[chickychick]

Hi
I have read the sticky on this which was useful however I wonder if you lot could answer me a few questions.
I have been  adding apple cider vinegar to thier water at around a teaspoon to 4 pints I think, is this the right amount?

Why is the refined supermarket apple cider vinegar not recommended? is it just because of the cost or is it different somehow?

I am ordering diatom anyway so would you still recommend having Flubenvet as well as the vinegar and diatom?

My chickens are lively, happy, laying and about 25 weeks old but I noticed that their breast bones are quite prominent and they eat well so am just wanting to ensure they have no worms.

How much layers pellets is it usual for 4 chickens to get through per day? They get to graze fresh grass most days, and dig about in a run about 17ft x 17ft with the occasional chunk of granary bread or cooked rice etc (not often) also scatter half a handful of corn in the late afternoon to forage for.

sorry lots of questions here.

[mobyjones]

How much layers pellets is it usual for 4 chickens to get through per day? They get to graze fresh grass most days, and dig about in a run about 17ft x 17ft with the occasional chunk of granary bread or cooked rice etc (not often) also scatter half a handful of corn in the late afternoon to forage for.

sorry lots of questions here.

Hi you've just asked one of the most fantastic questions ever. Ask 100 poultry keepers and you'll get 100 differing answers! Are your chickens, pure breds or hybrids?

[muntjac]

3 oz per bird and add the apple vinegar from any place you get it same as do ... and have done for donkeys it is a conditioner as well as helping beat worm and other probs ,,,,,,worm with flubenvet

all the details from supplier

http://www.bestpetpharmacy.co.uk/search_results.asp?sec=196&category=Poultry_&_Game_Birds&gclid=CJbg3MaZ7o4CFR0FEAod-3z70g

 i do not promote any company .

[Bodger]

Healthy chickens can easily cope with a worms  and be perfectly healthy. Theres no need to become paranoid. Every living thing is host to some sort of intestinal worm.

If your chickens are one of the many hybrid layer strains that are around, then they will always have prominent breast bones.

[Aunt Sally]

Healthy chickens can easily cope with a worms  and be perfectly healthy. Theres no need to become paranoid.

Very true Bodger !  My OH checks my chickens poo about every 6 months for parasites (He's a diagnostic parasitologist) and has never found anything, so treatment has never been necessary.  There is greater risk to birds kept in big flocks and on land which has been used for a long time and also where there are lots of wild birds.  And it's a good idea to worm new stock.

If the hens seem to lose condition in any way then worming is one of the first treatments to try.  Having said that worming with flubenvet every six months does no harm if it does no good.

I only use diatom as a precaution against lice and mites (in their dust bath and in their bedding, but some keepers do add it to feed for gut parasites.  It will not, however, prevent lung worm.

[chickychick]

thanks everyone for all the info .. as always  
where would I be without you lot !!
 

[Selkie]

i have my own microscope so could i check my hens' poo for worms too? would i need to know what i'm looking for? :oops:

[Aunt Sally]

I don't know the answer to that one rosemary.

OH (my tame parasitologist) uses concentration methods and fixes and stains the microscope preparation.  But I'll ask him if there is anything that can be seen in a fresh prep.