How Do I Know If My Chicken Has Worms?
How Do I Know If My Chicken Has Worms?
The most reliable way to know is a fecal float test, which your veterinarian can run from a fresh dropping sample. According to UC Davis Veterinary Medicine, the most common internal parasites in California backyard flocks are roundworms (Ascaridia galli), cecal worms (Heterakis gallinarum), and capillary worms (Capillaria species).
Visible signs that suggest a worm problem include weight loss despite good appetite, pale combs, decreased egg production, diarrhea (sometimes with visible worms in droppings), and a generally dull or hunched appearance. In heavy infestations, you may see long, white roundworms in droppings or even in eggs, though this means the parasite load is already significant.
Here in Santa Cruz County, our damp coastal winters create ideal conditions for worm eggs to survive in soil. Free-range flocks are at higher risk because they forage across a larger area and pick up parasite eggs from the ground. My flock in Boulder Creek has access to a 35-by-15-foot enclosed run plus supervised garden time, and I still do fecal checks twice a year, usually in spring and fall.
Getting a fecal test is straightforward and inexpensive. Collect a fresh dropping (less than a few hours old) in a sealed plastic bag, keep it cool, and bring it to your vet. Several veterinarians in Santa Cruz County handle poultry and can run a fecal float in the office. The test identifies which parasites are present and how heavy the load is, which matters because the treatment differs depending on the worm species.
If your vet confirms worms, the standard treatment for backyard poultry is fenbendazole (sold as Safe-Guard or Panacur), which is effective against most common poultry worms. Penn State Extension notes that proper dosing and a follow-up treatment 10 to 14 days later are important to catch worms that were in the egg stage during the first round. There is an egg withdrawal period after treatment, so ask your vet about the timeline before eating eggs from treated birds.
For prevention, rotate your birds off the same ground when possible, keep the run well drained, and remove droppings from the coop regularly. Worm eggs survive longest in moist, shaded soil, so improving drainage and sunlight exposure in your run helps break the cycle.
This week: Collect a fresh dropping from your flock and bring it to your vet for a fecal float test. It takes minutes and costs very little.
