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If you are keeping chickens or other poultry, you really do need to learn about worms and worming. Ectoparasites are found on the outside of your poultry - for example, lice and mites but Endoparasites are found on the inside of your birds body and are referred to as Helminths in the veterinary world which is a term used to cover a wide range of internal parasites or 'worms' living inside animals.
Nematodes are the group of worms that we are mainly concerned about in poultry. These are listed below. The links take you to more information about the particular worm.
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The Types of Worms found in Poultry
- Hair worms - Found in the crop, oesophagus, proventriculus and intestine.
- Tape Worms - Fairly uncommon, found in the intestine.
- Caecal Worms - Cause little damage but transmit blackhead to Turkeys. Found in the caecal.
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Worming Chickens and other Poultry.
Many health problems that your birds have can be related to worms of some sort and it is important to worm your birds regularly as well as manage houses and runs correctly. Keep litter in poultry houses fresh and always ensure it is dry. Do not feed corn / scratch feeds in the litter if there are droppings in it and rest land periodically to prevent a build up of worms. If grass is kept short, this allows the sunlight to kill worm eggs.
Prevention is always easier than cure so follow good husbandry techniques and worm regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions. Worms can cause all sorts of damage to the digestive system of your birds which can sometimes lead to death. Products that are used to treat worms are not that cheap however it will certainly cost you in the long run with increased feed costs, less eggs and sick or unhealthy birds if you don't worm them regularly.
The Most Important Thing to Know.
If you treat birds once with a product (most advertise that they kill 100% of worms) this will kill 100% of worms but you do need an ongoing treatment plan. The eggs will hatch and repeat treatment is required to continue to reduce egg numbers, ideally to be most effective, you need to kill the worms before they are mature enough to lay their eggs. The life cycle of growing worms depends on the type of worm but varies between 2 and 8 weeks so if you have an infestation you want to get on top of quickly, to get the best effect, treatment should be repeated within this period.
Frequently asked questions about worming poultry:
What products are available to worm poultry?
There are a number of different wormers available - most are not licenced for poultry but vets can prescribe these under what is known as their 'clinical judgement'.
Chemical Wormers:
Flubenvet - Is currently the only licensed poultry wormer that can be mixed with feeds in the UK (remember other unlicenced products may be offered to you by a vet in the UK).
Solubenol - A water soluble wormer used for the treatment of worm infestations caused by large roundworm, caecal worm and capillaria worms.
Dosage Information for Solubenol.
How often should I worm my chickens / poultry?
It very much depends on how your birds are kept and managed as to how many worms they will get. It also depends on the approach you take. Many herbal products for internal parasite control (such as Verm-X or Natural Worm R) are given regularly (monthly for example) but chemical wormers such as Flubenvet can be given less frequently (6 monthly for example). Some people use diatomacious earth (such as diatom) to worm their birds which needs to be given with their food continuously. Ultimately you should follow the instructions on the packet of the wormer you choose.
What natural products are there?
Herbal products -may- only reduce worm numbers and may not be as effective as using a chemical wormer. The approach I have taken with my own birds is to use herbal / organic products on a monthly basis but still use chemical wormers (Flubenvet) every 6 months routinely and would use Flubenvet if my birds had a worm problem.
Verm-X or Worm-R, both of which are suitable for use in Organic production.
Other products that can be given regularly to help eliminate or reduce worms:
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), Diatom (Diatomacious Earth).
Please let us know if you know of any other products!
When should I worm my chickens?
Again, it depends on the product you choose, if you choose a chemical wormer, many poultry keepers worm their birds before their birds go into moult around September since egg production ceases and there is less waste of eggs during the egg withdrawal period.
Is there an egg withdrawal period for wormers?
It depends on the product you choose - most don't have a withdrawal period but you should always check the instructions that come with your wormer.
I keep my birds in cages that are regularly cleaned out, do I still need to worm my birds?
Yes, whilst serious infestation is less likely, even birds kept in cages can soon pick up worms.
How do I know if my birds have got worms?
The signs and symptoms are listed under each particular type of worm. A worm egg count can be done by submitting some fresh droppings to a poultry veterinary laboratory service. There are some laboratory services listed in our poultry vets list.
Got a question we haven't answered? Then ask in our poultry forum.
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Common To All Poultry