Not only mammals, but also birds can suffer from helminthiasis . In chickens, this unpleasant disease, for example, is quite common. Helminthiasis can cause truly colossal damage to poultry farms. That is why it is so important to carry out the prevention of such diseases and their timely treatment.
What are the most common worms in chickens
There are simply a huge number of types of helminths in nature. Poultry can become infected with round worms, parasites, and tapeworms or flukes. Worms in chicken can live in different organs. But most often this domestic bird is still infected with nematodes and roundworms. The latter settle in the intestines of a laying hen or broiler.
Too serious complications, unlike mammals, worms in chickens usually do not cause. But they can still cause significant harm to health. Most often, young chickens become infected with worms. At first, the signs of helminthiasis in them are quite pronounced. But if the owners of the house do not take appropriate measures, in the future the disease can go into an almost asymptomatic form. And, therefore, it will be difficult to determine the reasons for the decline in bird productivity.
Danger of disease
Worms that have settled in the body of the chicken begin to absorb nutrients in huge quantities, taking them away from the bird itself. As a result of this, the broiler or layer begins to lose weight and significantly reduces productivity.
Another danger of helminthiasis in chickens is intoxication. In the process of life, worms emit just a huge amount of all kinds of harmful substances. The latter are quickly and almost completely absorbed into the blood of the bird. And this, in turn, leads to poor health, weakness and decreased immunity. As a result, the chicken can catch some even more serious infection than helminthiasis.
Worms live in chicken in the body, as already mentioned, most often in the intestines. But sometimes the parasite larvae penetrate other organs, and even eggs. Therefore, helminthiasis of chickens is fraught with danger, including for the owners. Nematodes can live in the intestines not only of animals and birds, but, of course, of humans.
The most unpleasant consequence of helminthiasis in chickens is a bowel rupture. This happens with intensive reproduction of worms. In this case, the larvae so densely fill the intestine that its walls simply can not stand it. In this case, the diseased chicken dies.
Distribution paths
Helminthiasis is actually very contagious. If at least one chicken is infected in the herd, after some time all the bird living on the yard will have to be treated. Worm eggs are transmitted both through food and through water. Most often, chickens with helminthiosis are sources of infection of chickens. Therefore, when buying young animals or producers, the owner of the poultry farm should be as careful as possible.
The same goes for feed. Buying grain, bran and root crops for chickens is only from trusted suppliers with a good reputation.
Symptoms of infection
Determining whether chickens have worms is not difficult. Immediately after infection, the bird loses its appetite and begins to lose weight quickly. Symptoms of helminthiasis can also be:
- decrease in productivity;
- the appearance of eggshells;
- diarrhea (yellow feces);
- pale color of the crest;
- the presence of larvae in the feces;
- enteritis.
Chickens have worms of various species. But sometimes it happens that the symptoms of this disease are not too pronounced. In this case, the owners should contact, including, and for help from the veterinarians. Equipment designed to diagnose this disease is available in every such clinic. To accurately determine the presence of worms in the body of a bird, the veterinarian only needs to bring samples of litter. In this case, it will be possible not only to accurately diagnose helminthiasis, but also to find out which type of parasite caused the infection, and, therefore, to prescribe the most effective treatment.
What preventative measures should be taken
Worms in chickens can cause very unpleasant symptoms. This disease usually actually causes significant damage to the farm. Of course, any infection is easiest to prevent than to treat later. It concerns, of course, and helminthiasis. Preventive measures aimed at preventing this disease on farms must be taken.
As already mentioned, the infection in the house is most often introduced from dysfunctional farms. Therefore, purchased additional young animals or producers should be kept in quarantine for at least two weeks. If during this time the bird does not show any signs of helminthiasis or any other diseases, it can be transferred to a general house. Young animals before this must be fed an anthelmintic drug for prevention.
Worms in laying hens and broilers are often wound up due to the banal non-compliance with sanitary standards in the house. The shed in which this domestic bird lives should be cleaned as thoroughly as possible. It is worthwhile to clean from time to time in a walking aviary. As many experienced farmers note, free-range chickens often become infected with helminths.
In order to prevent infection of the bird with worms, antihelminthic drugs should also be used. Give their bird for prophylaxis about once every six months.
Drug treatment
Chicken worms are, of course, a very unpleasant and rather dangerous disease. However, it is actually treated relatively easily. You can get the necessary preparations to rid the bird of helminths both in a regular pharmacy, as well as in a veterinary or even in a pet store.
It is best to purchase a medicine designed to treat immediately all types of bird worms. There are many similar drugs on the market today. Most of them act from worms quite effectively. However, when buying such a medicine should be as careful as possible. There are often fakes on the market that do not bring any benefit to the body of the bird. Also, sometimes such products can be harmful and even toxic eggs or poultry.
As an example of a good preparation that helps well from worms in chickens, one can cite Pirantel. This suspension for the treatment of helminths is simply added to food for chickens. Specific dosages for different types of poultry are indicated by the manufacturer of Pirantel on the package. Treatment with this drug is carried out three times with an interval of 6 days.
Many homeowners are interested in if worms are found in chickens, is it possible to eat chickens? Of course, the consumption of meat from infected poultry should be abandoned. First, hens should be treated well. After application of anthelmintic agents, poultry meat is not recommended for eating for about two months.
Chicken worms: treatment with alternative methods
Different kinds of drugs help against helminthiasis very well. However, the means are still chemical and capable of exerting a negative effect on the body of the bird. Therefore, many owners of suburban areas prefer to treat their chickens infected with worms, folk methods. In this case, most commonly used medicinal herbs. Sliced chives, for example, help very well from helminths in chickens. It should be added to the mixers in each feed in large quantities.
You can also get rid of worms in chickens by offering them instead of water a decoction of pine or spruce needles. Often from helminthiasis of poultry, pumpkin seeds, lingonberries and wild garlic are also used.
What you need to know
When deciding to treat worms in chickens with folk methods, it should be borne in mind that such a method is well suited only at the initial stage of infection. If the bird has many helminths and the entire herd is already infected, it is better to use industrial preparations.