Knowing how to treat worms in chickens naturally is essential for raising a homestead flock. Especially if you live in regions that provide optimal worm habitat. However, knowing how to prevent worms in chickens naturally is even more important. Preventing internal parasites is the key to keeping them from becoming a health hazard for your flock. If you have a natural internal parasite preventative plan, it makes keeping your flock healthy and parasite-free much easier.
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When do Things Get Wormy?
A healthy chicken who is kept in a well managed environment will build up a certain amount of immunity to internal parasites. The immune system will be strong enough that if the chicken does consume worm larvae or eggs, the potential parasites will just get passed through the digestive system and eliminated without causing a problem.
Internal parasites become a health hazard to your flock when conditions such as high stress, other health ailments, improper management, or a poor diet lead to a supressed immune system.
When internal worms become parasitic, they use a chicken as a host for getting nutrition and for reproducing. Worms will attach themselves to an internal organ and steal nutrients from a chicken’s intestines or bloodstream. If given the chance, the worms will thrive and start reproducing.
Intestinal parasites may cause blockages or steal so much nutrition that the chicken starts to become malnourished. Other internal parasites that affect different parts of the body can also cause similar problems of blockages, irritation, and malnourishment.
When a chicken is suffering from a worm overload, its health will decline. The chicken will start showing signs of not being able to handle the parasites naturally. Eventually, a worm overload can lead to death. For more details on identifying a worm problem, head on over to Does my Chicken Have Worms?.
Having a natural internal parasite prevention plan in place can prevent worms from becoming unmanagable. A good prevention plan will also keep your flock’s immune system strong and healthy.
Why Not Use Drugs?
When it comes to preventing internal parasites, you have two options: drugs or natural preventatives. Drugs are medications that the commercial industry has created to manage internal parasites in livestock. Natural preventatives are holistic remedies that are naturally derived and not synthetically created.
For chickens, there are only two FDA-approved drugs for treating or preventing internal parasites: piperazine and hygromycin-B. Ivermectin, levamisole, and benzimidazoles are off-label drugs that can also be used to treat or prevent parasites.
Some recommend an annual or bi-annual dose of a drug de-wormer as an internal parasite preventative plan. However, there are several reasons why you would not want to use drugs on your homestead flock.
Withdrawal Periods:
Any drug used to treat internal parasites also comes with a withdrawal period.
A withdrawal period is the amout of time you have to wait before you can consume the meat or eggs from treated chickens. This just ensures that none of the drug is transferred to humans.
Antibiotic:
Drug de-wormers work by either interferring with how the parasite feeds (starving it) or by paralyzing the parasite so that it can be expelled from the body. Drug-dewormers may also affect the benefical microbes and good gut-flora in a chicken’s intestines. Some drug de-wormers also act as an antibiotic.
Often times, use of a drug de-wormer needs to be followed up with supplemental probiotics or a vitamin/mineral supplement. The supplements will help get the gut back into good health and boost the immune system. That way a parasites overload does not become a re-occurring problem.
Treatment, not Preventative:
Drug medications are not natural ways of preventing internal parasites. They are powerful medications that can be used to treat, but not necessarily prevent, internal parasites. When drug de-wormers are used on a regular occassion, internal parasites can become resistant to the drug. Which means the drug is then ineffective. Even using multiple drug de-wormers at different intervals can still lead to parasites becoming immune to the affects of the drug.
While drugs can be effective at treating parasite overloads, they do not function well as an internal parasite preventative.
Natural preventatives function as a much better, and healthier, way to control and prevent internal parasites in the homestead flock.
How do Natural Preventatives Work?
Instead of drugs, there are several different natural alternatives that homesteaders can use. Natural worm preventatives contain organic compounds that can help prevent or control internal parasites. Natural preventatives work by making the environment within a chicken’s body inhospitable to the parasites survival. Certain natural preventatives also contain compounds which can temporarily paralyze parasites if it is given in large enough quantities.
Natural preventatives don’t cause an egg or meat withdrawal period. They work with a chicken’s body to naturally build up the immune system, cleanse out parasites, and make the body an unsuitable environment for parasites to live. Natural preventatives can be used year-round as part of a parasite preventative plan.
Many natural preventatives can be home-sourced, making them economical and sustainable.
Most natural preventatives have not been proven to be reliably effective on parasite overloads. However, there have been studies done on how natural worm preventatives and treatments can be helpful for raising a natural (or organic) flock.
Due to the nature of how natural preventatives function, they often work extremely well as part of a natural internal parasite prevention plan.
How to Prevent Worms Naturally
When it comes to making an internal parasite prevention plan for your homestead flock, there are four areas where you should make sure you impliment preventative practices: your flock’s diet, flock management, proper cleaning, and using natural preventatives.
5 Diet Tips:
A healthy, strong immune system is what helps a chicken fight internal parasites. Keeping the immune system strong means ensuring your flock gets a nutritious, well-rounded, and balanced natural diet. These dietary essentials should be part of your flock’s natural parasite prevention plan.
