Prevention of InteStinal Worms in pickens

Itpound LSR~RI of

O~Rt ~M AND E C McCULLOCH

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middot 11

A Clean Flock in a Clean Environment

The poultry disease problem on many farms has emshyphasized in recent years the danger of attempting to use the same ground for poultry year after year There are certain advantages in free range for poultry for a limited time However as practiced on many farms thru a period of 25 to 50 years with an increasing number of chickens and inadequate care heavy contamination of the top layers of soil has intensified the worm problem

Worm infestation is the most widespread of any poulshytry disease in Illinois Affected flocks not only are less profitable but they are also more susceptible to contagious diseases than are those free from worms The heaviest infestation generally centers around the chicken house and improperly drained ground

Clean houses clean feed pure water together with clean ground as provided by the double yarding system and placing young chicks on new ground are reliable measshyures in preventing worms and other diseases in fowls

Urbana Illinois June 1929

Prevention of Intestinal Worms in ChickensBy ROBERT GRAHAM and E C MCCULLOCH

Intestinal parasites in chickens are widespread in Illinois farmflocks During middotthe past five years approximately 60 percent of themature fowls sent to the Illinois Experiment Station for diagnosishave shown either roundworm or tapeworm infestation These parashysites take a heavy toll each year in poultry profits The lowered vitality of flocks from worm infestation also paves the way for the developshyment of other diseases to which poultry are susceptible

Worms in the intestines are traceable to premises contaminatedwith worm eggs Premises become contaminated thru failure to rotatechicken yards or as the result of allowing chickens a free range Onmany farms where serious worm infestation has been encountered itis not uncommon to find that chickens have had access to the barnshyyard for a quarter of a century or more Heavily infested flocksbecome unthrifty Flocks mildly infested may show no symptoms of illshyness but the presence of worms in dropping is a danger signal Gradushyally the ground surrounding the house becomes highly infested whilelosses on contaminated ground increase from year to year Uncleandark damp poultry houses also favor the development of worm eggsPoorly drained ground with pools of stagnant water is likewise asource of danger (Fig 1)

Aside from insanitary surroundings the worm problem is comshymonly intensified on many Illinois farms by overstocking coupled withthe continuous use of the same ground year after year

Two Kinds of Intestinal Worms Chickens are affected by two general types of intestinal wormsshy

roundworms and tapewormsThe large roundworm is 3 to 4 inches long and is found in the

intestine (Fig 2) The small roundworm lives in the ceca or blindpouch and is less than one-half inch in length (Fig 3) Theseworms do not attach themselves to the intestinal wall or to the cecaBoth types of roundworm resemble earthworms in shape

Tapeworms are flat segmented ribbon-like organisms (Figs 4 and5) They cling to the wall of the small intestine Several species arefound in chickens They vary in length from several inches down tomicroscopic forms in fact some are so small as to appear whitishinpoint specks on the lining of the intestine

lROBERT GRAHAM Chief in Animal Pathology and Hygiene and E C McshyCULLOCH formerly First Assistant in Animal Pathology and Hygiene

3

4 CIRCULAR No 3-14

FIG I-POORLY DRAINED INSANITARY YARDS PERshy

PETUATE WORMS

Poultry houses should be located away from ground that is not well drained Pools of water are conducive to the development of para~itic eggs

FIG 2-LARGE ROUNDWORMS (ACTUAL SIZE)

The roundworms shown above are crawling from the open end of a section of intestine from an infected chicken They are not attached to the lining In heavy infestation this parasite may entirely fill the lumen of the intestine

INTESTINAL VORMS IN CHICKENS 5

FIG 3-SMALL ROUNDWORMS OR CECAL WORM S (ACTUAL SIZE)

These worms are found only in the blindpouches or ceca They remain free in the cecalcontents unattached to the wall of the intestine

FIG 4-LARGE TAPEWORMS (Two-THIRDS ACTUAL SIZE)

The intestine of a fowl badly infested withtapeworms may contain a mass of slender flatsegmented white worms Each tapeworm is at shytached to the lining of the intestine Some formsof tapeworm in fowls are barely visible to the unshyaided eye

6 CIRCULAR No 344

Worms Lower Vitality and Pave Way for Other Diseases

All intestinal worms are harmful The injury they do depends largely on the degree of the infestation and the length of time the fowls have harbored the parasites Chronically infested chickens may show pronounced worm symptoms and serious inflammatory changes

FIG S-INVERTED INTESTINE SHOWING TAPEWORMS ATshy

TACHED TO THE INSIDE WALL (ACTUAL SIZE)

While these worms could not be seen from the outshyside of the intestine they were disclosed as shown above when the intestine was turned inside out

in the intestines tho relatively few worms may be present In the absence of worms a parasitic enteritis in fowls may be easily confused with other diseases characterized by inflamed intestines

The damage that a small number of intestinal worms can do by lowering the vitality middotof the flock is often underestimated Reduction in egg yield or loss of flesh as a result of worm infestation may often escape attention until the flock is badly infested Because worm inshyfestation is not recognized losses directly traceable to intestinal worms may appear secondary in importance to those resulting from conshytagious diseases However lowered vitality from worm infestation often paves the way for the other diseases Worm infestation may be the forerunner of fowl cholera and fowl typhoid while increased susceptibility to colds bronchitis chicken pox and roup are not inshyfrequently traceable to worm infestation Worms may also serve as inoculating agents and aid in the spread of blackhead and other conshytagious diseases

Chickens Poisoned by Worms

The prevailing opinion that intestinal worms do the greatest damshyage thru absorption of food is not confirmed by observations in inshy

7 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

fested flocks Loss of nutrients altho a factor is secondary to enterishytis The inflamed and thickened intestine is incapable of normal dishygestion and assimilation of food Proof of the injurious efshyfect of worms is commonly obshyserved in fowls that fail to imshyprove in condition following the treatment and expulsion of the worms In such cases the intesshytinal injury is well-marked

Poisons produced by worms in the digestive tube are absorbed along with other poisons from the intestines One of the poisons manufactured by worms appears capable of destroying the red blood cells and producing sympshytoms of anemia Affectedchickens are pale about the eyes comb and wattles Another poison genshyerated by worms affects the nerve centers that control motion The symptoms produced include lameness drooping wings lack of coordination of movements pashyralysis ( Fig 6) wryneck and blindness A specific disease charshyacterized by paralysis should not be confused with paralysis assoshyciated with worms coccidiosis internal tumors and vitamin deshyficiencies

FIG 6-PARALYSIS DUE TO INTESTINAL

PARASITES

It is difficult to tell by external exshyamination whether paralysis is caused by parasites or by one of several disshyeases If a special neuritis is present the nerve trunks of the legs and wings will be found at autopsy to be disshycolored and enlarged but in paralysis due to worms no visible alteration can be seen In worm infestation there is also an enteritis or inflammation of the intestine

How Chickens Get Roundworms

Roundworms develop from microscopic eggs less than one threeshyhundredth of an inch in diameter (Fig 7) The eggs are laid by the female worm in the intestine of infested fowls and are passed from the intestine in the droppings in large numbers When moisture and temperature conditions are favorable a small embryo or larva develops in the worm egg Only when the egg reaches the embryo stage is it infective nonembryonated eggs taken in with food and water are incapable of causing roundworms Winter weather or lack of moisture will delay egg development to the infective stage but the eggs will remain dormant and continue their development when moisture and temperature conditions become favorable Owing toshy

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middot 11

A Clean Flock in a Clean Environment

The poultry disease problem on many farms has emshyphasized in recent years the danger of attempting to use the same ground for poultry year after year There are certain advantages in free range for poultry for a limited time However as practiced on many farms thru a period of 25 to 50 years with an increasing number of chickens and inadequate care heavy contamination of the top layers of soil has intensified the worm problem

Worm infestation is the most widespread of any poulshytry disease in Illinois Affected flocks not only are less profitable but they are also more susceptible to contagious diseases than are those free from worms The heaviest infestation generally centers around the chicken house and improperly drained ground

Clean houses clean feed pure water together with clean ground as provided by the double yarding system and placing young chicks on new ground are reliable measshyures in preventing worms and other diseases in fowls

