The Early Birds That Won’t Get the Worms (From Smallholder)

The Early Birds That Won’t Get the Worms

8:40am Wednesday 1st July 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

Birds treated soon after being acquired and regularly thereafter can be protected against parasitic worm infections. Janssen Animal Health has calculated that somewhere in the region of 42,000 backyard chickens per month are currently being treated for worms with the new Flubenvet® 60 gram pack. It’s just over a year since the new pack size became available giving backyard poultry keepers access to a product specifically for small flocks that makes measurement and mixing of a suitable dosage of wormer in feed, practical. Each pack contains enough to treat approximately 20 chickens and the treatment is suitable to give to birds of any age.

To date around 300,000 birds have been treated with Flubenvet® 60 gram and are healthier as a result but a significant number of birds have probably never been treated for worms. There are still many novices who remain unaware that their chickens should be wormed routinely 3- 4 times a year, when new birds are introduced into the flock and before birds are put out onto fresh pasture.

All birds are at risk from parasitic worms, particularly free range birds that can pick up worm eggs from the soil, through contact with wild birds or by eating earthworms or other invertebrates that are infected with the parasitic worm. The risk of infection builds up year on year if birds are left untreated and a significant worm burden can result in lower egg yield, smaller eggs, loss of yolk and shell colour and more fragile shells. Birds may also become ill. As the parasitic worms are rarely visible to the human eye, birds can be infected without their owners realising and it is only once there are many worms living inside the bird that obvious illness occurs. By treating the birds early using a preventative routine, this situation need not arise.

More experienced keepers can help improve the welfare of birds by ensuring that people buying poultry for the first time are given information about basic healthcare. Leaflets on poultry worms are available free of charge from Janssen Animal Health and those supplying animal health products. Further information and leaflets on poultry worms are available from Janssen Animal Health, 50-100 Holmers Farm Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 4EG Tel 01494 567555 Fax 01494 567556 Email: ahealth@jacgb.jnj.com