While there are homeopathic and herbal concoctions made specifically for treating internal parasites in chickens, I like to try and source supplements from around the homestead for treating my flock’s health ailments. There are many natural supplements and herbs which contain anti-parasitic properties helpful for both preventing and treating internal parasites in chickens. These natural wormers are technically called vermifuges. The following natural wormers for chickens are ones that I incorporate into my flock’s diet to prevent worms. There are also some natural supplements that I use solely for treating worm overloads as well. Using natural wormers for chickens helps you avoid having to use drug wormers. Natural wormers are healthier for you, your flock, and the environment.
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What Worms Can be Treated Naturally?
Since many natural worming supplements are foods that your flock eats, natural wormers are most effective against internal parasites that affect the crop, stomach, intestines, and other parts of the digestive system of a chicken. However, they can also help prevent internal parasites in other parts of the body.
Natural wormers not only work to treat a worm overload, but they also work to make the body inhospitable to internal parasites. A strong immune system can help fight parasites in all parts of a chicken’s body.
Many natural wormers are effective against roundworms and tapeworms.
Keep in mind that no confirmed studies have been done on the reliableness of natural wormers. How effective a natural worm treatment is may depend on the type of natural wormer you use and the degree of the infestation.
How to Use Natural Wormers
Most natural wormers don’t actively work to kill the internal worms. Instead they make the environment inside the chicken less suitable of an environment for the worms to survive. They also work with the body to boost the immune system and keep the gut flora healthy. Which are both factors that can help a chicken deal with small quantities of internal parasites.
Natural wormers are best to use in conjugation with one another. Combining a strong natural vermifuge with complimentary natural worm preventatives can make an effective natural worm treatment. Natural worm treatments can take the form of a homemade paste, a tonic, or a mixture of free-choice snacks and supplements.
You should focus on natural wormers during the spring and fall. Those seasons tend to be when worms are at peak activity. Many internal parasites are also on 4 week moon-based egg laying cycle. Treating your flock with a natural worm preventative or treatment is most effective when done a few days before a full moon.
You can use strong natural dewormers when you know your flock has worms. Other supplements that contain milder anti-parasitic properties can be used on a regular basis to prevent worms.
Brassicas
Main Use: preventative
Brassicas are a family of vegetables that include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, radishes, and turnips. The flowering herb, nasturtium, is also part of this group. These foods must be fed raw in order for their anti-parasitic properties to be effective.
Brassicas contain a sulfur compound that helps repel internal parasites. The sulfur compound is what gives those vegetables their distinct taste.
Keep in mind that different brassicas will contain varying levels of the sulfur compound. Some brassicas are more effective in preventing internal parasites because they have stronger sulfur compounds. For broccoli and cauliflower, the leaves have stronger sulfur compounds than the florets.
How to Use Brassicas:
The sulfur compound in brassicas doesn’t have a dramatic effect on internal parasites. That means these vegetables are best to use as a natural worm preventative. They can help make the chicken’s body an inhospitable place so that if small quantities of parasites do enter the body, they meet an environment not suited for their survival.
Giving your flock healthy snacks of cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower leftovers, radishes, and turnips can act as a great internal parasite preventative.
Don’t offer these vegetables on too regular of a basis since they can affect the thyroid gland if consumed in excess. You may choose to focus on these vegetables during the spring and fall when internal parasites tend to be more of a problem.
Since nasturtium is more an herbal flower, you can use it a little more freely with your flock. I like to use nasturtium as a fermented feed topper during the summer and fall.
Cucurbits
Main Use: preventative and treatment
Cucurbits are a family of vegetables that includes cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins. The natural worming power of cucurbits is mostly present in their seeds. The seeds contain a protective coating composed of the amino acid cucurbitine.
Cucurbitine has been reportably affective against certain species of roundworm and tapeworm. The cucurbitine acts to paralyze the worms and causes degeneration of the parasites’ reproductive system.