Urbana Illinois June 1929

Prevention of Intestinal Worms in ChickensBy ROBERT GRAHAM and E C MCCULLOCH

Intestinal parasites in chickens are widespread in Illinois farmflocks During middotthe past five years approximately 60 percent of themature fowls sent to the Illinois Experiment Station for diagnosishave shown either roundworm or tapeworm infestation These parashysites take a heavy toll each year in poultry profits The lowered vitality of flocks from worm infestation also paves the way for the developshyment of other diseases to which poultry are susceptible

Worms in the intestines are traceable to premises contaminatedwith worm eggs Premises become contaminated thru failure to rotatechicken yards or as the result of allowing chickens a free range Onmany farms where serious worm infestation has been encountered itis not uncommon to find that chickens have had access to the barnshyyard for a quarter of a century or more Heavily infested flocksbecome unthrifty Flocks mildly infested may show no symptoms of illshyness but the presence of worms in dropping is a danger signal Gradushyally the ground surrounding the house becomes highly infested whilelosses on contaminated ground increase from year to year Uncleandark damp poultry houses also favor the development of worm eggsPoorly drained ground with pools of stagnant water is likewise asource of danger (Fig 1)

Aside from insanitary surroundings the worm problem is comshymonly intensified on many Illinois farms by overstocking coupled withthe continuous use of the same ground year after year

Two Kinds of Intestinal Worms Chickens are affected by two general types of intestinal wormsshy

roundworms and tapewormsThe large roundworm is 3 to 4 inches long and is found in the

intestine (Fig 2) The small roundworm lives in the ceca or blindpouch and is less than one-half inch in length (Fig 3) Theseworms do not attach themselves to the intestinal wall or to the cecaBoth types of roundworm resemble earthworms in shape

Tapeworms are flat segmented ribbon-like organisms (Figs 4 and5) They cling to the wall of the small intestine Several species arefound in chickens They vary in length from several inches down tomicroscopic forms in fact some are so small as to appear whitishinpoint specks on the lining of the intestine

lROBERT GRAHAM Chief in Animal Pathology and Hygiene and E C McshyCULLOCH formerly First Assistant in Animal Pathology and Hygiene

3

4 CIRCULAR No 3-14

FIG I-POORLY DRAINED INSANITARY YARDS PERshy

PETUATE WORMS

Poultry houses should be located away from ground that is not well drained Pools of water are conducive to the development of para~itic eggs

FIG 2-LARGE ROUNDWORMS (ACTUAL SIZE)

The roundworms shown above are crawling from the open end of a section of intestine from an infected chicken They are not attached to the lining In heavy infestation this parasite may entirely fill the lumen of the intestine

INTESTINAL VORMS IN CHICKENS 5

FIG 3-SMALL ROUNDWORMS OR CECAL WORM S (ACTUAL SIZE)

These worms are found only in the blindpouches or ceca They remain free in the cecalcontents unattached to the wall of the intestine

FIG 4-LARGE TAPEWORMS (Two-THIRDS ACTUAL SIZE)

The intestine of a fowl badly infested withtapeworms may contain a mass of slender flatsegmented white worms Each tapeworm is at shytached to the lining of the intestine Some formsof tapeworm in fowls are barely visible to the unshyaided eye

6 CIRCULAR No 344

Worms Lower Vitality and Pave Way for Other Diseases

All intestinal worms are harmful The injury they do depends largely on the degree of the infestation and the length of time the fowls have harbored the parasites Chronically infested chickens may show pronounced worm symptoms and serious inflammatory changes

FIG S-INVERTED INTESTINE SHOWING TAPEWORMS ATshy

TACHED TO THE INSIDE WALL (ACTUAL SIZE)

While these worms could not be seen from the outshyside of the intestine they were disclosed as shown above when the intestine was turned inside out

in the intestines tho relatively few worms may be present In the absence of worms a parasitic enteritis in fowls may be easily confused with other diseases characterized by inflamed intestines

The damage that a small number of intestinal worms can do by lowering the vitality middotof the flock is often underestimated Reduction in egg yield or loss of flesh as a result of worm infestation may often escape attention until the flock is badly infested Because worm inshyfestation is not recognized losses directly traceable to intestinal worms may appear secondary in importance to those resulting from conshytagious diseases However lowered vitality from worm infestation often paves the way for the other diseases Worm infestation may be the forerunner of fowl cholera and fowl typhoid while increased susceptibility to colds bronchitis chicken pox and roup are not inshyfrequently traceable to worm infestation Worms may also serve as inoculating agents and aid in the spread of blackhead and other conshytagious diseases

Chickens Poisoned by Worms

The prevailing opinion that intestinal worms do the greatest damshyage thru absorption of food is not confirmed by observations in inshy

7 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

fested flocks Loss of nutrients altho a factor is secondary to enterishytis The inflamed and thickened intestine is incapable of normal dishygestion and assimilation of food Proof of the injurious efshyfect of worms is commonly obshyserved in fowls that fail to imshyprove in condition following the treatment and expulsion of the worms In such cases the intesshytinal injury is well-marked

Poisons produced by worms in the digestive tube are absorbed along with other poisons from the intestines One of the poisons manufactured by worms appears capable of destroying the red blood cells and producing sympshytoms of anemia Affectedchickens are pale about the eyes comb and wattles Another poison genshyerated by worms affects the nerve centers that control motion The symptoms produced include lameness drooping wings lack of coordination of movements pashyralysis ( Fig 6) wryneck and blindness A specific disease charshyacterized by paralysis should not be confused with paralysis assoshyciated with worms coccidiosis internal tumors and vitamin deshyficiencies

FIG 6-PARALYSIS DUE TO INTESTINAL

PARASITES

It is difficult to tell by external exshyamination whether paralysis is caused by parasites or by one of several disshyeases If a special neuritis is present the nerve trunks of the legs and wings will be found at autopsy to be disshycolored and enlarged but in paralysis due to worms no visible alteration can be seen In worm infestation there is also an enteritis or inflammation of the intestine

How Chickens Get Roundworms

Roundworms develop from microscopic eggs less than one threeshyhundredth of an inch in diameter (Fig 7) The eggs are laid by the female worm in the intestine of infested fowls and are passed from the intestine in the droppings in large numbers When moisture and temperature conditions are favorable a small embryo or larva develops in the worm egg Only when the egg reaches the embryo stage is it infective nonembryonated eggs taken in with food and water are incapable of causing roundworms Winter weather or lack of moisture will delay egg development to the infective stage but the eggs will remain dormant and continue their development when moisture and temperature conditions become favorable Owing toshy

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Prevention of Intestinal Worms in ChickensBy ROBERT GRAHAM and E C MCCULLOCH

Intestinal parasites in chickens are widespread in Illinois farmflocks During middotthe past five years approximately 60 percent of themature fowls sent to the Illinois Experiment Station for diagnosishave shown either roundworm or tapeworm infestation These parashysites take a heavy toll each year in poultry profits The lowered vitality of flocks from worm infestation also paves the way for the developshyment of other diseases to which poultry are susceptible

Worms in the intestines are traceable to premises contaminatedwith worm eggs Premises become contaminated thru failure to rotatechicken yards or as the result of allowing chickens a free range Onmany farms where serious worm infestation has been encountered itis not uncommon to find that chickens have had access to the barnshyyard for a quarter of a century or more Heavily infested flocksbecome unthrifty Flocks mildly infested may show no symptoms of illshyness but the presence of worms in dropping is a danger signal Gradushyally the ground surrounding the house becomes highly infested whilelosses on contaminated ground increase from year to year Uncleandark damp poultry houses also favor the development of worm eggsPoorly drained ground with pools of stagnant water is likewise asource of danger (Fig 1)

Aside from insanitary surroundings the worm problem is comshymonly intensified on many Illinois farms by overstocking coupled withthe continuous use of the same ground year after year

Two Kinds of Intestinal Worms Chickens are affected by two general types of intestinal wormsshy

roundworms and tapewormsThe large roundworm is 3 to 4 inches long and is found in the

intestine (Fig 2) The small roundworm lives in the ceca or blindpouch and is less than one-half inch in length (Fig 3) Theseworms do not attach themselves to the intestinal wall or to the cecaBoth types of roundworm resemble earthworms in shape

