AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

We have had our oldest chook for two years and we've never wormed them. I haven't seen any evidence of worms, but not too keen to examine the chook poo too closely, so I know I need to worm them! I've read the sticky thread on worming, but just wondering what people would recommend. I would prefer to catch them and administer it orally to make sure they get the right amount, we only have two chooks so it's quite manageable. I have no idea what worms I need to worm for, so need some help there. Also, do any wormers help protect against parasites too? When you worm them, do you have to not eat their eggs for a period of time? If so, how long? We have one new chookie who is only 12 weeks old, should I worm her too?

As for bugs/parasites, I already give them garlic, and am going to try the marjoram, but just wondering if there is anything else I should be using. The girls free range in the backyard all day and have lots of dust baths, maybe that helps, as I've never seen any parasites. I read you can use builders lime, but I didn't understand what you do with it. Also, when you clean and disinfect their pen for parasites, what do you use? Appreciate all your help and ideas, we're still quite new to the world of chooks!

You can use Apple Cider Vinegar infused water at full moons along with the garlic. There are lots of threads the use of Apple Cider Vinegar and garlic for worming.

There is also a product called Ivermectin that people use for worming etc

Dust the chooks at night when they are asleep and still or the area they dust bath in and nesting boxes with Pestene.

I also have dried lavender in the nesting boxes.

We have lavender and wormwood both planted near the chook coop. The lavender helps control the mozzies and the wormwood mites, lice, fleas and intestinal worms. The chooks when free ranging peck at the wormwood and other herbs (rosemary, parsley, etc) that grow in the garden.

Here is the link to an ABC Gardening Australia Permaculture Fact Sheet on chooks and companion planting:

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1140388.htm

How truly affective are the natural remedies like the wormwood for internal worm control can it be 100% over the chemical treatments or would you still do them also but less often

Hi, Catchie,

One has to think what methods people used before chemical worming, there are topics on natural methods, alternate worming methods etc; how effective they are I really don't know as we have only had chooks for 12 months. Maybe someone with more experience can answer that.

Personally, I use two different chemical worms which I alternate so the chook's don't become resistant to the one brand. They are chemically wormed quaterly, with garlic and apple cider vinegar treatment in between at full moon, the wormwood and other herbs are there in the garden so the chooks peck as they please.

Commercial wormers are the best option for insuring your fowl are protected to the best level possible but is no guarantee

Nice colour variation there

Which worming medicine works best on lohman hens

Any of the de-worming medications suitable for poultry should be fine.

See the previous discussion viewtopic.php?f=60&t=456

Eggcellent thanks heaps parvo