# Worming?



## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

So here’s the million dollar question(s).... 

Do you deworm regularly? 
What do you use? 
Where do you get/order it? 

I’m having a concern with gapeworms across the flock here, but, if I’m going to be dealing with those already, is there a more general dewormer that you have found to be #1 safe 
#2 effective and 
#3 not super hard to administer. 
I’m actually more comfortable with a shot than some of the other methods! 

I’m having a LOT of head shaking starting up this spring, and also a lot of neck stretching/yawning- and this is NOT something I want to mess around with really. Thanks in advance, I appreciate it. 

Oh- and we’ve already done a round of Zyfend but I understand it’s more for maintenance once they’re settled/well. But was worth mentioning.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I stopped worming years ago. But dawg has his birds on a regular worming regimen. Chances are he'll see this and fill you in on what all he uses and when he worms his birds.


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

No help here. I've never had to worm my chickens. Best I can do is refer you to this:








Gapeworm Infection in Chickens


The gapeworm, Syngamus trachea, is a parasitic nematode found in the trachea of domestic and wild birds worldwide. S. trachea are tiny, bright red (caused by ingestion of the host's blood), worms that have a 'y'-shaped appearance (which are actually two worms, the male and female---that are...




www.poultrydvm.com


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Gapeworms are rare in chickens. I recommend that you gather fresh fecal samples from the birds that show the worst "symptoms" and put them in a ziplock bag. Then take it to a vet and have them look at it under a microscope for worm eggs. They'll let you know if your birds have worms, and what type of worms you could be dealing with, if any. If worms eggs are present, worm all your birds. It shouldnt cost much taking the samples to a vet. 

Birds with gapeworm dont eat nor drink because they are trying to breathe. They shake their heads and neck, sometimes scratch their neck to loosen the worms in the trachea and they "honk," gasping to breathe. Birds die from suffocation.

Furthermore, birds shake their heads and necks anyway. They are simply adjusting their crop.

Zyfend-A is snake oil, doesnt do anything but empty your wallet. It's the same with DE & VermX and all the other hocus pocus money grabbing wannabe fake wormers out there.

I worm my birds monthly due to our warm and wet soil conditions. Your environment dictates how often you should worm chickens. Dogs and cats are wormed monthly. Chickens are more susceptible picking up infective worm eggs off the ground because they always peck the ground, in doing so, they pick up the eggs and swallow them.

I use the following wormers for my birds to treat all types of poultry roundworms: Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer and Safeguard liquid goat wormer, Levamisole and Pyrantel Pamoate. Dont use Ivermectin for any type of roundworms.
I use these wormers for tapeworms only: Equimax equine paste, Zimecterin Gold equine paste.
I know how to treat birds with all types of worms; including gapeworms, eyeworms etc. If anyone wants to know where to buy or how to administer wormers to chickens, small or large flocks...just ask. I'll be glad to help.
I've been doing this fun stuff for a very very long time.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

dawg53 said:


> Gapeworms are rare in chickens. I recommend that you gather fresh fecal samples from the birds that show the worst "symptoms" and put them in a ziplock bag. Then take it to a vet and have them look at it under a microscope for worm eggs. They'll let you know if your birds have worms, and what type of worms you could be dealing with, if any. If worms eggs are present, worm all your birds. It shouldnt cost much taking the samples to a vet.
> 
> Birds with gapeworm dont eat nor drink because they are trying to breathe. They shake their heads and neck, sometimes scratch their neck to loosen the worms in the trachea and they "honk," gasping to breathe. Birds die from suffocation.
> 
> ...


What Dawg said, do the fecal, that's what we do with all of the animals at Fossil Ledges, from the Thoroughbreds on down. I used to do them myself, I still have a medical microscope, but I gave my good parasite book and centrifuge to another animal rescue.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Excellent. I’m on it- and I’m pretty sure the vet between our house and office services chickens to boot. He’s a weirdo but he’s good at what he does, at least for the cats and dogs he has tended to so far. 

Awesome Dawg- THANK YOU. There is sooo much info out there, it’s really hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. I’ll keep you guys posted, I know I’m new at this, but something is up, I’m just not sure what exactly. Gut feeling.

Edit- it HAS been an extremely wet winter, which may or may not play a role, and our cold snaps were only that really, not as much of a consistent freeze as we really need around here either.


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