#1. A Complete Diet–
Your flock should get all their nutritional needs from a properly formulated, balanced chicken feed. The feed should also be appropiate for their age. Whether the feed be a home-mixed ration or a pre-formulated chicken feed, it should contain all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and carbs that a chicken needs to stay healthy. A mash feed or whole-grain feed works best for the homestead flock.
#2. Proper Vitamin A and B Vitamins–
Vitamin A and the B vitamin complex make it especially hard for internal parasites to thrived inside of a chicken. By providing your flock with healthy treats that are high in these vitamins you can ensure your flock is getting an adequate amount to fight parasites. Here are some healthy snacks you can give your flock that contain vitamin A and B vitamins:
- Vitamin A: carrots, sweet potatoe, winter squash, spinach, pumpkin, cantalope
- B Vitamins: sardines, leafy greens, cooked meat, whole grains (like quinoa and whole oats)
#3. Animal Protein–
Protein, or rather the amino acids that make up protein, are the building blocks for nearly everything in a chicken’s body. Protein also helps strengthen the immune system and build resistance to internal parasites. Sources of animal-based protein can provide a wide range of helpful amino acids that build a strong immune system.
Make sure you check out this list of different protein sources for chickens!
#4. Balance-
A balanced diet is essential for preventing dietary deficiencies that can open the way for internal parasites to cause problems. Make sure your flock has a balanced intake of their daily feed, natural supplements, and healthy treats.
#5. Proper Feeding Techinques–
It is essential that your flock does not consume feed or treats that have been contaminated with feces, since feces can easily spread parasite eggs or larvae. Supplying feed in hanging feeders or an enclosed feeding system can keep a majority of the food off the ground. Feed treats in treat bowls, dishes, or hanging treat dispensers to minimize how much they get spread on the ground.
7 Managment Tips:
Since internal parasites come from the environment, proper flock management is one of the most important things you can do to prevent internal parasites from becoming a health hazard. Here are some good flock management practices to put in place as part of a natural parasite prevention plan.
#1. Block Access to Dirty Water Sources–
Water sources that can become contaminated with feces or are allowed to stagnate can become a source for internal parasites. Try to keep your flock from drinking dirty water by cleaning up dirty water sources or blocking access to sources such as mud puddles, swamps, or bogs.
#2. Control Intermediate Hosts-
Intermediate hosts are the insects and bugs that some worm species need to use as part of their lifecycle. When a chicken consumes an intermediate host, it then becomes infected with worms. Prevent your chickens from consuming large quantities of beetles, cockroaches, earthworms, grasshoppers, slugs, snails, flies, and ants. Controlling intermediate hosts naturally can include practices such as regular cleaning, herbal repellants, and maintaining a healthy free-range pasture or enclosure.
#3. Use Proper Pasture Raising Techniques–
If you pasture-raise your chickens, you will want to make sure you implement proper pasture maintenance to break-up internal parasite life cycles. Rotate your flock through different pastures on a regular basis. Mow and till pastures that aren’t in use.
#4. Proper Space–
Have the proper amount of coop and enclosure space for the size of your flock. Overcrowing can lead to a spread and overload of internal parasites quickly.
#5. Help Young Birds and New Birds Build Immunity–
Give young chickens and new chickens plenty of time to acclimate before integrating them into your flock so they build immunity to local internal parasites. Also make sure any new birds you add to your flock don’t already come with a parasite problem that could spread to your flock.
#6. Keep Different Poultry Species Seperate–
While homesteaders have raised mixed flocks for many years, it does increase the chance of internal parasites spreading from one species to another. Ducks like wet and muddy areas that can become a source of internal parasites for chickens.
#7. Promote Natural Immunity-
While good cleaning and proper feeding techniques are essential for preventing the spread of internal parasites, you should also help your flock build up a natural immunity to worms. When chickens come in contact with small amounts of internal parasites, their immune system can slowly build up immunity to the parasites. Foraging for treats on the ground (as long as the ground is cleaned regularly, like weekly) and free-ranging are great ways to help your flock build immunity. Helping young chickens build parasite immunity as they grow is also important.
6 Proper Cleaning Tips:
Since parasite larvae and eggs can be spread through feces, proper cleaning is essential. Internal parasites also like damp, wet areas so cleaning up any potential worm habitat sources is a necessary part of your flock’s internal parasite prevention plan.
Remember, the coop and enclosure don’t have to be perfectly clean, as your flock does need to build natural immunity to things in their environment. However, a regular cleaning schedule can help prevent a build-up of parasite breeding habitat and the spread of a parasite eggs or larvae.
#1. Clean up Droppings–
Cleaning up nightly droppings on a daily basis should be one chore you do every day. Droppings boards, poop slings, or trays can be helpful for managing night-time droppings and making disposal of them easy in the morning.
#2. Clean the Coop–
Doing a thorough coop cleaning once a year can help break up any parasite life cycles and ensures you remove any sources of internal parasites.
#3. Clean the Enclosure–
The enclosure can be a place where your flock can build natural immunity. However, it should also be properly managed so as not to be a source where parasites and other harmful disease can thrive. Having well-draining litter or promoting the process of composting in the chicken coop enclosure can be great ways to manage droppings in the enclosure. Also make sure there are no sources of standing water in the enclosure.
