[susan - happy hens]

Hi hen huggers, I'm confused again.  The two hens I recently got have the dredded yellowish/brownish poo and sometimes poo with a red jelly like string in it.  The vet gave me a syringe of liquid to put in their water but that did'nt work. Iv'e looked at the poo pages and the worming info.  I use diatom to dust the henhouse and the hens every week because it can be used for both so should I use it as a wormer too or get the flubenvet stuff instead - is it the best?  Thanks. x Susan

[joyfull]

Hi the majority of us on here use flubenvet which is available from your vet and yes it does seem to be the best 

[hillfooter]

Diatom isn't a reliable wormer use Flubenvet which is very effective against a broad spectrum of worms.  Personally I wouldn't use Diatom to dust the chx.  Inhalling dust is likely to do more harm than any good your doing dusting them.  Dust is a great carrier of respiratory viruses, and bacteria .as well as iritating their air tracts.  See
 http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/de.htm

I much prefer to use Diatom in a slurry made from water disinfectant (Vanodine V18) with a squirt of washing up liquid to wet it so it penetrates.  Mix up a thin batter consistancy, adding the powder to the liquid while stirring, and paint on all surfaces of the perches and in corners where you've had red mite.  It dries to a white caked powder and stays effective for a good while.  You only need reapply ever 6 weeks or so.  In the Spring give your house a good spring clean out with a steamer or power sprayer preferably and apply a long lasting pesticide spray (Milbenex is a favourite though not so easy to get call Bowden & Knights).  That will keep your house free of mite and lice for a long period (circa 3 -6 months) without any problems.

[susan - happy hens]

Thanks Joyful and Hillfooter,
I have just read the article on Diatom - An here I am thinking it was natural, from the earth, dried algae etc. Feel bad now for Hen Solo hope it didn't make her ill. I had decided to give the dusting a rest over the winter anyway. Spent yesterday afternoon checking where to get Flubenvet online and locally (Co. Antrim) my vet doesn't do it - he gave me "levacide" liquid in water - it blew over! With only 3 wee hens I want the best price .
Is dusting the hens ok with something else?. Thanks again. x Susan

[grumpydad]

i have a louse powder that i can dust the hens with, but for fleas and lice, frontline is very good, use the kitten/cat strenght, and a small drop, use a pipette that you can get from a chemist, place on the back of the neck, kills most lice etc

[Foxy]

Do you free range your birds? Unless you do, it is unlikely that the yellow/browny poos are caused by worms,and they are probably normal caecal droppings.  Worms are more likely if the ground has not been rested from chooks and has got heavily soiled with droppings combined with static feeders and drinkers, so if your birds are new to the ground it is unlikey that you have a worm problem.

It is very diffcult to tell with the human eye whether chooks have a high worm load or not. Worms effect free range birds more, when the weather is warmer, chickens are infected through beetles and worms. Sometimes a heavy infestation can present with the bird looking depressed and huddled with a loss of appetite. Good husbandry can dramatically reduce the incidence of worms, clean material in the run, or run area changed regulary drinkers/feeders moved, etc

Diatom is fine to use,I use it as a preventative against lice/mites, and I make sure it is not done at night and ensure that I dust down to the feather shaft and the powder is not just "sitting" on top of the feathers. An outside dry dustbath with diatom will be fine for them too.
To help maintain a healthy gut add apple cider vinegar (25ml to a litre) to their drinking water too.

I worm mine twice a year, spring and autumn before I move to fresh ground