[ReaderRabbit]

My girls are around 23 - 24 weeks and have not yet come into lay. I've had them for nearly 6 weeks and have just taken delivery of some flubenvet. Is it worth worming them yet?

They are in a run in the garden but allowed out to free range for between 3 and 6 hours a day (depending on when I am at work) but obviously this will reduce as the nights draw in.

I don't want to upset their systems when they are still not yet fully mature but don't want to risk them getting ill either :pr: .

Any advice?

Cheers

RR

[chookiepaula]

I would tend to worm around the time they start laying so about now should be fine, its advised to be done when allowed to freerange and can pick up worms from the ground. Flubenvet is a safe wormer for birds and is unlikely to upset them much at all!  

[Aunt Sally]

When I worm mine (which is infrequently as they are at low risk) I give them some live yoghurt.  Settles their tums a treat

[Bodger]

I'd want to see evidence that they actually need worming before I did. If your chickens appear as if they are  not thriving, then I'd consider worming.

[poultrygeist]

Is it better to worm following evidence, or is it of any use as a precaution ??

I follow your method Bodger, but wonder if there's any merit in other routines.

Rob

[Knight Family]

mmm mine have not been wormed yet and I was thinking the same thing why worm them if they dont need it?

But like the dogs I only do it once or twice a year to to make sure.

[Bodger]

Routine worming is OK but some people would appear to be excessive. It reminds me of the days when animal feedstuffs contained antibiotics.
 To repeat myself, chickens and worms are something thats perfectly natural, its only when the burden becomes excessive that it can be detrimental to your chickens health. In nearly 50 years of chicken keeping I've only ever seen a chicken pass a worm on one occasion. I personaly wouldn't consider worming my flock more than once a year, unless of course, i saw something that suggested that they needed it.
What you must remember, is the obvious fact that worming product sales people are naturally going to encourage you to use as much of their product as they can.

Chickens aren't dogs and can't affect your families health.

[poultrygeist]

Thanks Bodger. I know a lot of people worm every 6 months or so and I think it's good to have some wisdom on the subject rather than just rhetoric.
Concise and to the point.

I'll carry on as I am, and if you don't mind, I'll pass on the same logic to anyone who asks in future.

Rob

[Aunt Sally]

For a  novice who doesn't have much experience at keeping hens it's safest and gives peace of mind to worm their birds at regular intervals as per the manufacturers instructions.  

But for a keeper who knows what signs to look for in a bird and what the risk level is for their birds environment then it's up to them when and how they treat  :!:

[Bodger]

The manufactures are trying to sell poultry wormer.

[poultrygeist]

A sound reason to start with recommended intervals then move to 12 months or as needed, once competant, then.  

I'll bear that in mind.

Rob

[Aunt Sally]

The manufactures are trying to sell poultry wormer.

Oh Bodger  :roll:

That's their job  

And you only have to buy it once no matter how often you use it.  
A tub will last for YEARS even if used every 6 months  :!:

[Bodger]

But will the insides of the chicken last that long ? :roll:

[Aunt Sally]

But will the insides of the chicken last that long ? :roll:

Behave boy  :roll:

[Bodger]

Seriously though AS, thats the point that I'm trying to make.