worming advice needed please

L

lynne

New member
Joined
May 31, 2011
Messages
26
Reaction score
0
I really just want reassurance that Im doing the best for my hens and me!) please - I have three, and of late, their poo seems more runny, and some (one bird?) seems red, possibly bloody. Im assuming worms? They have acv in their water for a week each month, to help avoid the situation, and I have given verm x but gather it doesnt really do much good? I am now following instructions and giving flubenvet for a week, mixed thoroughly with the layers pellets, and have stopped all treats (they get an afternoon visit with fresh greens/bread, porridge, whatever is going, really, on a daily basis normally, with a little corn). Am I ok to still be eating their eggs (not that there is many at the moment, only around one a day, but gather they dont lay much during colder, darker, days of winter, which is fine).
would be grateful for any advice - was planning an omelette tea tonight!
 
forgot to add that apart from one bird having a messy rear, all seem fine and happy.
grateful for your advice folks.
Lynne
 
Hi Lynne and a big welcome to the Forum. It sounds as if you're doing everything right, and if there was worm problem the flubenvet will fix it. It may take a little while for the droppings to return to normal as the medication works. Do you know of they've ever been wormed before? If they do have a heavy infestation they might need another go in about 3 weeks but once under control, every 4-6 months is fine.
What sort of chickens do you have? They sound very lucky birds!
 
Oh and P.S. Its fine to eat the eggs whilst they're on flubenvet, no problem. They should lay better once the worms aren't getting their share of the feed!
 
hi Marigold, these are rescue hens from a farm that was closing down it's chicken business. We have had them since about this time last year. I have posted before, as we have had problems with suitable surfaces for them iin their run. We have tried soil, (instant mud!), then gravel, which I naievely thought I would be able to keep up with - no chance - even in a 9ft x 12ft run, three birds can turn it into poo-concrete quicker than I could poo pick and hose down. so we have paved it - I hated it, because I really wanted a surface they could scrabble around in, but we do let them out in the wooded area to the side of their run daily for a run and scratch around and they have a giant hooded cat litter tray with sand in too, for dust bathing. But now it is so much easier to pick up their poo - which I do daily, every morning, then scrub down first with wood chips then hoseing. So hopefully, the cleanliness is now ok - but now that the surface is hard - it is so much easier to recognise that one of them has a problem.
Im already seeing firmer poos, so hopefully I have identified the problem ok, and the flubenvet is working.
Thanks for the advice, will worm again in 3 weeks, as I havent done it before, (initially thought the acv would keep them at bay!) and then every few months. And am glad can enjoy my omelette tonight without worrying :D

Lynne
 
If you are clearing up the poos every day and hosing down, once the worming is completed, which may need a subsequent one in 3 weeks as Marigold said, you should have broken the cycle and every 6 months will be sufficient in future. Problem with an open run is just one wild bird poo with worm eggs in it and the cycle could start again. Enjoy your omlette Lynne.
 
Neither Verm X or cider vinegar (or garlic ! ) will treat worms but you have now found the right thing in Flubenvet. Be careful not to overload on the 'treats' as household leftovers can in this day and age be a lot for three birds.
 
Hi Chuck - well dont know about household leftovers - but we have been giving them 2 or 3 large cabbage or lettuce leaves, plus a slice of bread, and maybe one or two cherry tomatoes or raisins daily - in amount. occasionally, some mashed potato, boiled rice, or porridge if any leftover, occasionally a little grated cheese. I hadnt thought this too much, but perhaps it is? What do you all consider a suitable amount of fresh food? Also, am always perplexed when you talk about "mash" - never quite know what you mean?
Lynne
 
I'd cut out the cheese as its too fatty for them also it has salt in it - anything with fat, salt or lots of sugar should be avoided. The fresh greens and fruit are fine, but not too much or it gives them the runs. As Chuck says, with just a few pet hens like yours and mine, we have to be careful not to overload them with scraps as they will put on weight, and fill up on stuff which isn't balanced for their needs like their pellets are.
Chicken food comes either as 'layers mash' or 'layers pellets' which is just the mash in pellet form so less is wasted because they can't just pick out the bits they like. People also talk about 'mash' when they mean pellets or layers mash soaked in water to make it soft and crumbly, plus any additions such as vitamins or treats to make it attractive to hens with poor appetites.
 
Hi Marigold, thanks for clarifying that for me. So am I giving them too much fresh stuff then? They seem so bored on the pellets alone, and really go for the fresh stuff we give them. how much would you recommend for them? I generally give them a handful of mixed corn in the afternoon too.
Lynne
 
The green stuff is OK. The point I make about leftovers is that years ago, one household would not have the amount and kinds of things in a week or even a fortnight as leaves the average houshold in a day now ! Too much fat & carbohydrate in the diet can be killers, especially if the stock are not very productive. I'm not saying don't give, just saying not too much and there is no need to create food for them such as porridge. Fussy eating is much more common now in animals and humans it seems !
We should perhaps call the ground up layers ration layers meal and some makers do, and call it mash when it is wetted and fed that way. Again, years ago, most vegetable waste was boiled for the hens, then mixed with meal. That way any tiny potatos and the peelings were used up .
 
I leave mine in the run with pellets to eat in the morning, when they are hungry after the night without food, and most days they lay during this time. Then I let them out for a couple of hours in the garden and they eat grass, (plus stuff they're not supposed to of course.) When I want them back in I just call 'Chook chook! ' and they all race to follow me to the run and then I give them a handful of corn and a few mealworms. If for some reason I can't let them out I give them cabbage or fruit etc. There's always a feeder of pellets in the run and I do mix in about 1/3 Garvo Alfamix , which has interesting grains and seeds and little shrimpy things and mini pellets, so they have another feed of this before bedtime and that's it really. When it's very freezing I give them warm mash instead of pellets in the morning - same stuff just soaked in water, but they really go for it.
 
Thanks for this Marigold. Pretty similar to what I do. Mine have pellets all the time, in their run. When I go in to clean up in the morning, I let them out, to have a run in the wooded area of the garden, next to and around their pen. We are thinking of fencing this area in so they can go in more often, but I dont like to leave them out, in case they get out onto busy road backing onto it. Also, we know there are foxes around, though havent actually seen one, but have had footprints in the snow in the garden. When Im done, I call to them and they come running for their treats - usually a couple of lettuce leaves or cabbage leaves. I have recently discovered mealworms, and they love them! they seem to lay the eggs before I come to clean out, between wakingup, and me arriving mid morning to clean out.
Later on, in afternoon, I sometimes give them a handful of mixed corn. Because they cant have anything else but the pellets at the moment, to get them back in, I tempt them with a small handful of the corn. I hadnt thought of soaking the pellets in warm water, but next time we get a cold snap, will do so. I made them mashed potato last week in the hard frosts, as I felt so sorry for them in the cold :(
Not heard of the Garvo Alfamix, but will keep a look out for it.
thanks for all the help and advice, I am really enjoying the hens, and want them to be happy and healthy.
Lynne
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top