Tapeworms are flat segmented ribbon-like organisms (Figs 4 and5) They cling to the wall of the small intestine Several species arefound in chickens They vary in length from several inches down tomicroscopic forms in fact some are so small as to appear whitishinpoint specks on the lining of the intestine

lROBERT GRAHAM Chief in Animal Pathology and Hygiene and E C McshyCULLOCH formerly First Assistant in Animal Pathology and Hygiene

3

4 CIRCULAR No 3-14

FIG I-POORLY DRAINED INSANITARY YARDS PERshy

PETUATE WORMS

Poultry houses should be located away from ground that is not well drained Pools of water are conducive to the development of para~itic eggs

FIG 2-LARGE ROUNDWORMS (ACTUAL SIZE)

The roundworms shown above are crawling from the open end of a section of intestine from an infected chicken They are not attached to the lining In heavy infestation this parasite may entirely fill the lumen of the intestine

INTESTINAL VORMS IN CHICKENS 5

FIG 3-SMALL ROUNDWORMS OR CECAL WORM S (ACTUAL SIZE)

These worms are found only in the blindpouches or ceca They remain free in the cecalcontents unattached to the wall of the intestine

FIG 4-LARGE TAPEWORMS (Two-THIRDS ACTUAL SIZE)

The intestine of a fowl badly infested withtapeworms may contain a mass of slender flatsegmented white worms Each tapeworm is at shytached to the lining of the intestine Some formsof tapeworm in fowls are barely visible to the unshyaided eye

6 CIRCULAR No 344

Worms Lower Vitality and Pave Way for Other Diseases

All intestinal worms are harmful The injury they do depends largely on the degree of the infestation and the length of time the fowls have harbored the parasites Chronically infested chickens may show pronounced worm symptoms and serious inflammatory changes

FIG S-INVERTED INTESTINE SHOWING TAPEWORMS ATshy

TACHED TO THE INSIDE WALL (ACTUAL SIZE)

While these worms could not be seen from the outshyside of the intestine they were disclosed as shown above when the intestine was turned inside out

in the intestines tho relatively few worms may be present In the absence of worms a parasitic enteritis in fowls may be easily confused with other diseases characterized by inflamed intestines

The damage that a small number of intestinal worms can do by lowering the vitality middotof the flock is often underestimated Reduction in egg yield or loss of flesh as a result of worm infestation may often escape attention until the flock is badly infested Because worm inshyfestation is not recognized losses directly traceable to intestinal worms may appear secondary in importance to those resulting from conshytagious diseases However lowered vitality from worm infestation often paves the way for the other diseases Worm infestation may be the forerunner of fowl cholera and fowl typhoid while increased susceptibility to colds bronchitis chicken pox and roup are not inshyfrequently traceable to worm infestation Worms may also serve as inoculating agents and aid in the spread of blackhead and other conshytagious diseases

Chickens Poisoned by Worms

The prevailing opinion that intestinal worms do the greatest damshyage thru absorption of food is not confirmed by observations in inshy

7 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

fested flocks Loss of nutrients altho a factor is secondary to enterishytis The inflamed and thickened intestine is incapable of normal dishygestion and assimilation of food Proof of the injurious efshyfect of worms is commonly obshyserved in fowls that fail to imshyprove in condition following the treatment and expulsion of the worms In such cases the intesshytinal injury is well-marked

Poisons produced by worms in the digestive tube are absorbed along with other poisons from the intestines One of the poisons manufactured by worms appears capable of destroying the red blood cells and producing sympshytoms of anemia Affectedchickens are pale about the eyes comb and wattles Another poison genshyerated by worms affects the nerve centers that control motion The symptoms produced include lameness drooping wings lack of coordination of movements pashyralysis ( Fig 6) wryneck and blindness A specific disease charshyacterized by paralysis should not be confused with paralysis assoshyciated with worms coccidiosis internal tumors and vitamin deshyficiencies

FIG 6-PARALYSIS DUE TO INTESTINAL

PARASITES

It is difficult to tell by external exshyamination whether paralysis is caused by parasites or by one of several disshyeases If a special neuritis is present the nerve trunks of the legs and wings will be found at autopsy to be disshycolored and enlarged but in paralysis due to worms no visible alteration can be seen In worm infestation there is also an enteritis or inflammation of the intestine

How Chickens Get Roundworms

Roundworms develop from microscopic eggs less than one threeshyhundredth of an inch in diameter (Fig 7) The eggs are laid by the female worm in the intestine of infested fowls and are passed from the intestine in the droppings in large numbers When moisture and temperature conditions are favorable a small embryo or larva develops in the worm egg Only when the egg reaches the embryo stage is it infective nonembryonated eggs taken in with food and water are incapable of causing roundworms Winter weather or lack of moisture will delay egg development to the infective stage but the eggs will remain dormant and continue their development when moisture and temperature conditions become favorable Owing toshy

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4 CIRCULAR No 3-14

FIG I-POORLY DRAINED INSANITARY YARDS PERshy

PETUATE WORMS

Poultry houses should be located away from ground that is not well drained Pools of water are conducive to the development of para~itic eggs

FIG 2-LARGE ROUNDWORMS (ACTUAL SIZE)

The roundworms shown above are crawling from the open end of a section of intestine from an infected chicken They are not attached to the lining In heavy infestation this parasite may entirely fill the lumen of the intestine

INTESTINAL VORMS IN CHICKENS 5

FIG 3-SMALL ROUNDWORMS OR CECAL WORM S (ACTUAL SIZE)

These worms are found only in the blindpouches or ceca They remain free in the cecalcontents unattached to the wall of the intestine

FIG 4-LARGE TAPEWORMS (Two-THIRDS ACTUAL SIZE)

The intestine of a fowl badly infested withtapeworms may contain a mass of slender flatsegmented white worms Each tapeworm is at shytached to the lining of the intestine Some formsof tapeworm in fowls are barely visible to the unshyaided eye

6 CIRCULAR No 344

Worms Lower Vitality and Pave Way for Other Diseases

All intestinal worms are harmful The injury they do depends largely on the degree of the infestation and the length of time the fowls have harbored the parasites Chronically infested chickens may show pronounced worm symptoms and serious inflammatory changes

FIG S-INVERTED INTESTINE SHOWING TAPEWORMS ATshy

TACHED TO THE INSIDE WALL (ACTUAL SIZE)

While these worms could not be seen from the outshyside of the intestine they were disclosed as shown above when the intestine was turned inside out

in the intestines tho relatively few worms may be present In the absence of worms a parasitic enteritis in fowls may be easily confused with other diseases characterized by inflamed intestines

The damage that a small number of intestinal worms can do by lowering the vitality middotof the flock is often underestimated Reduction in egg yield or loss of flesh as a result of worm infestation may often escape attention until the flock is badly infested Because worm inshyfestation is not recognized losses directly traceable to intestinal worms may appear secondary in importance to those resulting from conshytagious diseases However lowered vitality from worm infestation often paves the way for the other diseases Worm infestation may be the forerunner of fowl cholera and fowl typhoid while increased susceptibility to colds bronchitis chicken pox and roup are not inshyfrequently traceable to worm infestation Worms may also serve as inoculating agents and aid in the spread of blackhead and other conshytagious diseases

Chickens Poisoned by Worms

The prevailing opinion that intestinal worms do the greatest damshyage thru absorption of food is not confirmed by observations in inshy

7 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

fested flocks Loss of nutrients altho a factor is secondary to enterishytis The inflamed and thickened intestine is incapable of normal dishygestion and assimilation of food Proof of the injurious efshyfect of worms is commonly obshyserved in fowls that fail to imshyprove in condition following the treatment and expulsion of the worms In such cases the intesshytinal injury is well-marked

Poisons produced by worms in the digestive tube are absorbed along with other poisons from the intestines One of the poisons manufactured by worms appears capable of destroying the red blood cells and producing sympshytoms of anemia Affectedchickens are pale about the eyes comb and wattles Another poison genshyerated by worms affects the nerve centers that control motion The symptoms produced include lameness drooping wings lack of coordination of movements pashyralysis ( Fig 6) wryneck and blindness A specific disease charshyacterized by paralysis should not be confused with paralysis assoshyciated with worms coccidiosis internal tumors and vitamin deshyficiencies