Again, the seeds of different cucurbits will have varying levels of cucurbitine. Pumpkins and winter squashes are the most effective against internal parasites. The seeds must be consumed in a raw state in order for the cucurbitine to be preserved and effective.
How to Use Cucurbits:
Cucurbits are an excellent natural parasite preventative and you can use them as a parasite treatment option too. Keep in mind that any natural wormer will not work exactly like a drug wormer. The cucurbitine will need to be present in large enough quantities on a regular basis to fight a worm infestation.
A great way to encourage your flock to eat cucurbits raw is by providing your flock with free-choice pumpkins and squash during the fall. The whole veggies will provide a great boredom buster and the flesh provides numerous health benefits. Then, of course, the seeds work to treat any existing worms and prevent any future worms.
To use as a treatment, you are better off using straight, raw seeds on a specific treatment plan. You can blend the seeds up to make them more palatable and easier to incorporate into the diet on a daily basis. Add the crushed seeds to your flock’s feed or mix it into a worming paste. You can also add them to healthy daily treats like soaked oats, cooked quinoa, fermented feed, or scrambled eggs.
Garlic
Main Use: preventative and treatment
Garlic has all-around amazing benefits for your homestead flock! Aside from its many other benefits, garlic is also anti-parasitic. It contains the organic compound, ajoene, along with various sulfur compounds. These organic compounds work to make the chicken’s insides an inhospitable place for internal parasites.
The compound ajoene is also though to effect the lifecyle of some worms. This prevents them from maturing into reproductively active adults.
In order for the ajoene to be present in the garlic, raw garlic cloves need to be crushed for at least 24 hours. When garlic is crushed the compound allicin is created, which provides numerous health benefits. After 24 hours, the allicin converts to ajoene which provides the anti-parasitic properties.
How to Use Garlic:
Garlic is a strong vermifuge that you can use as both an internal parasite preventative or treatment.
The easiest way to provide fresh, crushed garlic to your flock is by giving them garlic water. Simply crush at least 4 cloves of garlic into one gallon of water and offer it as your flock’s water source. You may need to let your flock slowly adjust to the new flavored water. Start off with one clove of garlic and then work your way up to adding 4 cloves.
You can crush as many as 6 cloves of garlic in one gallon of water depending on the size of the cloves. Allow the garlic water to be available for 36-48 hours. This ensures your flock gets the compound ajoene which forms after 24 hours of the garlic being crushed.
As a preventative, offer garlic water to your flock at least once a week. As a treatment, include crushed garlic that has set for 24 hours in a natural worming paste or feed it orally. It can also added to healthy treats or included in other natural worming treats.
Wormwood
Main Use: treatment
Wormwood is part of a family of plants that has great anti-parasitic properties. This family includes several specices of wormwood, mugwort, and tarragon. The organic compound in wormwood that fights internal parasites is called thujone.
Thujone is a neurotoxin. As a neurotoxin, thujone affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis of the internal parasites. However, thujone is so strong that it can also affect the nervous system of a chicken if it is consumed in too large of quantities.
Different species of wormwood have varying levels of thujone. Wormwood itself and mugwort may contain the highest levels of thujone. Tarragon still contains thujone, just in safer quantities. Other herbs that also contain small amounts of thujone include sage, tansy, and oregano.
The form in which you offer wormwood to your flock will also affect how much thujone is present. Dried wormwood, and related plants, contains minimal thujone.
How to Use Wormwood:
Since wormwood is such a strong natural vermifuge, it is best to use it as a natural treatment for worm overloads. While wormwood and mugwort will be the most effective, they should also be used with extreme caution to prevent overdosing and harming your flock.
Other plants and herbs that contain thujone are helpful as natural parasite preventatives. You can combine them with other natural wormers to make a natural parasite treatment. Herbs like sage, oregano, and tarragon can be steeped into a tea or added to treats on a regular basis to act as a preventative.
