The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: bumpkins on April 24, 2017, 02:52:56 pm
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Hi all. :wave:
I've had my little flock of 7 hens for about 8 months now and haven't wormed them yet. Ideally I should have done so whilst they were still on lockdown - but hindsight is a wonderful thing! They roam in a 1/4 acre enclosed orchard and the only extras that they have (apart from what treats I give them) are grass and any bugs that they pick up themselves. As long as I leave off their treats etc for the duration, would Flubenvet be effective in the circumstances? I couldn't bear to shut them up again! Thanks for your help.
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Personally and this is just my opinion - I dont worry about worming if animals are on pasture the risk is a lot less then why worry. Same as sheep and cattle. If there is no issues with birds and no evidence of poor performing then its highly unlikely. I do think the worming has become a regular thing without evidence of necessity. Its costly and hasle.
I have 40 odd hens and will not worm - my option which I am only going to consider now if FEC. Its expensive business worming for higher numbers. For smaller flocks its easier as one pot will cover.
As far as I am concerned there is no evidence that poultry need regular worming.
You add wormer to feed over 5-7 days no need to shut them up.
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I too thought the lockdown would be a good occasion to worm my bantams in the garden - then I realised how many lettuces I gave them as treats because they were locked in and didn't want to deny them those :D
My birds on our field get wormed with flubenvet because although the run on our field is very large and kept clean, the birds in there still got worms - saw them in their pooh once! :o But you could have a worm count done to see if yours need it? Then worm if you need to?
My birds in the garden, whose run is smaller than the run on the field as they can trash roam the garden, and who I don't want to lock in for a whole week, now all get an injectable wormer. We do them all in the evening one by one when they've gone to roost and that sorts them out.
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Thanks - I think then that I will probably get a worm count done and will only worm them if I have to. As farmers wife says, routine worming isn't always the best route to take. Thanks again :thumbsup: