I worm my whole flock of about 450+ birds after the 2nd or 3rd
rain. The
ground will be real moist by this time and the earth worms, red,
or fishing
worms what ever you call them are up to the top of the ground.
These are the
main carriers of worms that fowl get. The cockroach, sow bug,
and flies also
can be carriers of eggs of fowl worms.
Dr. L Dwight Swartz, DVM,MS, is retired from Mich. State UV. He
also was on the
staff of Penn. State UV, & has 2 books out that are real good.
Getting to the
point, research has found over 150 internal parasites in the continental
U.S.
There are some worms that the fowl can put up with, but none are
healthy.
The bad bad worms are the Cecil AND Capillary- THESE WILL KILL
A BIRD IN HURRY.
I clean under the roost real good and put salt and 10%Sevin dust
under the
roosts also on the run area. I make sure there are no holes in
the ground that
will hold water.
I lost some chickens the first time I used salt. I had holes in
the ground
and they drank the salty water.
I use a 3 pound coffee can to measure with 3 cans of salt to 1/2
can of Sevin
dust mix real good and sprinkle on ground.
The salt will dehydrate the earth worms, also will drive them
out of the
ground. The Sevin dust 10% will kill them. If the worm is dead
and the bird
eats it the eggs are also dead and will not infect the bird.
In the wet season FALL TILL SPRING worm once a month.
I started this 4 years ago and my fowl are healthier. I don't
think I have
lost 1 bird due to worms.
Sorry- back to getting ready for winter
I use Levasole Drench for Cattle and Sheep Water-Soluble Powder
1/4
tsp. to a gallon of water. Mix real good; use as drinking water
for the birds for 2 days.
I use rubber bowls to worm; with this way you do not waste
the wormer water.
I also use 1 gallon bleach jugs. I cut a large hole in the
front. Leave about 3" up from the bottom. This will hold
about 1 quart of water. It doesn't take very much of this mix
to worm birds.
CAUTION CAUTION I have found out the hard way that most wormers
will kill the
fertility in eggs for 7 to 10 days. We have always used the eggs
for cooking
I am over 60 and still going today - don't know about tomorrow.
The other thing I do for winter is to de-mite the birds if they
have any. Birds
are good at bringing in mites or lice. I wait 10 to 14 days after
worming with Levasole. Then I use IVOMEC (POUR ON) CATTLE WORMER-
6cc per gallon of water mix real good use as only drinking water
for the birds.
Ivomec will kill any blood sucking parasite and does a fair job
of worming. It will kill leg mites also, 6cc per gallon of water.
BUT IT WILL NOT KILL THE CECIL OR CAPILLARY WORMS. IVOMEC POUR
ON
CATTLE WORMER LASTS IN THE BLOOD SYSTEM FOR 14+ DAYS. IT KILLS
ADULTS AND ANY EGGS THAT WILL HATCH. I USE IT LATE FALL IF I FIND
ANY
MITES OR LICE AN 2 OR 3 WEEKS BEFORE LAYING SEASON. IT ALSO KILLS
THE FERTILITY IN EGGS for about 7 to 10 days .I CHECK DURING WINTER
FOR MITES AND LICE THAT WILD BIRDS MIGHT BRING IN. same mixture
6cc per gallon of water. I have used DIESEL FUEL for leg mites;
just dip the legs in Diesel. You will have to repeat this 2 or
3 times.
(I NEVER USE PIPERAZINE.)
I DON'T USE IVOMEC OVER 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR.
I use the black rubber bowls for waters in the winter they are
easy to get the
ice out. Most of the time it falls out.
I do use ONE other wormer if only 1 bird looks bad- I look at
the droppings,
poop, crap I think you know what I am talking about. If the droppings
are
WHITE AND RUNNY LIKE WHITE PAINT AND THE BIRD LOOKS DROOPY, I
HAVE
ALWAYS FOUND THEM TO BE WORMY. It is best to catch the bird and
feel of its breast
area if it is real thin then it is time to WORM . The white is
their urine. They do not eat very much and drink a lot of water.
I think the worms give a false signal that the craw is full and
they don't eat just drink and starve to death. DURING A RAINY
SPELL THE DROPPINGS WILL LOOK CLEAR AND WATERY AND HAVE WHITE
IN THEM.
DON'T TAKE THIS AS A SIGN OF WORMS.
The other wormer is VALBAZEN ORAL DRENCH for cattle. You have
to put a plastic
tube on a syringe put it down the gullet, better known as throat,
on the right
side put it down about 3 1/2 - 4 inches and give 1cc for a peahen
& 1cc. for an adult Peacock; 1/2cc for young peachicks over
4 months old. VALBAZEN WILL SAVE A BIRD IF IT IS USED.(I have
to put a disclaimer to this; it has worked for me and a lot of
other
people.) But I can't guarantee it will work for you.
If you have any questions feel free to write or e-mail me.