Deworming Poultry
Yes, you need to deworm your poultry! Ideally at least twice a year, or as advised by your vet.
How do you know if your birds need to be dewormed? Well, as a rule of thumb, you’re not looking for actual worms in their feces. In fact, if you do see worms, your birds are already dangerously infested with worms. I once bought a trio of birds and was horrified when I saw their poop the next morning and it was absolutely loaded with round worms. Yuck!!
So, besides seeing worms, how do you know they need to be treated with an anthelmintic (dewormer)? Well, you may notice a general unwellness, lower rate of laying, lack of growth, increased feed intake without a corresponding increase in body weight, pale combs and wattles.First, the by-the-books things you should know about deworming your birds (or any animal, really).
Ideally what you will do is take a fecal sample to your veterinarian for a fecal egg count, so you can determine what species of worms you have, which will determine what product you need to use. Prices will vary, but $25-30 is the ballpark estimate. Be sure to phone your vet to find out their preferred procedure for you to collect a sample and when they want you to bring it in!
Products:
Piperazine is the only dewormer (available at feed stores) that is labelled for poultry. Piperazine will get rid of round worms in your poultry. Follow the directions on the package!
We often hear of people recommending the use of ivermectin-based products for use in poultry. Unfortunately, ivermectin is not labelled for poultry, so legally, your veterinarian must prescribe it to you for use in your flock. Your vet will also be able to give you the dosage and withdrawal time for ivermectin. Withdrawal times can vary from 0 to 40 days depending on the brand name, so it is VERY important to speak to your vet prior to using this product. Don’t believe anyone on the internet who tells you to give them ‘a couple of drops’ – that is not the correct dosage!
Your vet may prescribe other products based on the results of your fecal egg count.
No, garlic, ACV, pumpkin, and DE DO NOT WORK as dewormers. If anyone claims they do, ask them to produce their fecal egg count results from before and after giving their birds those products. 100% of the time, they cannot prove that those products do anything, and the scientific consensus is certainly against the efficacy of so-called natural products against worms.
If you don’t yet have a great relationship with your local livestock veterinarian, now is a great time to develop one! I sign a contract annually with our veterinarian so that I can buy medication for my livestock.
That’s the DL on dewormers!