Watch For Poultry Worms
p. 85 · Read in the full issue
A poultryman is always faced with the prospect of having some of his flock with worms, for worm infection occurs in almost every area of the world. Generally speaking it could be said infected flocks are more common than those which are uninfected. rpHE severity of infection is relative, A and the poultryman should keep a sharp watch on his flock to ensure the infection is kept at a low level, Parasite loads in a laree flock varv greatly bitween individual birds, and the number of worms per bird is not always a gauge of flock infection.
Taking the large roundworm Ascaridia galli as an example of the above, in a flock of 10,000 birds perhaps fewer than 500 will carry more than 25 per cent, of the entire worm burden. Naturally this makes it difficult to judge the condition of the flock. And the flock condition should interest the poultryman more than just individual birds when he is assessing the degree of infestation from which his flock suffers.
A flock with a history of worm infestation will have considerable moult and poor egg production.
There will often be a complaint of small egg size, and poor shell texture.
Flocks most apt to be involved are those on old ranges, dirt floors, old litter, and where overcrowding occurs or multiple ages are kept.
Infested flocks will generally have too many culls and some birds with soiled vents. Growing birds will look uneven and show retarded or ruffled feathering. Often diarrhoea will develop.
Select birds for worm counts but avoid picking only culls and choose “* ‘ yPiCal ° f fl ° Ck T . f h j th t , y p W( ? rms p “1? * h ® a^ Ua „ ™ s ‘S eI ” selv ?. s / . OWls may be m P° or flesh Wlth la .y in f J* ds *f D aTe “ a :* A u a , J?™?! i llooned ’ thlc . k ,p Af • the 18 Zfi 8 , Very the mtestmes la “ d and the mucosa scra P es y y ’
Mature round and cecal worms c^ n , be spotted directly by opening the intestines and ceca. The job of finding immature worms and the small, corkscrew capillaria worms is more difficult, About two feet of intestine has to be removed, then slit carefully and the contents strained. When straining mucous and other material is flushed away and everything left in the fine wire strainer is put in a pint jar almost full of water. Hold the jar up to the light and any small worms will be seen in the water.