Worming chickens 101
I am getting an unwanted less in how to worm chickens. Betty is the one I think whom is the most infested chicken but two others I think have some worms as well. Tapeworms which are hard to get rid of if you just leave them. She has always been a slim chicken but going into winter with worms along with being pecked at by Deliah is probably taxing her system. You couldn't tell that as she plays keep away from my stuff w/ the low pecking order chickens (Sarah and Cindy). So once I cut the worms down I plan on selling three chickens and replacing them.
So the tapeworms which they probably got from all the free ranging over icky gravel that can only be turned not cleaned up well so almost two years of chicken is everywhere. I DE'd the yard today and will do so again before I let them out to roll around in the few dry spots. As for getting rid of the worms well that takes powerful chemicals that leave residue in the birds which renders their eggs inedible for nearly a month. Even then one drug I have says you shouldn't use it on chickens who lay but apparently people do and have had no ill effects once the medicine has run its course.
Yeah...see this is where I have a problem with this idea. So after a major cleaning up of the coop (all the way down to packed earth, laying down fresh shavings, two dumps of DE, and making a note on the calendar to do a major cleaning once a month with minor clean ups/turning over once a week, I do not fancy the idea of rendering good eggs useless for a month. Especially since cooler weather is setting in and at least two of them are molting so not laying as much. A panic buy of chemicals gave way to firm thinking on my part. No way I am putting that shit in the chicken's water. First off it is not the right stuff anyway, secondly wasting good eggs bothers me to no end! Think of all the work it takes for the chicken to lays those suckers!
So I have dug around and welded my mighty google-fu and found websites on natural wormers which require a constant approach which the effects are changes in egg flavor. Ok I can handle that instead of having to throw away or even cooking and giving back to the chickens these very eggs. Ew poison on top of poison IMO of course. Just like I don't overload Kelly with that daily wormer shit, I won't do the same to my girls. The website I found mentions specific herbs, spices and the usual keep it clean methods to cut down as well as prevent future infestations.
I agree with one site that said having the coop in the same area isn't the best idea however lack of space prevents me from moving it any further than it is now. I do plan on getting a real coop and using their current space as a run for raining, snowy days. Some hanging baskets will get their beaks off the dirt and keep buggies down. That is all for next year when I get new chickens to replace the old ones.
I also see this as a taste of what it will be like having goats who will require way more care/cleaning than chickens who pretty much do their own thing. Still trying to find shelter for them that is appreciate as well as functional for us. Must hold three to six goats at any given time with birthing room, storage space for food/grain and especially a milking parlor. I plan on having that as sustainable as possible with sky lights during the day and solar lights for evening milking/visits.
So the tapeworms which they probably got from all the free ranging over icky gravel that can only be turned not cleaned up well so almost two years of chicken is everywhere. I DE'd the yard today and will do so again before I let them out to roll around in the few dry spots. As for getting rid of the worms well that takes powerful chemicals that leave residue in the birds which renders their eggs inedible for nearly a month. Even then one drug I have says you shouldn't use it on chickens who lay but apparently people do and have had no ill effects once the medicine has run its course.
Yeah...see this is where I have a problem with this idea. So after a major cleaning up of the coop (all the way down to packed earth, laying down fresh shavings, two dumps of DE, and making a note on the calendar to do a major cleaning once a month with minor clean ups/turning over once a week, I do not fancy the idea of rendering good eggs useless for a month. Especially since cooler weather is setting in and at least two of them are molting so not laying as much. A panic buy of chemicals gave way to firm thinking on my part. No way I am putting that shit in the chicken's water. First off it is not the right stuff anyway, secondly wasting good eggs bothers me to no end! Think of all the work it takes for the chicken to lays those suckers!
So I have dug around and welded my mighty google-fu and found websites on natural wormers which require a constant approach which the effects are changes in egg flavor. Ok I can handle that instead of having to throw away or even cooking and giving back to the chickens these very eggs. Ew poison on top of poison IMO of course. Just like I don't overload Kelly with that daily wormer shit, I won't do the same to my girls. The website I found mentions specific herbs, spices and the usual keep it clean methods to cut down as well as prevent future infestations.
I agree with one site that said having the coop in the same area isn't the best idea however lack of space prevents me from moving it any further than it is now. I do plan on getting a real coop and using their current space as a run for raining, snowy days. Some hanging baskets will get their beaks off the dirt and keep buggies down. That is all for next year when I get new chickens to replace the old ones.
I also see this as a taste of what it will be like having goats who will require way more care/cleaning than chickens who pretty much do their own thing. Still trying to find shelter for them that is appreciate as well as functional for us. Must hold three to six goats at any given time with birthing room, storage space for food/grain and especially a milking parlor. I plan on having that as sustainable as possible with sky lights during the day and solar lights for evening milking/visits.