Prevention of worms in fixed run

Pony Girl

Pony Girl

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I read this on the Flytes of Fancy website with interest:

Prevention is better than cure
Some simple preventative measures can help save a great deal or worry and loss of birds.

If in a fixed Run then move it regularly to new ground, or if you are not able to move the run then consider a surface that can be cleaned with disinfectant (not concrete please, not a natural surface at all). Using a loose hardwood woodchip surface for example and then make a watering can mix of Virkon disinfectant, or
Bi-OO-Cyst Coccidial disinfectant, to regularly (fortnightly) water the ground is a good solution. When dry, follow up with Net-Tex Ground Sanitising Powder.

Has anyone tried the disinfectant / sanitising powder as a preventative measure? As part of normal worming routine obviously. Do you have to remove the birds first or is it safe to use whilst they're around?
 
Whilst watering with disinfectant is undoubtedly a good idea, I think the most important thing is to simply pick up the poo every day. I'm surprised this extract didn't mention this as the first thing to do to keep the run clean and help reduce worms.
So long as whatever disinfectant you use is designed for use with poultry there should be no problems in using it whilst the birds are around. It's best to avoid using Jeyes fluid, however, because it's highly toxic to both birds and humans.
Did anyone else think it was a bit strange where this extract says 'If in a FIXED run, MOVE it regularly to new ground'?
 
Yes, most odd. Mobile runs move weekly or less if you poo pick daily like us (good compost after two years). Fixed runs -the poo picking helps a lot. They are trying to control worm eggs in the ground. Not sure about using anything when the hens are going to pick up stuff off treated ground, so we don't treat at all. Flubenvet every 6 months still seems to control the worms successfully.
 
I've been to places that have had chickens in the same run for years and years and years. Some of these have been commercial flocks and they don't seem to do anything other than part dig them over every so often. As usual, my belief is that chemicals should only be used very sparingly and can't understand the obsession with keeping everthing clean and worms need only to be kept in reasonable control. The more chemicals that are used, the less 'organic' the system is which cannot be good for anyone.
 
With thirty static runs here - there is just no way I can poo pick to keep them clean! Not enough hours in the day! I use a good worming programme and dig my runs over occasionally and hope for the best! They are strawed down in wet weather/winter and this is dug out once spring arrives. I worry about using too many chemicals - as Chuck says, not good for the environment, never mind the birds or me! :)
 
I'm in the poo picking brigade! I try and remove as much poop as I can and with each one I pick I think to myself 'just think of the potential 100+ eggs you've removed there!' The short days and lots of rain doesn't make it easy though and I wish I could be even more thorough!

Our run base is a light layer of hardwood chips and these get removed by default in the picking process, I rake them over (this I hope helps expose any eggs to UV light and recently frost) and top them up regularly and plan to dig them out every 6 months or so. I'm going to avoid chemicals if I can - other than flubenvet every 4 months!
 
I intend to get a 'litter picker stick', like you see for cleaning the streets, to poo pick off the main lawn when its been frosty as far it requires far less bending down. No good at all for soft ones of course.
 
There used to be marital disagreements when the hens pooed on the tracks of the miniature steam railway line which was my OHs pride and joy. However, last summer he got into flying radio-controlled model aircraft, not a garden-related activity, and the track has been quietly taken over by the hens who are now enjoying more free ranging during the day (and scratching gravel into the tracks I'm afraid but he doesn't seem to have noticed yet.) I don't pick up in the garden, in fact one of the benefits of letting them out is that less is deposited in the fixed run!
 
Chuck said:
I've been to places that have had chickens in the same run for years and years and years. Some of these have been commercial flocks and they don't seem to do anything other than part dig them over every so often. As usual, my belief is that chemicals should only be used very sparingly and can't understand the obsession with keeping everthing clean and worms need only to be kept in reasonable control. The more chemicals that are used, the less 'organic' the system is which cannot be good for anyone.
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I'm one of those places. we just churn up and move the fence every so often. Worm count is normal for us :) Healthy chickens fight off worms naturally. So if worming regularly, keeping healthy in other aspects of diet, environment, activity etc... one shouldn't have many issues with worms. We worm every 3-4mths. Never poo pick, only remove droppings from coop. We also use droppings for compost and that when rich and full of critters gets dumped for them in the summer sometimes. sometimes we super heat the compost with grass clippings or even just straight up setting it on fire. Chickens are nesting animals and live in the same areas naturally, they are not nomadic. They're used to sitting on their own faeces in their nesting areas. The Junglefowl still naturally live in Asia/India and have done for a very long time with out migrating. I'm sure the hot temperatures help keep the parasites down. They just hop up into the high trees and roost then forage the ground below. :)
 
i have decided i hate poo picking :lol: :lol: :lol: way to much each day and for nearly every one i pick up i turn round and see them do another one which is why i do the whole run every afternoon about 30 mins before the girls go to bed then at least its 95% clean for the morning .
 
Good thing about poo picking is you see the first morning 'flush out'. That's the one that has the worms in it. I have never found worms in poos in the coop.
 
i have seen worms twice in the coop after they have been in for the night and that was only 2 worms once was after i had frontlined them for lice and i think i have olny every seen about 5 worms outdoors while poo picking mine are being done this weekend .
 
I don't use any products on the ground here - I keep my grass short in the summer so the UV kills off as many eggs as possible. I also worm with Flubenvet about every 4-6 months or so. They are due again now before they come into full lay. I don't poo pick but I wash down the grass in summer to get rid of the duck poo - this washes away very easily. If a run needs poo picking in summer, when they are dry, I use a leaf rake.

It can take a number of years for the eggs to build up so I've read - round worm eggs can survive for 2 years apparently.

Periodically, I move things around but there are always some areas near fixed housing that have constant use.
 
they can be long ,very thin white or creamy colour you will know when you see one .
 
Pony Girl said:
What's the best way of checking droppings for worms? Are they easy to spot?
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most are not visible to the naked eye. there are the odd few that are, but most are not. the ones that are visible can be rice like, thread like or like a piece of string.

You can speak to your local vets about getting a worm count done if you are concerned.
 
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