Why Deworming Chickens is Important?

In Part 12 of our Health and Well Being of the Chicken, Flock series went over some diseases that can affect a chicken in many ways and in some cases be quite fatal

In Part 13 we discuss why checking the chicken flock is important, how to detect parasites, prevent parasites, get rid of parasites and the different types of parasites.

If you are a first-time flock owner, looking to become one or even a seasoned one have a read at some of our articles. There is something of benefit for everyone on our site.

WHY DE-WORMING A CHICKEN FLOCK IS IMPORTANT

Worms can cause a lot of health issues for a chicken and may even eventually cause death.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WORMS IN A CHICKEN(S)

As with most diseases, it is quite hard to spot with chickens. As they are experts on hiding how they are feeling until it is almost too late.

Signs of worms could include:

A hen will stop laying eggs
Diarrhoea
Increase in appetite
Weight loss
Look like they are gasping for air
Stretching of the neck
A continual shaking of the head
Vent area is dirty with matted feathers
Pale wattles and comb
Chicken starts to get listless
Frothy or very runny dropping
Worms in the eggs
Unexplained sudden death of the chicken(s)

HOW OR WHERE DO CHICKENS GET WORMS?

Well, we all know chickens love to eat worms such as juicy earthworms, other little worms they find trying to squirm away from them in the garden and or soil. Even a few slugs and snails do not go amiss with chickens.

The thing is with some of these juicy treats they find in the garden there is a chance that the insect may be a parasite carrier. That parasite could be any type of parasitic worm!
Insects from earthworms, to slugs and even grasshopper, have been known to be hosts to these parasites.

Once a chicken has been infected with an internal parasite it is inevitable that the other chickens in the flock will soon be too. They can get it from drinking the same water or as they do tend to pick at other chickens poop they could get it from infected poop.

TYPES OF WORMS, HOW THEY INFECT A CHICKEN, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

Most chickens can endure few worms in their system and there are a few harmless parasitically worms.
But then there are also quite a few that can cause a lot of damage to the infected chicken and potentially the entire flock.

To determine the type of worm/parasite that a chicken(s) may have you will have to take them to the vet.
They will run what is called a “fecal float test”.
Once the vet has determined the problem they will usually recommend a treatment plan and future preventative plan with you.
If you are not near a vet there is a home test that you can do then have them mailed off to your nearest vet and or animal treatment center.

TYPES WORMS TO TAKE NOTE OF:

Tapeworm

Tapeworm will weaken the bird(s) immune system as they attach themselves to the birds intestine lining. They can live in any part of the bird’s intestines!
They are usually transmitted through insects such as earthworms, flies, slugs and a few other insects a chicken can consume in the garden
Usually, the chicken will have an increase in appetite and a rapid weight loss
In order to determine if the chicken actually has a tapeworm, they will have to be taken to the vet in order to run tests on the chicken.
Tapeworm is not very easy to treat, and it is better not to attempt it on your own. Rather get advice and help from a vet.
It is also good to know that chickens cannot pass their tapeworm onto humans. But if they do have worms it is advisable not to eat their eggs and to wash/disinfect your hands after tending to them.

Round Worms

There are a few types of these worms with the large roundworm being the most common of them.
They will basically take up anywhere in the bird(s) digestive system.
They will interfere with the chicken’s ability to absorb nutrients.
The adult roundworm can create blockages in the chicken’s intestines which can result in the death of the chicken.
The larvae of these worms usually do some damage to the wall of the intestines
These worms a person may be able to pick up in your bird’s droppings
They are usually transmitted through various insects or the chicken pecking at an infected chickens’ droppings.
Usually, the chicken will have reduced appetite, a rapid weight loss, pale comb and wattle and diarrhea. They may even have undigested food in their poop.
In order to determine if the chicken actually has round it is best to get them checked and tested by the vet.
There are a few treatments for roundworm some of the most popular being Albendazole, Fenbendazole and Piperazine.
Discuss treatment option with the animal medical advisor.