FIG 6-PARALYSIS DUE TO INTESTINAL

PARASITES

It is difficult to tell by external exshyamination whether paralysis is caused by parasites or by one of several disshyeases If a special neuritis is present the nerve trunks of the legs and wings will be found at autopsy to be disshycolored and enlarged but in paralysis due to worms no visible alteration can be seen In worm infestation there is also an enteritis or inflammation of the intestine

How Chickens Get Roundworms

Roundworms develop from microscopic eggs less than one threeshyhundredth of an inch in diameter (Fig 7) The eggs are laid by the female worm in the intestine of infested fowls and are passed from the intestine in the droppings in large numbers When moisture and temperature conditions are favorable a small embryo or larva develops in the worm egg Only when the egg reaches the embryo stage is it infective nonembryonated eggs taken in with food and water are incapable of causing roundworms Winter weather or lack of moisture will delay egg development to the infective stage but the eggs will remain dormant and continue their development when moisture and temperature conditions become favorable Owing toshy

UI ~S1UaAald

eaI~

)urtd Ifestation ~

~tr ~ cC~lt r t-Jvit ~ a 4c

ltt shy~ c-

INTESTINAL VORMS IN CHICKENS 5

FIG 3-SMALL ROUNDWORMS OR CECAL WORM S (ACTUAL SIZE)

These worms are found only in the blindpouches or ceca They remain free in the cecalcontents unattached to the wall of the intestine

FIG 4-LARGE TAPEWORMS (Two-THIRDS ACTUAL SIZE)

The intestine of a fowl badly infested withtapeworms may contain a mass of slender flatsegmented white worms Each tapeworm is at shytached to the lining of the intestine Some formsof tapeworm in fowls are barely visible to the unshyaided eye

6 CIRCULAR No 344

Worms Lower Vitality and Pave Way for Other Diseases

All intestinal worms are harmful The injury they do depends largely on the degree of the infestation and the length of time the fowls have harbored the parasites Chronically infested chickens may show pronounced worm symptoms and serious inflammatory changes

FIG S-INVERTED INTESTINE SHOWING TAPEWORMS ATshy

TACHED TO THE INSIDE WALL (ACTUAL SIZE)

While these worms could not be seen from the outshyside of the intestine they were disclosed as shown above when the intestine was turned inside out

in the intestines tho relatively few worms may be present In the absence of worms a parasitic enteritis in fowls may be easily confused with other diseases characterized by inflamed intestines

The damage that a small number of intestinal worms can do by lowering the vitality middotof the flock is often underestimated Reduction in egg yield or loss of flesh as a result of worm infestation may often escape attention until the flock is badly infested Because worm inshyfestation is not recognized losses directly traceable to intestinal worms may appear secondary in importance to those resulting from conshytagious diseases However lowered vitality from worm infestation often paves the way for the other diseases Worm infestation may be the forerunner of fowl cholera and fowl typhoid while increased susceptibility to colds bronchitis chicken pox and roup are not inshyfrequently traceable to worm infestation Worms may also serve as inoculating agents and aid in the spread of blackhead and other conshytagious diseases

Chickens Poisoned by Worms

The prevailing opinion that intestinal worms do the greatest damshyage thru absorption of food is not confirmed by observations in inshy

7 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

fested flocks Loss of nutrients altho a factor is secondary to enterishytis The inflamed and thickened intestine is incapable of normal dishygestion and assimilation of food Proof of the injurious efshyfect of worms is commonly obshyserved in fowls that fail to imshyprove in condition following the treatment and expulsion of the worms In such cases the intesshytinal injury is well-marked

Poisons produced by worms in the digestive tube are absorbed along with other poisons from the intestines One of the poisons manufactured by worms appears capable of destroying the red blood cells and producing sympshytoms of anemia Affectedchickens are pale about the eyes comb and wattles Another poison genshyerated by worms affects the nerve centers that control motion The symptoms produced include lameness drooping wings lack of coordination of movements pashyralysis ( Fig 6) wryneck and blindness A specific disease charshyacterized by paralysis should not be confused with paralysis assoshyciated with worms coccidiosis internal tumors and vitamin deshyficiencies

FIG 6-PARALYSIS DUE TO INTESTINAL

PARASITES

It is difficult to tell by external exshyamination whether paralysis is caused by parasites or by one of several disshyeases If a special neuritis is present the nerve trunks of the legs and wings will be found at autopsy to be disshycolored and enlarged but in paralysis due to worms no visible alteration can be seen In worm infestation there is also an enteritis or inflammation of the intestine

How Chickens Get Roundworms

Roundworms develop from microscopic eggs less than one threeshyhundredth of an inch in diameter (Fig 7) The eggs are laid by the female worm in the intestine of infested fowls and are passed from the intestine in the droppings in large numbers When moisture and temperature conditions are favorable a small embryo or larva develops in the worm egg Only when the egg reaches the embryo stage is it infective nonembryonated eggs taken in with food and water are incapable of causing roundworms Winter weather or lack of moisture will delay egg development to the infective stage but the eggs will remain dormant and continue their development when moisture and temperature conditions become favorable Owing toshy

UI ~S1UaAald

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)urtd Ifestation ~

~tr ~ cC~lt r t-Jvit ~ a 4c

ltt shy~ c-

6 CIRCULAR No 344

Worms Lower Vitality and Pave Way for Other Diseases

All intestinal worms are harmful The injury they do depends largely on the degree of the infestation and the length of time the fowls have harbored the parasites Chronically infested chickens may show pronounced worm symptoms and serious inflammatory changes

FIG S-INVERTED INTESTINE SHOWING TAPEWORMS ATshy

TACHED TO THE INSIDE WALL (ACTUAL SIZE)

While these worms could not be seen from the outshyside of the intestine they were disclosed as shown above when the intestine was turned inside out

in the intestines tho relatively few worms may be present In the absence of worms a parasitic enteritis in fowls may be easily confused with other diseases characterized by inflamed intestines

The damage that a small number of intestinal worms can do by lowering the vitality middotof the flock is often underestimated Reduction in egg yield or loss of flesh as a result of worm infestation may often escape attention until the flock is badly infested Because worm inshyfestation is not recognized losses directly traceable to intestinal worms may appear secondary in importance to those resulting from conshytagious diseases However lowered vitality from worm infestation often paves the way for the other diseases Worm infestation may be the forerunner of fowl cholera and fowl typhoid while increased susceptibility to colds bronchitis chicken pox and roup are not inshyfrequently traceable to worm infestation Worms may also serve as inoculating agents and aid in the spread of blackhead and other conshytagious diseases

Chickens Poisoned by Worms

The prevailing opinion that intestinal worms do the greatest damshyage thru absorption of food is not confirmed by observations in inshy

7 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

fested flocks Loss of nutrients altho a factor is secondary to enterishytis The inflamed and thickened intestine is incapable of normal dishygestion and assimilation of food Proof of the injurious efshyfect of worms is commonly obshyserved in fowls that fail to imshyprove in condition following the treatment and expulsion of the worms In such cases the intesshytinal injury is well-marked

Poisons produced by worms in the digestive tube are absorbed along with other poisons from the intestines One of the poisons manufactured by worms appears capable of destroying the red blood cells and producing sympshytoms of anemia Affectedchickens are pale about the eyes comb and wattles Another poison genshyerated by worms affects the nerve centers that control motion The symptoms produced include lameness drooping wings lack of coordination of movements pashyralysis ( Fig 6) wryneck and blindness A specific disease charshyacterized by paralysis should not be confused with paralysis assoshyciated with worms coccidiosis internal tumors and vitamin deshyficiencies

FIG 6-PARALYSIS DUE TO INTESTINAL

PARASITES

It is difficult to tell by external exshyamination whether paralysis is caused by parasites or by one of several disshyeases If a special neuritis is present the nerve trunks of the legs and wings will be found at autopsy to be disshycolored and enlarged but in paralysis due to worms no visible alteration can be seen In worm infestation there is also an enteritis or inflammation of the intestine

