[silkiechick]

I am trying to worm my chickens and am keeping them in their run with only their treated (flubenvet) pellets and some treated corn (as a treat). They normally free range round the garden and have some greens in their run so are complaining like mad.  I only started worming yesterday but they are refusing to go near their treated pellets! They haven't been eating their pellets much due to the free ranging but should I hold out on the basis that if they get hungry enough they will eat the pellets or should I use a different way of worming them?

I have used a little olive oil on the pellets and corn to get the wormer to stick so I think it is the pellets they have a problem with.  We tend to get whatever pellets we can at the time and the latest are some organic ones (££!) which they have had before.

I have tried them in the past on porridge (scared of it!!) and warm water/pellet mash but these weren't too successful. I see some people use grapes - how much wormer do you put in the grape (if that is not a daft question....)

This hasn't happened before so they are obviously getting fussy in their old age!  Any advice is very welcome!

[PaulineM]

Hi
The first few times I wormed my girls I used to lock them in for a week but as they also free-range it was hard keeping them locked up.
I now put the flubenvet on something I know they will all devour like sweetcorn, you could try mealworms or whatever. The dose is 0.3g per bird per day, I allow a little extra so the girls that aren't as greedy get some, I then throw the treat all over the garden to spread it and my girls have had their dose before you know it.
I know its not what is recommended by the manufacturers but it suits me and my girls better. 

[JaK]

Don't give them the corn as they will be expecting that and not eating their pellets. Stick with it, they wont go hungry for long.

[silkiechick]

Thanks for that - I'll wait it out and see who cracks first then! 

Actually mealworms are a very good idea - I've run out at the moment but they will do anything for them (pecking the pictures on the outside of the bag!)  If I get desperate I will give that a go...

Cheers!

[men at work]

You can always crunch it up to dust and add it to some mushy brown bread. I personally use pills, 2 each in a grape !

[joyfull]

what sort of pills?

[JaK]

Have to say I've not seen it in pill form either.

[joyfull]

You can always crunch it up to dust and add it to some mushy brown bread. I personally use pills, 2 each in a grape !

for your information men at work flubenvet (which is an excellent wormer for poultry and works on all types of poultry worms) is already in powder form so not sure what wormer you are thinking of.

[helens-hens]

I make up some pellet porridge using hot water and then add a dose of Flubenvent per bird to it. I give them this first thing in the morning and it is gone in minutes  :happy:

[Beano]

This hasn't happened before so they are obviously getting fussy in their old age!

I think you're right because I've noticed that its the old three I have are the awkward so and sos. It's as if they know that they can break you with their elderly persistence. and your guilt.
Stick with it. They do complain for about three days and will pace the fence as soon as they see you but it's only a week and it's for their own good. They'll forgive you soon enough at the end of the week when you'll give them a treat.

[Willow_Warren]

I'm worming mine at the moment... I bought the pellets with the Flubenvent already addded as it worked out cheaper (and easier)...  As I work all day they only get let out to free range Saturday and Sunday.  So I let them free range on Saturday as normal and the 7 days started on Sunday until Saturday (then they can free range on Sunday again - thus they will only have a week without free ranging - would have been longer if I'd done it mid-week to mid-week).

I felt really guilty on Sunday as they were all at the door wanting to be let out, but I have to agree they do eat less pellets when they free range so I can see the importance of keeping them in...  They seemed to eat a good proportion of food yesterday so I'm hoping all is good, it is the first time I've wormed them "properly" I've only used Verm-X previously.

I'm sure your girls wont' go hungry for long! 

Hannah

[silkiechick]

Just been out to do their daily clean out - they have formed a sit down protest/picket line on one side of the run!  Looking rather militant, still complaining loudly and very unhappy (and NO corn as their late afternoon treat!) ... but I think I may see signs of weakening as the pellets have been disturbed! (although I suspect probably by Napoleon chasing one of the girls around the feeder!) 

I tried the Flubenvet ready mix pellets but these expired before I could use them all (they didn't like those either!) and so the powder is more economical for me as I can mix as much as I need without wasting anything.

Thanks for the comments - all very helpful - I suspect I may need to post for advice on chickens with sore throats in a few days time! (thank goodness my nearest neighbour is away...) 

[Number 7]

My pellets with Flubenvet arrived today but will start them off on Saturday so they will go from a Saturday to the following Sunday morning locked up in the run with no treats!  Well thats if I can stop the kids giving them their mixed corn and cabbage treats before they go to school each morning!

Am sure we will have a few unhappy and hungry girls for a few days too until they get the message!

Oh the joys of worming without feeling guilty!   

[Sassy]

Flubenvet is designed to be trickle fed not as a daily/twice-daily dose. But I do understand about how awful it is when you have to keep them in!

[silkiechick]

Spot on with the advice to be strong, folks! They were straight out to the pellets this morning after 3 solid days of grumbling.  Worming is now properly under way!  Incidentally any advice for a hen with a sore throat after all that complaining...?