[bullielover]

Hi can anyone give me advice on how often my chickens will need worming.
thanks
catherine

[Aunt Sally]

This is a question that is cropping up a lot reently.

Do have a read of our worms topic

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=4348.0

[bullielover]

Thank you for your reply. The flubenvet appears to be the most popular treatment but I purchased my chickens from sarah at happy chicks who has recommended using smite, though I presume this is down to individual preference.

Thanks
catherine

[Aunt Sally]

Smite is a different brand of diatomaceous earth. 

Use at 5% in feed is the manufacturer's recommendation.

[pekinpete]

flubenvet is good to use for all types of poultry, instructions say twice a year but i also put a glove of garlic in water all year round and find this also helps keeping birds free of mites and keeping birds in good health.people take garlic so why not use it on poultry.

[hillfooter]

flubenvet is good to use for all types of poultry, instructions say twice a year but i also put a glove of garlic in water all year round and find this also helps keeping birds free of mites and keeping birds in good health.people take garlic so why not use it on poultry.

Garlic is just about a cure for everything - or is it just a load of old folklore?

HF

[victoria_plum]

Our breeder recommends a four week cycle, week 1 water + garlic, week 2 water, week 3 water + Apple cider vinegar, week 4 water

[hillfooter]

Our breeder recommends a four week cycle, week 1 water + garlic, week 2 water, week 3 water + Apple cider vinegar, week 4 water

ACV of course another good old folksy cure all.  ACV became a cult tonic in the 50's when some American published a best selling book about the medicinal benefits of some foods and supplements.  ACV became a fad tonic though now it just exists in the supplements catalog and as and animal tonic.

ACV has all sorts of magical powers too including treating irregular heart beat, "warding off" certain cancers, aiding digestion, lowering bad cholesterol, strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure, stabilizing blood sugar, relieving sore throats, slowing the aging process, relieving leg cramps, soothing sunburn, controlling dandruff and itchy scalp, curing athletes foot, cures constipation, reduces intestinal odours?, prevents kidney stones, "flushing harmful toxins from the system" (presumably it doesn't work on the unharmful toxins!),  preventing colds and flu, helping with arthritis and weight loss.  I probably missed a few things it either cures or "helps with".  The one benefit I particularly like is that it apparently "helps to alkalyse the body" despite it being highly acidic.

ACV and garlic are probably harmless so if you think they help go ahead and use them however if they had just a tenth of the benefits herbalists claim them you can bet we'd all be being force fed them by the NHS to save billions.

HF