How Chickens Get Roundworms

Roundworms develop from microscopic eggs less than one threeshyhundredth of an inch in diameter (Fig 7) The eggs are laid by the female worm in the intestine of infested fowls and are passed from the intestine in the droppings in large numbers When moisture and temperature conditions are favorable a small embryo or larva develops in the worm egg Only when the egg reaches the embryo stage is it infective nonembryonated eggs taken in with food and water are incapable of causing roundworms Winter weather or lack of moisture will delay egg development to the infective stage but the eggs will remain dormant and continue their development when moisture and temperature conditions become favorable Owing toshy

UI ~S1UaAald

eaI~

)urtd Ifestation ~

~tr ~ cC~lt r t-Jvit ~ a 4c

ltt shy~ c-

7 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

fested flocks Loss of nutrients altho a factor is secondary to enterishytis The inflamed and thickened intestine is incapable of normal dishygestion and assimilation of food Proof of the injurious efshyfect of worms is commonly obshyserved in fowls that fail to imshyprove in condition following the treatment and expulsion of the worms In such cases the intesshytinal injury is well-marked

Poisons produced by worms in the digestive tube are absorbed along with other poisons from the intestines One of the poisons manufactured by worms appears capable of destroying the red blood cells and producing sympshytoms of anemia Affectedchickens are pale about the eyes comb and wattles Another poison genshyerated by worms affects the nerve centers that control motion The symptoms produced include lameness drooping wings lack of coordination of movements pashyralysis ( Fig 6) wryneck and blindness A specific disease charshyacterized by paralysis should not be confused with paralysis assoshyciated with worms coccidiosis internal tumors and vitamin deshyficiencies

FIG 6-PARALYSIS DUE TO INTESTINAL

PARASITES

It is difficult to tell by external exshyamination whether paralysis is caused by parasites or by one of several disshyeases If a special neuritis is present the nerve trunks of the legs and wings will be found at autopsy to be disshycolored and enlarged but in paralysis due to worms no visible alteration can be seen In worm infestation there is also an enteritis or inflammation of the intestine

How Chickens Get Roundworms

Roundworms develop from microscopic eggs less than one threeshyhundredth of an inch in diameter (Fig 7) The eggs are laid by the female worm in the intestine of infested fowls and are passed from the intestine in the droppings in large numbers When moisture and temperature conditions are favorable a small embryo or larva develops in the worm egg Only when the egg reaches the embryo stage is it infective nonembryonated eggs taken in with food and water are incapable of causing roundworms Winter weather or lack of moisture will delay egg development to the infective stage but the eggs will remain dormant and continue their development when moisture and temperature conditions become favorable Owing toshy

UI ~S1UaAald

eaI~

)urtd Ifestation ~

~tr ~ cC~lt r t-Jvit ~ a 4c

ltt shy~ c-

UI ~S1UaAald

eaI~

)urtd Ifestation ~

~tr ~ cC~lt r t-Jvit ~ a 4c

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10 CIRCULAR No 344

the thick egg capsule neither freezing nor ordinary disinfectants deshystroys them

Tapeworms Spread by Intermediate Host

Tapeworms unlike roundworms require an intermediate host in which a period of their development takes place Not all the intershymediate hosts of fowl tapeworms are known Those recognized inshyclude house flies earthworms and snails The development of tapeshy

~1 ~

ROUNDWORM reGS ~MALL ROUNDWORM EGGS

FIG 7-EGGS OF INTESTINAL WORMS OF CHICKENS

Eggs of both large and small roundworms pass out of infested fowls with the droppings After several days a larva develops within each egg The emshybryonated eggs are then infective when taken in with feed or water In the inshytestinal tract they develop into mature worms Tapeworm eggs also pass from infected fowls with the droppings but they must undergo a certain phase of their development in an intermediate host Flies slugs and earthworms are the recshyognized intermediate hosts and when these are eaten by the chickens the tapeshyworm continues its development attaching itself to the wall of the intestine

worm eggs in the intermediate host is necessary without this host tapeworm eggs do not reach the infective stage (Fig 7)

A majority of the chicken tapeworms can be distinguished from roundworms by their flattened segmented character together with the fact that they are firmly attached to the lining of the intestines (Fig 5) The terminal segments of the mature tapeworm (3 to 20 in all) are complete units capable of reproduction Tapeworm segshyments containing eggs are passed in the droppings and if consumed

11 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

by house flies earthworms or snails certain stages of their developshyment take place After existing for a time as cysts in one of the intermediate hosts the larva grows to maturity When the infested intermediate host is eaten by fowl the larva of the tapeworm is reshyleased from the egg and attaches itself to the lining of the intestine Here it completes the life cycle by developing into the segmented worm

To prevent tapeworm infestation of a flock the life cycle of the parasite must be broken at some point This may be done by preshyventing the accumulation of chicken manure and other filth which constitute the breeding places of the intermediate hosts Screening of poultry houses to control flies is also recognized as a preventative measure Since earthworms and snails become infested thru eating the droppings of infested fowls rotation of lots plowing and cultivating will reduce this source of danger

Overstocking Favors Worms

Important contributing factors in the spread of intestinal worms in poultry are overstocking and the common practice of providing free range of the barnyard or the use of ground without proper rotashytion and cultivation Infested ground is chiefly responsible for pershypetuating the worm problem on many farms Keeping chickens on the same ground year after year favors the development of intestinal parasites irrespective of the size of the flock The smaller the area the greater the danger Small flocks with unlimited range suffer less from worms than large flocks Back-yard flocks with limited range are commonly infested

Chickens under six months of age are more susceptible to worm infestation than mature fowls Symptoms of unthriftiness and rapid loss of flesh generally end in death Over a longer period of time similar symptoms appear in mature fowls

Autopsy Necessary for Accurate Diagnosis

The same symptoms that indicate worm infestation-weakness paleness of the eyes and comb diarrhea lameness impaired vision or blindness paralysis wryneck-are also observed in other diseases A diagnosis based on symptoms alone may therefore be misleading To avoid error in diagnosis it often is necessary to select typically affected fowls for autopsy examination In some instances diagnosis may prove difficult for the reason that relatively few worms may be found and the thickening of the intestine as in worm infestations may also be caused by other diseases The local veterinarian can assist flock owners in diagnosing different diseases In obscure cases laboratory tests may be necessary to establish the character of the malady

12 CIRCULAR No 344

Poultry Sanitation Prevents Infestation

The most economical way to combat worms in poultry is by pracshyticing the essentials of simple poultry sanitation Swine growing has been revolutionized on many farms in the Middle West by simple sanitary measures Poultry sanitation properly applied is quite as effishycient in checking worm infestation in fowls (Fig 8)

FIG 8-CLEAN HOUSES ON A SUNNY WELL-DRAINED

LOCATION CHECK WORMS

Ground with a good natural drainage that has not been used for poultry for one year should be selected for the location of poultry houses

Preventive measures for controlling roundworms in poultry are not entirely effective for tapeworm infestation but the general proshycedure is the same Breeding places of flies and other insects should be destroyed Accumulations of chicken manure should be avoided and if necessary flies kept out of chicken houses by screening The danger from earthworms and snails which act as intermediate hosts for the tapeworm can be reduced by rotating lots and plowing and cultivating the land on which the chickens run

Results obtained in worm control are generally in keeping with the efficiency of the sanitary conditions Short cuts or makeshifts should be avoided The objective is to keep the worm eggs in the droppings of diseased birds from contaminating the feed and water This simple precaution enables owners to check the spread of worm infestation The following measures are being successfully employed by many flock owners in Illinois in cooperation with the Agricultural Extension Service of the University

House Sanitation-Poultry houses should be cleaned once a week and dropping boards daily Concrete runs for young stock have the advantage of being easily cleaned and disinfected thus eliminating

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICK E N S 13

all worm eggs before they become infective Poultry houses should have concrete or board floors with removable dropping boards under the roosts The houses should be disinfected once a month Remove and burn all dirt and droppings Scrub the floor side walls roosts and dropping boards with a solution consisting of 1 pound of lye to 40 gallons of boiling water After cleaning use a reliable disinshyfectant to spray the roost floors and walls