You can also grow wormwood and other thujone containing herbs around the chicken yard. Your flock can peck at the plants as they wish to recieve the benefits.
Diatomaceous Earth
Main Use: not recommended
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is sometimes thought of a natural dewormer for chickens. However, its anti-parasitic properties are questionable. Theoretically, DE works on internal parasites the same way that it does on external parasites. By slicing the parasite’s body or dehydrating the parasite, DE might kill or inhibit the worm. Along with that thought is also the consideration that DE may also do the same thing to a chicken’s intestines or internal organs.
However, DE must first be exposed to a chicken’s salvia and crop acids. Those acids pretty much soften the DE, making it ineffective in that way. One way in which DE may help prevent internal parasites is due to its high mineral content, especially calcium. Internal parasites don’t thrive in environments high in calcium and other trace minerals.
How to Use DE:
I don’t generally recommend using DE as natural internal parasite preventative or treatment. Since I don’t know how DE affects the insides of a chicken, I’m not real wild about giving it to my flock. DE is also like a very fine powder. The fine powder is harmful to a chicken’s respiratory system if it is breathed in.
If you do want to try DE, make sure you buy food-grade DE that is not crystalline or calcined and does not contain harmful additives. DE should not make up more than 2% of your flock’s daily feed (2 cups per 50lb bag).
Black Walnut
Main Use: treatment
Black walnuts are another strong natural vermifuge. Much like wormwood, the same properties that are devestating to internal parasites can also have affacts on the chicken if it consumed in too large of quantities. The main compounds in black walnuts that fight parasites are tannins and juglone.
Tannins are toxic to worms and work to kill the worms. Juglone is naurally antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, and is a fungicide. These properties are especially affective against tapeworms. Black walnuts also work to oxygenize the blood, which kills internal parasites.
The best part of the black walnut to use for deworming properties is the black walnut hull. Black walnut is anti-parasitic and works as a laxative to flush out the parasites.
How to Use Black Walnut:
Since black walnut hulls are a strong vermifuge, they are best to use as a natural treatment for worm overloads. Chickens will more than likely not be inclined to eat the tough walnut hulls. You need to make a paste or a tonic with the hulls to use as a dewormer.
Keep in mind that tannins can be toxic to chickens if consumed in large quantities or on a regular basis. The tannins cause kidney and liver damage that can be fatal. With that in mind, you may want to supplement with milk thistle to help protect the liver when you are treating a parasite overload with black walnut.
To prevent any long term damage from occuring, use black walnut tonics as a natural treatment option when your chickens have worms. Use other natural dewormers as natural preventatives.
Carrots
Main Use: part of a treatment plan
While carrots aren’t techinically a vermifuge, they can help rid the body of parasites by scraping the parasites from the stomach and intestines. They also provide good fiber to pass the parasites through the body so they can be expelled.
Carrots that have been chopped are the most effective. Their rough edges can help cleanse the stomach and intestines. While it is not known for sure that carrots work like this, since they may be broken down too much in the crop, it doesn’t hurt to include carrots in your flock’s natural worm preventative or treatment. The beneficial fiber content and other nutrients can help expel or prevent worms.
Other course vegetables that are chopped can also work in the same way.
How to Use Carrots:
Since carrots don’t kill or inhibit parasites, they should be used along side of stronger natural wormers. You can offer chopped carrots as a free-choice snack along with other deworming snacks. Or you can include them as part of a natural worm treatment plan for your flock.
As a side note, other fiberous grains and vegetables are beneficial for chickens when you are trying to rid them of a parasite overload. Use fiberous foods in conjungtion with strong natural vermifuges, like cucurbits, wormwood, or black walnut.
Other high fiber foods include bran, psylllium (naturally found in the herb plantain), and whole oats.
