the grass from all their pop? I’m going to be using Acv in their water and they always get cucumbers which I read help to an extent as a prevenitive. My yard is way to big to treat with any spray so spraying isn’t a option.
Picture of my girls attached!

 

[tacothechicken]

I've had puppies whith worms but they've never passed them to my likens. The worms need to be ingested for them to reproduce treating for worms will mean any worms can't reproduce and will die. I've only ever had that one scenario whith worms but I believe there wasnt an outbreak because A: none of my animals we're wanting to eat dog poop and B: the rain soil mud other organisms may end up doing them in anyways or burying them beyond reach. I'd say don't let your dogs eat chicken poop lol! Mine wont when I'm watching but maybe take treats outside whith your dogs so they don't sneak off. Or if your chickens fancy a certain area dont let your dogs over there. Thats the only way I know of, sorry couldn't be more help

 

[tacothechicken]

Ps you have a large yard and only 12 birds id say plus winter rains and such should wash away anything edible for your dogs so id say atleast this isn t during summer time! But be sure to treat your birds anyways! And there should be something for preventative you're dogs can take too

 

[torismith]

I've had puppies whith worms but they've never passed them to my likens. The worms need to be ingested for them to reproduce treating for worms will mean any worms can't reproduce and will die. I've only ever had that one scenario whith worms but I believe there wasnt an outbreak because A: none of my animals we're wanting to eat dog poop and B: the rain soil mud other organisms may end up doing them in anyways or burying them beyond reach. I'd say don't let your dogs eat chicken poop lol! Mine wont when I'm watching but maybe take treats outside whith your dogs so they don't sneak off. Or if your chickens fancy a certain area dont let your dogs over there. Thats the only way I know of, sorry couldn't be more help

They don’t eat the poop off the ground but my pups like to lick their feet and I’m sure at some point they are probably running through poo somewhere in the yard. That’s the only way I can thing of them ingesting it. I live in south Florida so we don’t have a winter here

 

[dawg53]

Poultry large roundworms will not infect dogs, they are species specific. No worries there at all. However if a dog is infected with hookworms which are a type of roundworm, chickens and humans can be infected. Humans have to go barefooted in order to be infected by hookworms. This is one reason why we worm dogs monthly as a preventative. Valbazen will take care of hookworms in poultry (and dogs, but I wont discuss this at this time.)
There isnt anything that will kill worm eggs once excreted onto the grass except sunlight. The suns UV rays kill exposed eggs. This is why you should keep your grass cut short.

ONE female large roundworm lays thousands of eggs a day onto the soil. Chickens are always pecking the soil and they will pick up the eggs and swallow them. The eggs are eventually excreted and become infective. The infective eggs are picked again and swallowed by chickens. Once matured, it is at this time they reproduce all over again completing its life cycle.

The only way to stop the worms life cycle is to worm monthly. There is no specific time limit when to stop worming monthly. Testing fecal samples monthly will determine if your birds are worm free. Then rotate pasture and/or areas where chickens free range will help reduce worm infections. If you give treats to your chickens; such as scratch, put it on cement, like a paver. Dont put treats on soil where they can pick up worm eggs. Hang feeders over pavers as well, dont let them pick feed off soil. These are simple preventative measures you can take in preventing worm infections.

Penned chickens are more susceptible picking up worm eggs. Adding sand and layering it over time, especially after periods of rain will help control worms. Keeping everything as dry as possible is always best to help control parasites.
Warm, moist or wet soil is very conducive for worms. It is your environment that dictates how often you should worm your birds.

Our soil here is warm and wet most of the year and I worm my birds monthly. I also worm my dog monthly as recommended by his vet. It is up to you if you wish to eat eggs after worming. If you believe that you or a family member might have a reaction to wormer residue in the eggs, toss them in the garbage and do not feed them back to your chickens. Do not sell them nor give them away to anyone after worming. We eat the eggs after worming and I'm still here typing.

The only product that I would toss eggs in the garbage (and have) is Ivermectin. Ivermectin stays in the chickens system for about 30 days, like in a dog. I dont use Ivermectin anymore, it is not an effective wormer in poultry.
Benzimidazoles (Valbazen, Safeguard) are not very well absorbed and are quickly excreted from the chickens system and much safer to use. If anyone wished to toss eggs after using Valbazen or Safeguard, that is fine as well. I used to toss eggs 14 days after last use.
Apple cider vinegar, cucumber seeds, pumpkin seeds, DE etc will not prevent nor treat worms.

 

[rebrascora]

I believe that most worms are species specific, so round worms in chickens will not infest dogs or cats or people.
Some worm eggs are transmitted back to their original host via a intermediary host like slugs and snails and earth worms etc. ...it is part of their natural cycle. So the hens poop out the worm eggs in their poop, the slugs and snails ingest the worm eggs and then the chicken eats the slug/snail containing the eggs. There is a school of thought that a low level of internal parasites in chickens or birds in general is part of the balance of nature and that a low level may inhibit more worms developing to adulthood in the gut, whereas killing all the worms by deworming can start a roller coaster situation where there are none for a while and then lots develop at once because there is no low level infestation to inhibit them, then you need to deworm again. I know worms are gross but they are part of nature and in my opinion, a healthy bird with a strong immune system should be able to sustain a low level in the same way as coccidia are always present but their body learns to keep the level low. Birds that are sick or immune compromised may well have an overgrowth of worms or coccidia and need help in the form of chemical wormer to reduce the problem or be culled from the flock. The odd worm in poop in my experience is not a great cause for concern. If/when my chickens die, I do a necropsy which includes opening up the digestive tract to check for round worms. I have so far in nearly 5 years, not dewormed my chickens and whilst I have seen the odd roundworm in poop every once in a while and found the odd one in the gut of my chickens, I have never found an infestation. That may be down to climate.... I doubt it is down to management as I have kept both penned chickens and free range and it has been the same with both.

 

[tacothechicken]

Lol totally blanked on species specifics! Yep thyre right shouldnt infect anything but your birds! Same way one can treat lice on a goat whith bare hands let's say and although one may take a bite of curiosity you wont catch mites, cause youre not a goat!

 

[torismith]

Thanks for all the reply’s! Good to know that my dogs won’t get them. My dogs are on a injection for heart worms that last 6 months so they don’t take monthly pills like heart guard that protects against intestinal parasites. I will get fecal samples and check them at the vet every so often to see how things are going after I complete the deworming schedule. Thanks again!

 

[palolo]

I have a hen just confirmed with roundworms from fecal sample. She was showing signs of being sick. Is it to late at this point and should I treat other four who seem fine.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a hen just confirmed with roundworms from fecal sample. She was showing signs of being sick. Is it to late at this point and should I treat other four who seem fine.

Too late to save her? What are her symptoms?
Did the vet give you any worm medication?
Where are you located in the world (state/country)?

If you are in the US, I would use either Fenbendazole (Safeguard) or Valbazen to treat the whole flock.
I've only found Valbazen online, so if she is sick it would be better to get the Safeguard at Tractor Supply and begin treatment. Get the smallest syringes you can find.

Fenbendazole (Safeguard) dosage is .23ml per pound of weight, give orally for 5 days in a row.
This shows you how to administer medications https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...er-construction-check-back-for-updates.73335/