Clean Brooder H ouses-Brooder houses should be cleaned and disinfected and placed on fresh ground for chicks The floor should be cleaned once a week and oftener ~ f disease appears

Clean Feed and Water-Provide clean water and clean feed by using sanitary feed and water containers Keep the houses dry and well ventilated according to instructions outlined in Illinois Experishyment Station Circular 337 Housing Farm Poultry

Clean Ranges- Confine all mature fowls to a limited range area and do not allow them to run with other livestock Also keep the young chickens in confinement either on concrete runs or on a clean range of fresh grass clover or alfalfa over which no chickens of any age have run the previous year Provide extra range lots each year so that the unoccupied lots can be planted and cropped Worm control on the range can be accomplished by rotating the yards Fresh ground is better than medicine in preventing worm infestation

A nnual Flock T ests-Have all mature fowls tested each year for avian tuberculosis and bacillary white diarrhea by a competent local bull veterinarian and the reactors removed under his supervision

Use of Medicines in Worm Infestations

Simple fundamentals of poultry sanitation have enabled many owners to raise young stock relatively free from intestinal worms and to maintain healthy flocks Giving remedies on suspicion in unshydiagnosed poultry diseases often proves an expensive practice Medishycines do not destroy the worm eggs which are the fountain head of worm infestation these must be eliminated by providing poultry with sanitary surroundings Medicines furthermore may provide the owner with a false sense of security and lead him to neglect essential sanitary measures If medicinal remedies seem advisable those with the least danger should be selected Worm medicines in overdoses are poisonous to the fowls The poisonous properties which make them effective in expelling the worms should not be disregarded

A correct diagnosis is the first essential in treating any illness Since worm symptoms are often obscure and indefinite it is best to consult a qualified veterinarian in diagnosis and treatment for temshyporary relief in diseased flocks

Roundworm R emedies-Roundworm remedies are given in feed or by individual treatment Oil of Chenopodium carbon tetrachlorid

14 CIRCULAR No 344

tetrachlorethylene and nicotine sulfate are given in capsules or with a rubber tube a syringe or a funnel The dosage depends upon the weight of the fowl In badly infested flocks individual treatment should be repeated in five to ten days Feed should generally be withshyheld for twelve to twenty-four hours before the treatment is given Worm medicine should be avoided in hens in high egg production

The mixing of roundworm remedies in the feed is not entirely satisfactory Mass treatment eliminates the necessity of catching and dosing each chicken separately yet it does not insure proper dosage When flock treatment is given tobacco dust containing 1~ to 2 percent of nicotine may be used One pound of tobacco dust should be mixed with 49 pounds of dry mash The tobacco mixture should be fed to pullets only every other week The treatment may be continued for several months in mature fowls however egg production may be reduced if tobacco is fed longer than six months or if an overdose of nicotine is given As the tobacco loses its potency upon exposure to the air it should be mixed with the mash in quantities that may be consumed within a week

Tapeworm Remedies-Kamala in capsules is employed for indishyvidual treatment of fowls infested with tapeworms It is not necessary to starve chickens before giving kamala capsules Care must be used in giving the treatment since overdosing is harmful

Lye is sometimes used for tapeworms The lye-grain mixture may be prepared by adding 1 tablespoon of lye to 1 gallon of wheat

bull and oats mixed Cover the mixture with water and boil for one hour Stir the mixture and replace the water to prevent burning Allow the mixture to cool and feed it to fowls after they have been starved for twenty-four hours During the feeding of the mixture supply plenty of fresh water

All fowls treated for worms should be confined in a house If starved during the day and treated in the afternoon the dropping boards should be cleaned the next morning and the refuse burned in order to destroy the eggs and worms If the treatment is applied early in the day straw should be spread over the floor so that exshypelled worms and eggs can be removed and burned Treatments may be repeated after several days but permanent results seem dependent upon the adoption of a definite system of poultry sanitation

Capillaria Infestation

Since this circular was written Capillaria infestation has been encountered in five separate Illinois flocks of chickens This parasite according to Cram l has been found in Michigan Maryland Georgia

lCram E B A parasitic disease of the esophagus of turkeys North Amer Vet 7 46-48 October 1926 Nematodes of pathological significance found in some economically important birds in North America U S Dept of Agr Tech Bul 49 1-2 1928

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS 15

Mississippi and Louisiana but heretofore had not been recognized in Illinois farm flocks In both flocks where Capillarids were found symptoms of unthriftiness accompanied by gross lesions at autopsy

FIG 9-THICKENING OF THE INTESTINE DUE TO INFESTATION

OF CAPILLARIA

Capillaria infestation may be found in the crop as well as in the intestines When symptoms appear and no worms are found in the intestines the crop should be examined The gross lesions of capillaria vary from a mild inflammation to a marked thickening of the intestinal wall as shown above

FIG 10-EGGS OF CAPILLARIA SP

Worm eggs seen under the microscope in scrapings from the intestine of an infected fowl These eggs can be easily distinguished from eggs of other parasites by their shape Note the enlargement (operculum) on each end of the egg as shown on the enlarged egg

suggested the part which this parasite played in the production of unthriftiness emaciation and anemia The extent of Capillaria inshyfestation of poultry in Illinois remains to be established

Infestation of intestinal parasites can be avoided by providing sanitary conditions houses and ranges as suggested in this circular

Printed in furtherance of the Agricultural Extension Act apmiddot proved by Congress May 8 1914 H W MUMFORD Director Agricultural Extension Service University of Illinois

11 INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS

by house flies earthworms or snails certain stages of their developshyment take place After existing for a time as cysts in one of the intermediate hosts the larva grows to maturity When the infested intermediate host is eaten by fowl the larva of the tapeworm is reshyleased from the egg and attaches itself to the lining of the intestine Here it completes the life cycle by developing into the segmented worm

To prevent tapeworm infestation of a flock the life cycle of the parasite must be broken at some point This may be done by preshyventing the accumulation of chicken manure and other filth which constitute the breeding places of the intermediate hosts Screening of poultry houses to control flies is also recognized as a preventative measure Since earthworms and snails become infested thru eating the droppings of infested fowls rotation of lots plowing and cultivating will reduce this source of danger

Overstocking Favors Worms

Important contributing factors in the spread of intestinal worms in poultry are overstocking and the common practice of providing free range of the barnyard or the use of ground without proper rotashytion and cultivation Infested ground is chiefly responsible for pershypetuating the worm problem on many farms Keeping chickens on the same ground year after year favors the development of intestinal parasites irrespective of the size of the flock The smaller the area the greater the danger Small flocks with unlimited range suffer less from worms than large flocks Back-yard flocks with limited range are commonly infested

Chickens under six months of age are more susceptible to worm infestation than mature fowls Symptoms of unthriftiness and rapid loss of flesh generally end in death Over a longer period of time similar symptoms appear in mature fowls

Autopsy Necessary for Accurate Diagnosis

The same symptoms that indicate worm infestation-weakness paleness of the eyes and comb diarrhea lameness impaired vision or blindness paralysis wryneck-are also observed in other diseases A diagnosis based on symptoms alone may therefore be misleading To avoid error in diagnosis it often is necessary to select typically affected fowls for autopsy examination In some instances diagnosis may prove difficult for the reason that relatively few worms may be found and the thickening of the intestine as in worm infestations may also be caused by other diseases The local veterinarian can assist flock owners in diagnosing different diseases In obscure cases laboratory tests may be necessary to establish the character of the malady

12 CIRCULAR No 344

Poultry Sanitation Prevents Infestation

The most economical way to combat worms in poultry is by pracshyticing the essentials of simple poultry sanitation Swine growing has been revolutionized on many farms in the Middle West by simple sanitary measures Poultry sanitation properly applied is quite as effishycient in checking worm infestation in fowls (Fig 8)

FIG 8-CLEAN HOUSES ON A SUNNY WELL-DRAINED

LOCATION CHECK WORMS

Ground with a good natural drainage that has not been used for poultry for one year should be selected for the location of poultry houses

