Worms

[Imthe1whoquacks]

So I have worms. Pretty sure they’re roundworms (I’ll upload a picture if I can remember how to do that) I never knew chickens could get worms and I’ve had chickens for nearly ten years.

I remember spotting them and saying “That’s a weird place for a pile of roots....wait... they’re moving.”


I can see multiple threads here about worms but I’m having trouble......keeping track of all the info in all the different threads. So I have some questions I hope I can get some help with. I’m assuming if one has them the all do/are at risk.

I have around 40 birds.

What is the BEST medication? Especially for egg laying hens.

How can I be sure all of them get treated?

I know the medicine goes into the water but how can I make sure they all get a dose?

And how would I actually KNOW they drank it?

It’s extremely rainy here currently and there are plenty of puddles they like to drink out of, especially the ducks.

My dogs are on medication to prevent heart worms and it also prevents roundworms but what about me and my family?

I read that the worms that infect birds don’t infect mammals but I don’t know how credible that is.

Are the eggs safe to eat? I know I can’t eat the eggs during treatment but what about right now? If I need to toss the eggs I’ll toss them.

I’m sorry if these questions are stupid and repetitive I’m just in low key panic mode right now and really want some direct answers.

 

[redranger209]

I read about those worms. They lay like two thousand eggs a second, be careful you don’t get them. I would toss every egg.

 

[Birch66724]

Diatomaceous earth in their food is the best way for worms that I have found, that way they will all get some whenever they eat.
I wouldn't eat the eggs, but I don't know is it is unsafe.

 

[Imthe1whoquacks]

Diatomaceous earth in their food is the best way for worms that I have found, that way they will all get some whenever they eat.
I wouldn't eat the eggs, but I don't know is it is unsafe.

I actually heard that DE doesn’t do jack for worms when eaten. It’s one of the reasons I’m asking for help because I have DE and using it would be simple but if it’s not going to do anything I’m not going to bother.

 

[SpiderQueen]

I have done a lot of research on eating eggs from chickens with worms and everyone says different things...same with treatments...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Those look like roundworms to me. Since you have so many birds, you can use Wazine-17 to treat roundworms only.

 

[dawg53]

I actually heard that DE doesn’t do jack for worms when eaten. It’s one of the reasons I’m asking for help because I have DE and using it would be simple but if it’s not going to do anything I’m not going to bother.

You're right about that!
Wyorp Rock is correct, they are large roundworms and wazine will get them. Get you a bottle of wazine at a feed store. Dosage is one ounce per gallon of water.
Here's what you do for 40 chickens:
Withhold their feed and water 2 hours prior to them going to roost for the night.
Very early the next morning before you let your birds out of their coop(s), do NOT put out their feed. Put out several containers with the treated water in the pens, you can use your waterers if you wish, just remember the dosage...one ounce of wazine per gallon of water or two ounces of wazine per two gallons of water. It must be their sole source of water to drink for the whole day.
They will be hungry and thirsty when you let them out of the coop and will readily drink the treated water. The more waterers or containers of treated water that you put out for your birds, the better, that way all of them will get a drink.
Then at around noon time, go ahead and give them some feed to eat, a little at a time.
They will be starving and will gorge feed. When they gorge feed, there's the risk of impacted crop or gizzard. This is why you give them a little feed at a time, and gradually increase feed during the afternoon back to normal.

When your birds go to roost for the night, discard the treated water and provide regular fresh water for them....you're done. Wazine acts as a flush. You might see worms in feces, they will be dead or dying. Worms cannot survive outside the host. Most of the time you wont see worms in feces, they are absorbed as protein once the wormer paralyzes them in the digestive tract.
Then in 30 days, repeat this whole procedure. Done.

 

[Imthe1whoquacks]

I heard that Wazine isn’t for egg laying hens, though people on here say the eggs are perfectly fine after the withdrawal period.


And what about babies? I have three little ones and I don’t want to harm them with the medication.

 

[dawg53]

I heard that Wazine isn’t for egg laying hens, though people on here say the eggs are perfectly fine after the withdrawal period.


And what about babies? I have three little ones and I don’t want to harm them with the medication.

If the chicks are under 6 weeks old, no need to worm them.
There has been no residue testing in eggs due to cost. They wont test for backyard flock owners. Commercial operations dont worm birds at all.
Wazine (piperazine) is used in humans to treat for roundworms (pinworms.)
If you suspect that someone might have an allergic reaction to the residue in the eggs, by all means, toss them in the garbage. There is a 14 day slaughter withdrawal period.
I've eaten eggs after giving it to my birds. I'm still here typing.

 

[featherhead007]

No thank you, I had my fill of worms today! YUCK!