Here is how I keep a ‘clean’ enclosure that also promotes flock immunity to natural diseases!
#4. Regular Coop Litter Maintenance–
Clean the chicken coop litter as regularly as needed depending on the type of litter you use. Here is a guide to using different chicken coop litters on the homestead!
#5. Clean Water Sources Daily–
Scrub waterers at least every other day and make sure you use a water system that prevents dirt or feces from contaminating the water.
#6. Minimize Wet Places–
Proper cleaning of the coop and enclosure should help you minimize wet litter mats, a build up of droppings, or otherwise damp and wet places that can be sources of internal parasites. When doing your weekly or daily cleaning routine, make sure you look for any wet or damp areas that got overlooked and may need to be cleaned up.
4 Tips for Using Natural Preventatives:
The last part of your flock’s natural internal parasite prevention plan should be including natural preventatives in their diet. Like we mentioned earlier, natural preventatives are a great alternative to drug-based de-wormers. Natural preventatives can be used on a regular or seasonal basis.
Natural preventatives can come in pre-made formulas or they can come from natural sources such as vegetables, herbs, and other foods.
#1. When to Use Pre-Made Formulas-
With an increased interest in natural chicken keeping, there are now several pre-made formulas with natural ingredients that can be used to prevent or even treat internal parasites in chickens. Pre-made natural formulas are best to use when you suspect the beginnings of a worm overload. They are also helpful during times when your flock is at higher risk of succumbing to internal parasites.
#2. Regular Use Maintenance Preventatives-
Maintenance preventatives are treats or supplements you can give your flock on a year-round basis to help them build a strong immune system and to help their body become an inhospitable place for parasites to survive. Some healthy maintenance preventatives include:
- crushed garlic
- cabbage and broccoli leaves
- nasturtium
- coarsly chopped carrots
- spices: tumeric, ginger, clove
#3. Seasonal Preventatives-
Some natural preventatives are best offered on a seasonal basis. These preventatives tend to be stronger acting or they may only be available during certain seasons on the homestead. Here are some seasonal based internal parasite preventatives to offer during the spring and fall:
- pumpkins– especially the raw seeds
- squash- especially the raw seeds
- cucumbers- especially the raw seeds
- tarragon- in moderation
- cayenne- in moderation
- apple cider vinegar– supplement during the fall and winter
- blackstrap molasses- use as a flushing agent for ridding the body of parasites
#4. Offer Free-Choice–
Most natural parasite preventatives you can offer to your flock as a free-choice snack. Some preventatives will be quickly gobbled up, others will be pecked at here and there as your flock sees fit. Unless you are specifically using a natural preventative as a treatment, then offer preventatives as healthy treats or snacks that your flock can eat as they choose.
Most pre-made natural formulas come with instructions for proper use, so make sure you follow the instructions on the bottle or supplement packaging.
When to Up a Prevention Plan
While implementing basic internal parasite prevention practices is essential for year-round prevention, there may be times when you need to up your internal parasite prevention plan. Think of what causes a chicken’s immune system to become surpressed… stress and disease are the two major immune system surpressants.
Stress can be caused by sudden weather changes, changes in flock dynamics, or a predator attack. Spring and fall are notorious for having sudden weather swings. They are often seasons associated with a higher risk for internal parasite problems. Upping your prevention plan during these time is key to keeping your flock parasite free. Here are some ways to increase internal parasite prevention during the spring and fall:
Fall Preventatives:
- provide free-choice access to pumpkins, winter squashes or gourds
- use a natural de-wormer product for 5-7 days
- make a natural de-worming paste using natural preventatives and offer it to your flock free-choice
Spring Preventatives:
- stay on top of keeping the enclosure dry and free from standing water or mud
- provide weekly garlic water or free-choice garlic
- use a natural de-wormer product or homemade paste
- use natural de-worming herbs as a fermented feed topper
Building the immune system back up after another health ailment or disease is also essential for keeping internal parasites from becoming the next health problem. If you suspect some symptoms may be indicating a worm overload, you will want to start implementing some more targeted natural parasite remedies that may help treat the issue. Here are some great ways to boost immunity after a chicken has been ill:
- Give probiotics to restore proper gut health.
- Supply garlic water for building up a strong immune system and repelling parasites.
- Ensure a vitamin and mineral rich diet. Healthy, nutrient rich snacks can be helpful such as leafy greens, berries, vegetables, or meat-based protein sources (like eggs, cooked chicken, or dried black soldier fly grubs).
- Use natural de-worming herbs as a supplement on top of fermented feed or healthy treats.
Knowing how to prevent worms in chicken naturally is essential for keeping internal parasites from becoming a health hazard to your flock! Many of the preventative practices that you implement can be used both as internal parasite prevention and as a way to keep your flock healthy in general. Proper flock management, a balanced diet, good cleaning practices, and providing alternative preventatives are all great elements of a natural internal parasite prevention plan for your homestead flock!
Don’t miss any other tips on raising a homestead flock naturally and sustainably! We love sharing our tips with other modern pioneers in our modern pioneer newsletter!
by Alexa
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