Preventive measures for controlling roundworms in poultry are not entirely effective for tapeworm infestation but the general proshycedure is the same Breeding places of flies and other insects should be destroyed Accumulations of chicken manure should be avoided and if necessary flies kept out of chicken houses by screening The danger from earthworms and snails which act as intermediate hosts for the tapeworm can be reduced by rotating lots and plowing and cultivating the land on which the chickens run

Results obtained in worm control are generally in keeping with the efficiency of the sanitary conditions Short cuts or makeshifts should be avoided The objective is to keep the worm eggs in the droppings of diseased birds from contaminating the feed and water This simple precaution enables owners to check the spread of worm infestation The following measures are being successfully employed by many flock owners in Illinois in cooperation with the Agricultural Extension Service of the University

House Sanitation-Poultry houses should be cleaned once a week and dropping boards daily Concrete runs for young stock have the advantage of being easily cleaned and disinfected thus eliminating

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICK E N S 13

all worm eggs before they become infective Poultry houses should have concrete or board floors with removable dropping boards under the roosts The houses should be disinfected once a month Remove and burn all dirt and droppings Scrub the floor side walls roosts and dropping boards with a solution consisting of 1 pound of lye to 40 gallons of boiling water After cleaning use a reliable disinshyfectant to spray the roost floors and walls

Clean Brooder H ouses-Brooder houses should be cleaned and disinfected and placed on fresh ground for chicks The floor should be cleaned once a week and oftener ~ f disease appears

Clean Feed and Water-Provide clean water and clean feed by using sanitary feed and water containers Keep the houses dry and well ventilated according to instructions outlined in Illinois Experishyment Station Circular 337 Housing Farm Poultry

Clean Ranges- Confine all mature fowls to a limited range area and do not allow them to run with other livestock Also keep the young chickens in confinement either on concrete runs or on a clean range of fresh grass clover or alfalfa over which no chickens of any age have run the previous year Provide extra range lots each year so that the unoccupied lots can be planted and cropped Worm control on the range can be accomplished by rotating the yards Fresh ground is better than medicine in preventing worm infestation

A nnual Flock T ests-Have all mature fowls tested each year for avian tuberculosis and bacillary white diarrhea by a competent local bull veterinarian and the reactors removed under his supervision

Use of Medicines in Worm Infestations

Simple fundamentals of poultry sanitation have enabled many owners to raise young stock relatively free from intestinal worms and to maintain healthy flocks Giving remedies on suspicion in unshydiagnosed poultry diseases often proves an expensive practice Medishycines do not destroy the worm eggs which are the fountain head of worm infestation these must be eliminated by providing poultry with sanitary surroundings Medicines furthermore may provide the owner with a false sense of security and lead him to neglect essential sanitary measures If medicinal remedies seem advisable those with the least danger should be selected Worm medicines in overdoses are poisonous to the fowls The poisonous properties which make them effective in expelling the worms should not be disregarded

A correct diagnosis is the first essential in treating any illness Since worm symptoms are often obscure and indefinite it is best to consult a qualified veterinarian in diagnosis and treatment for temshyporary relief in diseased flocks

Roundworm R emedies-Roundworm remedies are given in feed or by individual treatment Oil of Chenopodium carbon tetrachlorid

14 CIRCULAR No 344

tetrachlorethylene and nicotine sulfate are given in capsules or with a rubber tube a syringe or a funnel The dosage depends upon the weight of the fowl In badly infested flocks individual treatment should be repeated in five to ten days Feed should generally be withshyheld for twelve to twenty-four hours before the treatment is given Worm medicine should be avoided in hens in high egg production

The mixing of roundworm remedies in the feed is not entirely satisfactory Mass treatment eliminates the necessity of catching and dosing each chicken separately yet it does not insure proper dosage When flock treatment is given tobacco dust containing 1~ to 2 percent of nicotine may be used One pound of tobacco dust should be mixed with 49 pounds of dry mash The tobacco mixture should be fed to pullets only every other week The treatment may be continued for several months in mature fowls however egg production may be reduced if tobacco is fed longer than six months or if an overdose of nicotine is given As the tobacco loses its potency upon exposure to the air it should be mixed with the mash in quantities that may be consumed within a week

Tapeworm Remedies-Kamala in capsules is employed for indishyvidual treatment of fowls infested with tapeworms It is not necessary to starve chickens before giving kamala capsules Care must be used in giving the treatment since overdosing is harmful

Lye is sometimes used for tapeworms The lye-grain mixture may be prepared by adding 1 tablespoon of lye to 1 gallon of wheat

bull and oats mixed Cover the mixture with water and boil for one hour Stir the mixture and replace the water to prevent burning Allow the mixture to cool and feed it to fowls after they have been starved for twenty-four hours During the feeding of the mixture supply plenty of fresh water

All fowls treated for worms should be confined in a house If starved during the day and treated in the afternoon the dropping boards should be cleaned the next morning and the refuse burned in order to destroy the eggs and worms If the treatment is applied early in the day straw should be spread over the floor so that exshypelled worms and eggs can be removed and burned Treatments may be repeated after several days but permanent results seem dependent upon the adoption of a definite system of poultry sanitation

Capillaria Infestation

Since this circular was written Capillaria infestation has been encountered in five separate Illinois flocks of chickens This parasite according to Cram l has been found in Michigan Maryland Georgia

lCram E B A parasitic disease of the esophagus of turkeys North Amer Vet 7 46-48 October 1926 Nematodes of pathological significance found in some economically important birds in North America U S Dept of Agr Tech Bul 49 1-2 1928

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS 15

Mississippi and Louisiana but heretofore had not been recognized in Illinois farm flocks In both flocks where Capillarids were found symptoms of unthriftiness accompanied by gross lesions at autopsy

FIG 9-THICKENING OF THE INTESTINE DUE TO INFESTATION

OF CAPILLARIA

Capillaria infestation may be found in the crop as well as in the intestines When symptoms appear and no worms are found in the intestines the crop should be examined The gross lesions of capillaria vary from a mild inflammation to a marked thickening of the intestinal wall as shown above

FIG 10-EGGS OF CAPILLARIA SP

Worm eggs seen under the microscope in scrapings from the intestine of an infected fowl These eggs can be easily distinguished from eggs of other parasites by their shape Note the enlargement (operculum) on each end of the egg as shown on the enlarged egg

suggested the part which this parasite played in the production of unthriftiness emaciation and anemia The extent of Capillaria inshyfestation of poultry in Illinois remains to be established

Infestation of intestinal parasites can be avoided by providing sanitary conditions houses and ranges as suggested in this circular

Printed in furtherance of the Agricultural Extension Act apmiddot proved by Congress May 8 1914 H W MUMFORD Director Agricultural Extension Service University of Illinois

12 CIRCULAR No 344

Poultry Sanitation Prevents Infestation

The most economical way to combat worms in poultry is by pracshyticing the essentials of simple poultry sanitation Swine growing has been revolutionized on many farms in the Middle West by simple sanitary measures Poultry sanitation properly applied is quite as effishycient in checking worm infestation in fowls (Fig 8)

FIG 8-CLEAN HOUSES ON A SUNNY WELL-DRAINED

LOCATION CHECK WORMS

Ground with a good natural drainage that has not been used for poultry for one year should be selected for the location of poultry houses

Preventive measures for controlling roundworms in poultry are not entirely effective for tapeworm infestation but the general proshycedure is the same Breeding places of flies and other insects should be destroyed Accumulations of chicken manure should be avoided and if necessary flies kept out of chicken houses by screening The danger from earthworms and snails which act as intermediate hosts for the tapeworm can be reduced by rotating lots and plowing and cultivating the land on which the chickens run

Results obtained in worm control are generally in keeping with the efficiency of the sanitary conditions Short cuts or makeshifts should be avoided The objective is to keep the worm eggs in the droppings of diseased birds from contaminating the feed and water This simple precaution enables owners to check the spread of worm infestation The following measures are being successfully employed by many flock owners in Illinois in cooperation with the Agricultural Extension Service of the University

House Sanitation-Poultry houses should be cleaned once a week and dropping boards daily Concrete runs for young stock have the advantage of being easily cleaned and disinfected thus eliminating

