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Natural Chicken Wormers
Michele Marie
Ingredients
  • subheading: The chickens eat these foods and then the parasites are flushed from the body naturally. These "natural worming" plants include:
  • Dill
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  • Carrots
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  • Chicory
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  • Cucumber
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  • Dill
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  • Garlic
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  • Hyssop
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  • Mint
  •  
  • Nasturtium
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  • Plantain
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  • Pumpkin
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  • Squash
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  • Watermelon
  • subheading: Used in conjunction with above plants, these natural diuretics/flushes then work to flush any worms out of the host's body:
  • Molasses
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  • Plain yogurt
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  • Dandelion greens
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  • All of these 'treat's can help to combat worms and keep internal parasite loads under control. And because all are perfectly healthy and natural, there's no withdrawal period during which you can't eat the eggs your chickens lay.
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  • On a fairly regular basis, I like to chop up whatever I happen to have on hand depending on the season, and then mix everything into a bit of warm oatmeal.
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  • My chickens love it!
  • Generally healthy chickens with strong immune systems can generally handle a moderate worm load.
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  • Most backyard (and commercial) flocks likely encounter worms at some point in their life because of the environment they live in and the amount of time they spend poking around in the dirt.
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  • It only becomes a problem when the body can't manage the worms and they get out of control.
  • subheading: Signs your chickens might have worms or internal parasites include:
  • Visible proof of worms in their droppings which may be foamy or extremely watery
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  • Dirty feathers around the vent
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  • Worms in the chicken's eggs
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  • Pale yolks in the eggs
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  • Decreased egg production
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  • Weight loss
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  • Increased feed consumption
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  • Fatigue and lack of energy
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  • Pale comb and wattles
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  • Ruffled feathers and overall disheveled appearance
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  • If you suspect a worm overload, the best thing to do is to take a fecal sample to your vet. Dog/cat vets or your extension service or university poultry science department should be able to test the sample for worms.
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  • If you DO get confirmation of worms, it's best to follow your vet's recommendations as to treatment.
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  • These holistic remedies are best used as preventives to PREVENT an overload and aren't necessarily strong enough to TREAT an infestation.
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  • So back to the natural route....
  • There are varying opinions on this subject and not much study has been done, but raw pumpkin seeds are thought to be a natural wormer, not only for chickens and ducks, but for sheep and goats as well.
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  • Twice a year, spring and fall, it is suggested that you feed your girls raw pumpkin seeds (ground or whole) free-choice for a week. Which is perfect to coincide with disposing of your Halloween pumpkin.
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  • Ask your neighbors for theirs too!
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  • The pumpkin seeds (as well as the seeds of other members of the cucurbitaceae family such as winter, summer, zucchini and crookneck squash, gourds, cucumbers, cantaloupe and watermelon) are coated with a substance called cucurbitacin that paralyzes the worms.
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  • The larger fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of cucurbitacin, while the smaller vegetables like cucumber contains far less.
  • Since pumpkins are plentiful and inexpensive in the fall, that is what I use for my fall worming.
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  • You can merely cut a fresh pumpkin in half and feed it to your chickens, or I like to pour some water into the pumpkin half - the ducks really love that! - or fill the halves with some chicken feed to get hesitant flock members to give it a taste.
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  • But I take it one step further and make them a Pumpkin Soup.
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  • In a food processor, I grind up the seeds and pulp, then I drizzle in some yogurt, add molasses and garlic - and then pour it into the pumpkin half.
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  • Both the molasses and yogurt will work to cause a bit of diarrhea and help flush the paralyzed worms out of the chickens' systems.
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  • In moderation, both are extremely beneficial when combating internal parasites.
  • subheading: Pumpkin Soup:
  • (serves 8 to 10 hens)
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  • One bulb fresh garlic, crushed
  • 2 cups fresh dandelion greens
  • 2 cups raw oatmeal
  • One shredded carrot
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  • 8 Tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1 Tablespoon black strap molasses
  • 2 cups pumpkin pulp, seeds and all
Steps
Directions at fresheggsdaily.blog
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