[Stewart P]

Today we brought home 4 POL Sussex hens from what appeared to be a very reputable supplier.  They have been "fully vaccinated", and look in a very healthy condition.  I wormed our previous hens (one quartet of ex-batts and subsequently a brace each of POL Bluebells and Speckledies) by flubenvet 6-monthly and verm-X monthly in between.  However these previous regimes were a bit random with respect to when we started the flubenvet.

I'd be grateful for advice on when to start worming the new chicks (they are about 20 weeks of age).

Thanks

[New shoot]

They are old enough to worm now. 

Are you planning to mix the new ones into your existing flock?   I would get both lots wormed and then have a single 6 month programme for Flubenvet for the everyone, if possible.  Even if they only share the garden space when free ranging, you want everyone clear of worms together, so they are not passing them back and forth.

If the older birds were wormed less than 6 months ago, it won't hurt them to have Flubenvet again 

[Stewart P]

Thanks New Shoot for replying.

Sadly there is no existing flock thanks to a recent fox attack so the newbies are on their own but your first statement that they are old enough to worm now is the answer I was looking for.

[New shoot]

Sorry to hear you lost all your old flock Stewart 

[gracie]

I guess its possibly out of luck but I've had chickens for nearly 5 years and other than spray one of them for a scaly leg I have never used any treatments on any of them. I figured I would treat them if necessary and once they did get worms or something like that then i would introduce prevention treatments.

[New shoot]

Prevention treatments won't clear an existing worm problem unfortunately 

I use Flubenvet every 6 months as this does clear everything, including gape worm.  Unless you are doing checks on their poop for worm eggs, you don't know whether they have them or not.  Its a pretty safe bet that they do.  All domestic animals pick them up and need worming 

[shellroberts]

Now I'm most likely wrong but I thought I read somewhere that you need to worm every 3 months?! I used ready mixed Flubenvet in December.
Just so I know, is it every 3 or 6 months? thank you

[New shoot]

You are not wrong, both answers can be right, but it depends on your circumstances.  I have a large deep litter fixed run and a smaller movable set up.  I also use dried garlic granules (the type used for horses) in the feed as a preventative and I find worming every 6 months is fine.

If you have a smaller fixed run where the ground gets very heavy use and you don't use anything else, worming every 3 months with Flubenvet is a better regime for you 

[Beekissed]

I guess its possibly out of luck but I've had chickens for nearly 5 years and other than spray one of them for a scaly leg I have never used any treatments on any of them. I figured I would treat them if necessary and once they did get worms or something like that then i would introduce prevention treatments.

I've had chickens for 40 yrs and have never wormed one.  Prevention starts from the day they arrive and prevents the need to ever have to worm.  My prevention methods work, so no need to ever worm.