Black-strap Molasses
Main Use: part of a treatment plan
Like carrots, black-strap molasses does not have strong vermifuge properties. However, it is helpful for ridding the body of internal parasites when a worm overload occurs. Black-strap molasses can be used as a flushing agent to get rid of dead or paralyzed parasites. In addition to flushing the body, black-strap molasses also provides beneficial vitamins and minerals.
How to Use Molasses:
A black-strap molasses flush can be done when you know your flock has an internal parasite overload that has been treated with other natural, strong vermifuges. To do a black-strap molasses flush, combine 3 T. of molasses in 1 gallon of water and provide it as your flock’s water source for 8 hours. Then provide fresh water afterwards. Make sure you thoroughly clean-up any droppings after the flush to remove the parasites from the environment.
Alternatively, you can include black-strap molasses as part of a natural deworming paste or concoction. Keep in mind that too much molasses will cause diarrhea. While some diarrhea may be necessary to flush out the worms, extended bouts of diarrhea will lead to dehydration and can be dangerous.
Other Supplements to Prevent Internal Parasites
The natural supplements listed above are the main ones to consider when making an internal parasite prevention plan or treatment plan. However, there are also several other supplements that can be offered year-round or included as part of a prevention plan for dealing with internal parasites in chickens.
Here are a few other supplements that can be beneficial for preventing internal parasites. These supplements can also be used as a follow-up to a worm treatment to restore healthy gut flora and make the immune system strong again.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar turns the digestive system into an alkaline environment, which is inhospitable to internal parasites. Keep in mind that vinegar also has other affects on a chicken’s body which you can read about here.
Vitamins & Electrolytes
Vitamins and electrolytes can help prevent vitamin deficincies and dehydration, both of which will weaken the immune system. By giving your flock an occassional vitamin and electrolyte supplement you can help prevent a weakening immune system which could lead to a parasite overload.
Probiotics
Probiotics helps the gut maintain good gut flora. Good gut flora is necessary for preventing internal parasites from thriving. A weekly or bi-weekly supplement of probiotics can be a strong defense against internal parasites. It can also help the gut recover from a worm overload.
Fermented Feed
Fermented feed is an excellent source of natural probiotics and enhanced nutrition. If you feed your flock fermented feed on a regular basis you won’t need to provide an additional probiotic supplement as often.
Pomegranate & Pineapple
Pomagranate is known to be a good natural preventative and possible treatment against tapeworms. The compounds in the pomagrante work to expel the worms from the digestive system. Pineapple is another fruit that can help prevent internal parasites. It aids in the digestion of protein, which is needed for building a strong immune system.
Thyme
Thyme is an anti-parasitic herb that is effective against hookworms. You can feed either fresh or dried thyme to your flock. Add 1 T. of thyme per 1 lb. of food or add dried thyme to healthy treats and fermented feed.
Bone Broth
Bone broth promotes a healthy gut and boosts the immune system. It can be offered free-choice for your chickens to drink or it can be included in healthy treats like broth-soaked oats or broth-cooked quinoa.
Black Cumin
Black cumin seed is often thought of as a cure-all supplement. It is nutrient dense and works as an antioxidant by stimulating immune cell production. Black cumin seeds contains anti-parasitic compounds that affects the reproductive systems of worms. It also works to reduce inflammation caused by internal parasites. Black cumin seed can be incorporated into your flock’s diet as a free-choice supplement or mixed into healthy treats.
Grated Veggies
Lastly, nutrient dense veggies can help provide the vitamins needed to maintain a strong immune system. Watercress, fennel, and leafy greens are especially helpful to include in an anti-parasitic diet.
Incorporating some of these natural wormers into your flock’s diet on a regular basis can help your chickens build a strong immune system and have a healthy gut. They work great as a natural way to prevent internal parasites year-round. Other natural supplements are so strong, they can be used a part of a natural treatment plan when you know your flock has an internal parasite overload. Knowing what supplements have the potential to effectively rid your flock of internal parasites is a great way to be prepared for treating worm overloads in chickens naturally!
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by Alexa
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