Worming chickens

[frias]

I wormed my hens last week. Couldn't get Flubenvet so used Verm-X. However today I noticed some small white moving specks in their faeces so presume they have worms. Is it safe to worm again so soon? Also instructions say to put Verm-X in water or on bread but difficult to be sure if all the girls get wormed or only some of them. Girl at farm shop suggested syringing medicine straight down throats. Has anyone tried this? All advice much appreciated.

[MaureenHall]

I've never seen any evidence of worms in my girls, but I do worm them monthly as a preventative measure. I use Verm-X pellets and mix it in to a dish of mash for three consecutive days. I've never tried using liquid to squirt down throats, don't think they'd speak to me again if I did that
Maybe try mixing with the mash and see if that helps?

[frias]

Thanks Maureen. You always have lots of sensible advice. Could only get Verm-X liquid and that cost an arm and a leg. Have been making a mash with pellets every afternoon as it's the only way they will eat them. Had to go back to layers mash for general feeding. Never noticed any signs of worms before but girls have been free ranging and I thought I ought to clean up the lawn. That's when I noticed moving white specks in poo.

[vicky]

The white eggs could well be the eggs of flies or maggots!!! They will lay their eggs in the poop which hatch into maggots and eventually flies. I get eggs/maggots in hot weather if the droppings are left longer than 24hrs. I would bet that's what you're seeing!
I bought a chicken that had worms and they are VERY noticable! They are 2-3 inches long - yes, inches, they're massive, you would notice them!
I gave all the girls Verm-X pellets for 4 days and they went. Now I do it every 1-2 months as a precautionary.
The pellets I just pop in a bowl and they eat it as it is, you can see who has eaten it or not, I suppose you could do it individually, but it seems to work for me!
Hope that helps!

[frias]

Hi Vicky,white specks were small but moving. Did another clean up of lawn late this afternoon and still some poo with specks in. Apparently there are six different types of worm so maybe there are some very small ones. I just didn't know if I should worm again so soon.

[vicky]

See if there are moving white specks in fresh poop!
(Giggles at thought of Frias following chickens around and checking out poo!)
The flies get on ours just a few hours after they're on the ground, what you describe sounds more like fly maggots than worms - but Verm-x is natuaral so preventative doses are ok.
What does the bumphf on the label say about sucessive doses?
I 'imagine' it would be fine...

[frias]

You might well laugh but that exactly what I was doing! Specks are definately in fresh poos. Verm-X liquid says to dose for 3 consecutive days (which I did) and repeat monthly.

[Polly Fouracre]

Garlic powder, available from feed merchants, Mole Valley Farmer type place or anywhere you can buy things for horses. A pinch per bird in damp mash once or twice a week should prevent worms and will discourage mites.
A £3 tub would probably last six hens about a year!

[frias]

Thanks Polly, will try to get garlic powder but not easy to find suppliers of anything for chickens in Bournemouth. I have to go 10 miles to small farm shop for food and even further to Scats which is always out of stock of anything I want. If anyone knows of stockists in or around Bournemouth I would be grateful.