Poor Christie

[Squizz]

Hello, I've only kept chickens since march and I've just had one of the girls put to sleep, the vet said she had internal parasites, I feel guilty, angry and very very sad that I did nothing to prevent this. The place where I got the girls from said they would be sending some wormer in June, after being intouch a number of times and still nothing I decided to buy my own when Christie started looking unwell. Too late it seems. I feel awful.

[MaureenHall]

Don't feel guilty, or bad. These chooks of ours never tell us when they're feeling iffy or unwell until it's too late. We all learn from each other too don't we. Worm your other chickens, preferably with Flubenvet, give them a bit of a boost as well with some Poultry Spice and Apple Cider Vinegar in their water. Big hugs hun {{{{{{{{{{{huggles}}}}}}}}}}}}}, so sorry about Christie

[RichmondHens]

Don't beat yourself up about it. These things happen. Just make sure you get the others wormed pronto. Flubenvet is the thing to have. It's a white powder you mix in with the feed. You can buy it on line or at most animal feed suppliers. Follow instructions as per the tub. If you can move your hens onto fresh ground as well (assuming they are in an ark or coop) then this will reduce the risk of immediate re-infection. Worming is recommended at least 3 times a year.

[Squizz]

Yes it's Flubenvet I've got but it was too late for Christie as she wouldn't eat anything and I've just moved their electric fence to fresh ground. A thought..they had been around an apple tree that all the fruit were falling off, could this be the cause and to remember for next year not to put the fence around the apple tree?

[RichmondHens]

No it won't be the cause. Apples are great for chooks and a good tonic for them. So keep letting them have access to the tree at fruiting time. They were probably infected when you bought them and you've just been unlucky. Worms build up quickly where lots of birds are kept together on the same ground, pecking around in each other's poo.

[di]

Sorry about Christie!
As the others have said,don't beat yourself up about it!

Out of interest,for chooks in a permanent run,does digging over the ground eliminate,or at least reduce the risk of parasites?
We gave our main run a one month break a while back,they returned once the grass was grown back,but would it be better to just dig it over?

[tlck9]

does Flubenvet mean you have to destroy the eggs? for 7 days or something, I read about another called vermin- something or other that you didnt have to avoid eating the eggs

Sorry to hear about Christine, they become a real part of your life...and I've only had mine a coupel of months now

[Flummery]

No you can still eat the eggs with Flubenvet.

[Bramble-Poultry]

vermex and flubenvet are the two most common

Flubenvet is better in my opinion, it is easier to use and has no egg withdrawl period.

parasite cycles are a lot longer than 1 month - i think its around 11 months you have to break the land for, best way to break the cycle if you can't relocate the hens is to worm more often - once a month is recommended if you have a really bad infestation.

Apple cider vinegar and garlic in the feed are good for worms, neither kills them but both are irritants to them and they don't like to stay in the hen.

Its really not your fault, usually by the time you realise that there is something wrong with your hen it is too late anyway, they hide stuff very very well, and parasites can double in numbers in a matter of hours.

Even so I'm really sorry that you lost her and like everyone has said she probably came with them!

[Hans Mum]

sorry you lost her, but dont beat yourself up about it, as others have said treat the rest of them and continue to give the rest a good life [[[hugs]]]

[Squizz]

Thank you everyone for your kind words, I've never found a forum as caring and as helpful as this one.