Keep an eye out for worms in your chickens’ droppings and throat as well.

Roundworms are common and visible in droppings with heavy loads. They can be as much as 3 inches (7. 6 cm) long. Tapeworms are rare and typically harmless. However, they can cause death in large infestations. They are anywhere from 0. 157 inches (4. 0 mm) long to up to 9. 84 inches (25. 0 cm) long. Capillary worms are thin and thread-like. They are not typically visible in droppings and are about 1⁄2 inch (1. 3 cm) long. Gapeworms are not common and have a red, fork-like appearance. They are visible in droppings and cause chickens to gasp, cough, open their mouth repeatedly, and stretch their neck.

Purchase worm count kits and microscopes from online suppliers. Make sure the kit contains the chemical flubendazole. If only some of your chickens appear to have worms, it is still likely that they will give the worms to the other chickens, so it is a good idea to treat the whole flock. Send the feces to a veterinarian if your chickens are losing weight or having other problems and you don’t see signs of worms in their feces. They could have larger internal parasites that don’t leave through the feces.

Diatomaceous earth is food safe for pets. However, humans should not breathe in the powder.

Only add apple cider vinegar to plastic water drinkers.

Garlic can also boost your chickens’ immune systems and respiratory systems.

Repeat natural treatments every 3 to 4 months for the best results.

Wazine-17 (Piperazine) is used to treat roundworms. However, it is not approved for any chickens laying eggs for human consumption. Safe-guard (fenbendazole) is used for roundworms, cecal worms, threadworms, and gapeworms. Ivermectin is used for roundworms, threadworms, and gapeworms. Albendazole is effective against tapeworms, capillary worms, roundworms, gapeworms, and cecal worms.

Administer deworming products 2 times a year for healthy chickens. Re-administer medication every 3 weeks if worms recur.

Administer medication during the fall and spring.

Place a droppings board underneath roosts at night to catch droppings.

Prepare to provide as much information as possible, including worm egg count, the type of worm(s) infecting your chickens, your location, and the dietary habits of your chickens.

Never throw treats onto the ground to avoid contamination.