Worms? Which type and how to treat?

[Alopez1773]

Hello,
This is my first time having chickens. I had 5 otherwise healthy girls. I was given a rooster by a friend 2 weeks ago or so. I noticed a change in their droppings and noticed some long strips with what looks like worms to me. I believe I may have an infestation possibly rooster passed it on to the girls. His dropping was yellowish and I noticed it contained those long strips of worms it seems. Now my girls have it in the droppings as well. I have been using a natural and organic chicken dewormer by the Brand CanineGluca. It contains a powder of mixed powders (chili, betel nut, artemisia annual, garlic powder, oregano, and other ingredients. I've been using it for about 4 days already. My girls seem their normal (energy levels good, eating good). I do notice 1 hen is slightly skinnier, and I have an older one who is losing some feathers (maybe molting). I live in South Fl. Weather is mostly warm throughout year. I already did elector psp and got rid of all lice and mites, which were present. Any advice on the worming would be greatly appreciated.

 

[nuthatched]

Those are roundworms.
Get some valbzen for goats or safeguard for horses. That chili stuff will do absolutely nothing.

 

[Alopez1773]

Thank you so much for your quick response! I'll search for either dewormer.

 

[nuthatched]

Thank you so much for your quick response! I'll search for either dewormer.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-for-poultry-waterfowl-and-game-birds.75490/

Here's dosage instructions for valbzen.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-dosing-information.73369/#ams-comment-510647

 

[coach723]

Actually, I think those are tapeworm. Whole different ballgame. I will link to another member who is very good with worming questions, who can weigh in and agree or disagree with me. @dawg53
For those you will need something with praziquantel. You can get it in Equimax horse paste or Zimectrin Gold horse paste. Dosing info for both is here, post #6, (Equimax is a little more cost effective):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tapeworms-that-wont-go-away.1130035/

 

[Alopez1773]

I just started searching pictures and compared it to the ones of my chickens and definitely looks like tapeworm from what I saw. They are flat and have the little ball patterns. Looks like tiny clumps of small eggs.

 

[coach723]

I am as sure of those being tapeworm as I can possibly be. Roundworm looks like cooked spaghetti, it's not segmented. I would guess that you have a pretty heavy load of tapeworm going on.
Tapeworm are usually picked up by eating a secondary host, slugs, worms, cockroaches, insects etc, that eat the eggs/proglotidds. So reducing numbers of hosts in your environment can help. Usually with tapeworm, you only need to treat the birds that have it, if you aren't sure which ones, then I would treat them all.

 

[Alopez1773]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-for-poultry-waterfowl-and-game-birds.75490/

Here's dosage instructions for valbzen.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/worming-chickens—medicines-and-dosing-information.73369/#ams-comment-510647

Thank you!! Very easy to understand article!

 

[nuthatched]

Thank you!! Very easy to understand article!

Unfortunately, it won't do much since they are tapes, I didn't see the lumpiness.

 

[dawg53]

They are actual excreted tapeworm strands. Most likely the chicken that excreted the strands have more of them internally.
I strongly recommend dosing the infected bird with Equimax or Zimecterin Gold equine pastes as mentioned by @coach723 and
if you see tapeworm segments or actual strands excreted in any of your other birds, treat them with either Equimax or Z-Gold.