Worms in water?

[mrparmanotafarma]

Hi All,

I have just purchased 4 pullets about two weeks ago and set them up in there own little area in my backyard. Inside the enclosure is an old cutdown bucket which I have filled with water (in addition to the water in the run). I empty the water every 2-3 days, and the last few times its had 6 or more worms in the bottom swimming around.

The worms look very similar to earth worms, are the chickens dropping them in the water? And if so why?

Are the worms another type of pest? I dont think they are horse hair worms

Anyone with any insights please feel free to comment. The chicken are located in Melbourne, Australia and we are just at the end of Autumn.

Pictures of the chickens run/enclosure and worms in bucket attached!

Cheers,

 

[Tinman0ut]

Have your chickens been pooping in the water? Are the worms as white as they appear in the picture? That looks like roundworms that’s why I’m asking...
Edit: photo of roundworms added for you to compare them with

 

[mrparmanotafarma]

It would be very hard for the chickens to poop in the water as the bucket is about neck height. The worms are also more of a brown/red colour. I understand two of the photos are quite blown out and the worms look more white.

I might see if I can take a better photo and post another. Obviously they are new chickens, I want them to be healthy, so I really need to know what these worms are and how they got there. There is definitely no worms in there poo from what I have seen

 

[mrparmanotafarma]

More pictures. Drained the water and removed the worms

 

[hayley3]

Water should be changed daily for health reasons.
They look like earthworms to me...but they must be crawling into the water and then falling in.
But that is weird nonetheless.

 

[mrparmanotafarma]

A friend of mine who is a gardener says they are earth worms 100% - but there is no way they can fall into the water. The bucket has 20cm high edges. Unless the worms are dropping out of the tree it makes no sense.

I reckon it must be the chickens that are dropping the worms into the water. Either accidentally or deliberately. I have seen them chase each other down over things they have found on the ground. Perhaps its something along those lines

 

[centrarchid]

The earthworms crawl up sides of water bowls when everything is wet. I have night crawlers do the same. Another reason to frequently change water in bowls.

 

[ChicKat]

Complements on your nice set up -- your pretty chooks and your snazzy Eglu. Is that a feeder on the door to the wire run? (I think Eglu changed out the style of their feeders and waterers over the years..so I'm guessing it's their feeder.

This was an interesting post to me - so thanks for posting and thanks those who answered. -