What's this worm? (Don't open message while eating...)

I know nothing really about this - but is it possible that they are not chicken parasites at all and are just passing through? But then I presume all of your chooks would be in on the tasty supply of whatever they are. Sounds pretty weird if you've never seen it before and can't find a reference.
 
I don't know anything about this either Rick and haven't a clue where to find out? They are, as you suggest, not regular chicken parasites I think. The source must be wild birds as the neighbour's cats and dog can't get into the enclosure. Just done day 3 of the Verm-X and still more tiny worms. It appears that the Verm-X is just as effective as Flubenvet on these as they are all coming out dead. But Verm-X is so much easier to administer on tiny pieces of bread than messing about mixing Flubenvet. Will give Ollie a 4th day to be sure.

Her throat canker appears to be shrinking and her breathing is noticeably better. Whether that's the onions or the Verm-X, or just a general health improvement now the worm burden has almost gone I don't know?
 
Do you think that the worms start green & then turn pink just before they hatch, Chris? Or are there two different organisms at play?

I got my Ivermectin on-line from a company who supply to pigeon keepers, though I've not used it on laying hens. I used it for a mite infestation on my aged araucana.

Let me know how you get on with the Vermex, Chris; I might use that rather than a second course of Flubenvet, though I've not seen any more worms myself, mercifully...
 
Seems the Verm-X works better on these worms than the Flubenvet Icemaiden. No photos I'm pleased to say Kittykay because the only couple of tiny worms I found today were well and truly mangled and very difficult to spot. We'll follow up with another Verm-X course in a month as the packaging recommends, but only for Ollie. I think the eggs may start off green and then as the embryo develops they turn pink. So what to look out for is a watery poo with defined green lumps in it, rather than a watery poo with bits of green vegetation -a subtle but important difference. We poo pick twice daily so hopefully can stop this spreading, although the Orpingtons are in a separate sub-enclosure anyway.

Now focussing on the digestive flora. Digestive transit time for chickens is very short at only 3 hours. It therefore has to be very efficient and I think that the reason we don't see more of these worms may be because they can only survive in a poor/inefficient system? So all the Orpingtons will be getting 15mL of fresh Probiotic enhanced natural yoghurt today with some Avipro plus added, which contains only prebiotic -that is probiotic food. See if we can keep them at bay?

I'm in the UK next week so will try to get some Flagyl as a canker 'backup' in case the one restricting her throat and her breathing starts growing again. Incidentally she was soil bathing today after we removed a nasty bumble foot scab. Also noticed her vent is huge, so she may be thinking of laying already! I'm not keen on Ivermectin because of the 28 day egg withdrawal, so won't be getting any.
 
If administering Vermex on bread, how do you dose it? Sounds like a good idea to me.
Or could I add some to a warm mash, & if so, how much? The weather's set to turn cold, so I might be doing them again by the end of the week...
 
Be aware that Vermex DOESNT KILL WORMS.
it used to claim that it did, but clinical trial were done which demonstrated that it had no effect on worms in the gut, though it may possibly reduce the numbers and act as a tonic for hens who need it - though healthy hens shouldn't really need this anyway.
If you are still concerned about the mystery worms you seem to be finding, it would perhaps be better to get a sample analysed by a vet.
Or go to http://www.chickenvet.co.uk which offers a worm count service by post.
 
Spoke to the vet when I was in the UK. He has never encountered worms of my description. Unfortunately they have run Ollie down so much that cankers have set in and her remaining days are few. I am amazed how fast the cankers grew and have just overwhelmed her to the extent that treatment was clearly pointless- we've been in this position before. So having survived a digestive impaction and the month of starvation that followed to clear it, she has succumbed to the effects of a simple digestive worm!
 
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