[Louise Gaunt]

I recently have had some problems with my hens just not doing so well, and after a phone consultation with our local farm vets, they advised a faecal egg count. I took samples in, had a phone consultation about the results, ( they needed more rigorous worming so I have used the hints about mixing Flubenvet in oil to make it stick). We'd got the bill today - £68.00. Is this high? I feel it is quite expensive for what I have had so far, especially if I use Chicken vet FEC service which is £14.75 for the kit and lab work. Can I ask what sort of costs other have incurred for hen FEC? Thanks

[shygirl]

wev never been charged for a phone call.....yet.
does your bill have a breakdown of costs?

[Louise Gaunt]

The cost appears to be purely for the lab work for the faecal egg count.

[Victorian Farmer]

I used to treat hens for coughs bad colds unwell etc and charge a tenner to people with small flocks the vets have had me stopt  .I carnt get tylin etc and hens have to be culled as costs have gone mad /so sad I carnt fix them

[shygirl]

our vets send the samples away so we just send ours away direct.

[HesterF]

Our vets can check for worms at the surgery so it wouldn't be anywhere near that high for a worm count. But I guess it does depend on their facilities - as soon as they have to send off for labs it mounts up quickly.

[shygirl]

our vets send the samples away so we just send ours away direct.

im sure its only about £10 per test mind.

[Womble]

im sure its only about £10 per test mind.

Yes, we paid £20 the other day for two counts - sheep and poultry. Our vets are trying to promote the use of FECs because they're getting increasingly worried about resistance building up to wormers. Also, the sheep management plan they gave us says we should be submitting FECs every couple of months, so they'll still make their money of course (unless I 'forget' to do them that regularly that is).