Gapeworms

Gapeworms are Y-shaped worms that attach themselves to the mucosa of the chicken’s trachea.
They are Y-shaped because it is the male and female of the parasite that is joined together. The male anchors the female and they feed off the blood in the throat of the bird.
Chickens can contract these worms from the feed, water and feces from an infected bird. This would usually be a wild bird such a pigeon, etc. that may have dropped in to share some of the chicken’s food. Or it’s infected dropping that may have landed in the chicken’s water or feed or that the chicken has pecked at.
These worms can and will spread quite quickly through the flock and can have a devasting effect on the bird. A large infestation of them in one bird can lead to a completely blocked trachea.
It has an even more devasting effect on younger and smaller breeds of chickens.
Chickens who have the worms will usually look like they are gasping for air or trying to stretch out their necks.
If not caught quickly the birds can and will die of suffocation.
I would advise getting your chicken(s) to the vet/animal medical advisor as fast as possible.
Known treatments for gapeworm include that of Albendazole, Fenbendazole, Ivermectin and Levamisole. Some of these treatments are taken by ingestion whilst other can be injected as well as ingested.
A human cannot get gapeworm from a chicken.

(Capillariasis)

Capillariasis is the disease that the chicken gets from an infestation of these worms
These worms a very thing threadlike worms that can be up to about 1cm in length.
Some of these types of worms will infest the oesophagus and crop of the chicken where they will inflammation and a thickening of the mucus membranes.
Other types of these worms prefer the chicken’s lower intestinal tract. Here they will cause damage such as haemorrhaging, inflammation and eventually erosion of the lining of the intestine.
If left untreated and the infestation is large enough in the chicken it can result in the chicken’s death.
They are usually transmitted through infected wild birds and once the chicken is infested it will pass the worms on through the feed, water and even its poop.
Earthworms are another carrier of these types of worms.
The eggs and worms usually can only be detected by a microscope, so a fecal test will have to be performed for a definitive diagnosis.
The vet will have to discuss a treatment plan depending on the severity of the infestation.
Usually, a bird presenting with these types of worms will seem weak, no appetite will have diarrhea, their egg will have a weakened eggshell. They will not lay as many eggs or stop laying altogether. They will start to lose weight and their feathers will become affected. They give off a foul odor and will tend to huddle by themselves and or be very lethargic.

Cecal worms

Cecal worms live in the chicken’s ceca. The ceca form part of the chicken’s intestine.
They are very common and not normally harmful to the chicken’s health.
A common carrier of these worms is earthworms.
Chickens can also get them through water, feed, bedding, floor dust and or soil that has been infected.
The reason why I am mentioning the Cecal worm is that it is a known vector for a disease that mainly affects Turkeys called blackhead disease. It has been known to affect chickens too especially if chickens and turkeys are kept together in close proximity.
Birds that have been infected usually seem slower than normal, a bit depressed and listless.
In order to determine if the chicken actually has cecal worms, they will have to be taken to the vet in order to run tests on the chicken.
Treatments for these worms include Fenbendazole, Invermectin and Levamisole to name a few.
They cannot be transmitted to human

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

Regular De-worming

All animals that are kept domestically or on a farm should be dewormed at regular intervals. Especially as these pests can spread at an alarmingly fast rate to infect your flock.

You can get medication and or natural alternatives from your local vet clinic or drug store.

Usually, a vet can advise you and the best de-worming protocols, how often and how much you will need per chicken.

I like to check as although they say it is effective for all birds the breeds are different sizes, etc.

Over the counter solutions:

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways, it cost around $20, is the liquid de-wormer.

You put the required amount in their drinking water about once a month.

Natural remedies:

There are also more natural remedies that you can do throughout the month which will also help get rid of any existing worms and even some other pest like sand mites and ticks.

You can try crushing up some garlic with their feed or giving the pumpkin seeds and even Apple Cider vinegar will do the trick.

To prevent a worm infestation:

Feed

Make sure feed is kept fresh and get rid of any left-over food. Do not leave it to rot or just keep adding fresh food to it. All leftover feed from the day must be got rid of.
Make sure any treats such as fruit, etc. that are left over are disposed of. If left on the ground it is a feeding ground for contamination.

Hose down

It is always best to hose down the area the chickens have been grazing in for the day.
Especially after a worm outbreak.
There is a product both natural and chemical that can be got from an animal clinic that can be used to sanitize the ground and the coop.
Ensure dust baths are turned and freshened regularly
It is also best to keep the grass as short as possible.

Keep the coop/run and accessories clean

Ensure that you have a rigid cleaning regime
Do not let dropping pile up and accumulate

Check the chickens regularly

A regular at least weekly chicken health check really helps to keep a healthy flock.

It is best not to overcrowd a coop as it stresses out the chickens and a stressed chicken tends to have a more compromised immune system. This, in turn, will enable any sickness or parasite infestation to run its course even faster through the chicken.