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICK E N S 13

all worm eggs before they become infective Poultry houses should have concrete or board floors with removable dropping boards under the roosts The houses should be disinfected once a month Remove and burn all dirt and droppings Scrub the floor side walls roosts and dropping boards with a solution consisting of 1 pound of lye to 40 gallons of boiling water After cleaning use a reliable disinshyfectant to spray the roost floors and walls

Clean Brooder H ouses-Brooder houses should be cleaned and disinfected and placed on fresh ground for chicks The floor should be cleaned once a week and oftener ~ f disease appears

Clean Feed and Water-Provide clean water and clean feed by using sanitary feed and water containers Keep the houses dry and well ventilated according to instructions outlined in Illinois Experishyment Station Circular 337 Housing Farm Poultry

Clean Ranges- Confine all mature fowls to a limited range area and do not allow them to run with other livestock Also keep the young chickens in confinement either on concrete runs or on a clean range of fresh grass clover or alfalfa over which no chickens of any age have run the previous year Provide extra range lots each year so that the unoccupied lots can be planted and cropped Worm control on the range can be accomplished by rotating the yards Fresh ground is better than medicine in preventing worm infestation

A nnual Flock T ests-Have all mature fowls tested each year for avian tuberculosis and bacillary white diarrhea by a competent local bull veterinarian and the reactors removed under his supervision

Use of Medicines in Worm Infestations

Simple fundamentals of poultry sanitation have enabled many owners to raise young stock relatively free from intestinal worms and to maintain healthy flocks Giving remedies on suspicion in unshydiagnosed poultry diseases often proves an expensive practice Medishycines do not destroy the worm eggs which are the fountain head of worm infestation these must be eliminated by providing poultry with sanitary surroundings Medicines furthermore may provide the owner with a false sense of security and lead him to neglect essential sanitary measures If medicinal remedies seem advisable those with the least danger should be selected Worm medicines in overdoses are poisonous to the fowls The poisonous properties which make them effective in expelling the worms should not be disregarded

A correct diagnosis is the first essential in treating any illness Since worm symptoms are often obscure and indefinite it is best to consult a qualified veterinarian in diagnosis and treatment for temshyporary relief in diseased flocks

Roundworm R emedies-Roundworm remedies are given in feed or by individual treatment Oil of Chenopodium carbon tetrachlorid

14 CIRCULAR No 344

tetrachlorethylene and nicotine sulfate are given in capsules or with a rubber tube a syringe or a funnel The dosage depends upon the weight of the fowl In badly infested flocks individual treatment should be repeated in five to ten days Feed should generally be withshyheld for twelve to twenty-four hours before the treatment is given Worm medicine should be avoided in hens in high egg production

The mixing of roundworm remedies in the feed is not entirely satisfactory Mass treatment eliminates the necessity of catching and dosing each chicken separately yet it does not insure proper dosage When flock treatment is given tobacco dust containing 1~ to 2 percent of nicotine may be used One pound of tobacco dust should be mixed with 49 pounds of dry mash The tobacco mixture should be fed to pullets only every other week The treatment may be continued for several months in mature fowls however egg production may be reduced if tobacco is fed longer than six months or if an overdose of nicotine is given As the tobacco loses its potency upon exposure to the air it should be mixed with the mash in quantities that may be consumed within a week

Tapeworm Remedies-Kamala in capsules is employed for indishyvidual treatment of fowls infested with tapeworms It is not necessary to starve chickens before giving kamala capsules Care must be used in giving the treatment since overdosing is harmful

Lye is sometimes used for tapeworms The lye-grain mixture may be prepared by adding 1 tablespoon of lye to 1 gallon of wheat

bull and oats mixed Cover the mixture with water and boil for one hour Stir the mixture and replace the water to prevent burning Allow the mixture to cool and feed it to fowls after they have been starved for twenty-four hours During the feeding of the mixture supply plenty of fresh water

All fowls treated for worms should be confined in a house If starved during the day and treated in the afternoon the dropping boards should be cleaned the next morning and the refuse burned in order to destroy the eggs and worms If the treatment is applied early in the day straw should be spread over the floor so that exshypelled worms and eggs can be removed and burned Treatments may be repeated after several days but permanent results seem dependent upon the adoption of a definite system of poultry sanitation

Capillaria Infestation

Since this circular was written Capillaria infestation has been encountered in five separate Illinois flocks of chickens This parasite according to Cram l has been found in Michigan Maryland Georgia

lCram E B A parasitic disease of the esophagus of turkeys North Amer Vet 7 46-48 October 1926 Nematodes of pathological significance found in some economically important birds in North America U S Dept of Agr Tech Bul 49 1-2 1928

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS 15

Mississippi and Louisiana but heretofore had not been recognized in Illinois farm flocks In both flocks where Capillarids were found symptoms of unthriftiness accompanied by gross lesions at autopsy

FIG 9-THICKENING OF THE INTESTINE DUE TO INFESTATION

OF CAPILLARIA

Capillaria infestation may be found in the crop as well as in the intestines When symptoms appear and no worms are found in the intestines the crop should be examined The gross lesions of capillaria vary from a mild inflammation to a marked thickening of the intestinal wall as shown above

FIG 10-EGGS OF CAPILLARIA SP

Worm eggs seen under the microscope in scrapings from the intestine of an infected fowl These eggs can be easily distinguished from eggs of other parasites by their shape Note the enlargement (operculum) on each end of the egg as shown on the enlarged egg

suggested the part which this parasite played in the production of unthriftiness emaciation and anemia The extent of Capillaria inshyfestation of poultry in Illinois remains to be established

Infestation of intestinal parasites can be avoided by providing sanitary conditions houses and ranges as suggested in this circular

Printed in furtherance of the Agricultural Extension Act apmiddot proved by Congress May 8 1914 H W MUMFORD Director Agricultural Extension Service University of Illinois

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICK E N S 13

all worm eggs before they become infective Poultry houses should have concrete or board floors with removable dropping boards under the roosts The houses should be disinfected once a month Remove and burn all dirt and droppings Scrub the floor side walls roosts and dropping boards with a solution consisting of 1 pound of lye to 40 gallons of boiling water After cleaning use a reliable disinshyfectant to spray the roost floors and walls

Clean Brooder H ouses-Brooder houses should be cleaned and disinfected and placed on fresh ground for chicks The floor should be cleaned once a week and oftener ~ f disease appears

Clean Feed and Water-Provide clean water and clean feed by using sanitary feed and water containers Keep the houses dry and well ventilated according to instructions outlined in Illinois Experishyment Station Circular 337 Housing Farm Poultry

Clean Ranges- Confine all mature fowls to a limited range area and do not allow them to run with other livestock Also keep the young chickens in confinement either on concrete runs or on a clean range of fresh grass clover or alfalfa over which no chickens of any age have run the previous year Provide extra range lots each year so that the unoccupied lots can be planted and cropped Worm control on the range can be accomplished by rotating the yards Fresh ground is better than medicine in preventing worm infestation

A nnual Flock T ests-Have all mature fowls tested each year for avian tuberculosis and bacillary white diarrhea by a competent local bull veterinarian and the reactors removed under his supervision

Use of Medicines in Worm Infestations

Simple fundamentals of poultry sanitation have enabled many owners to raise young stock relatively free from intestinal worms and to maintain healthy flocks Giving remedies on suspicion in unshydiagnosed poultry diseases often proves an expensive practice Medishycines do not destroy the worm eggs which are the fountain head of worm infestation these must be eliminated by providing poultry with sanitary surroundings Medicines furthermore may provide the owner with a false sense of security and lead him to neglect essential sanitary measures If medicinal remedies seem advisable those with the least danger should be selected Worm medicines in overdoses are poisonous to the fowls The poisonous properties which make them effective in expelling the worms should not be disregarded

A correct diagnosis is the first essential in treating any illness Since worm symptoms are often obscure and indefinite it is best to consult a qualified veterinarian in diagnosis and treatment for temshyporary relief in diseased flocks

Roundworm R emedies-Roundworm remedies are given in feed or by individual treatment Oil of Chenopodium carbon tetrachlorid

14 CIRCULAR No 344

tetrachlorethylene and nicotine sulfate are given in capsules or with a rubber tube a syringe or a funnel The dosage depends upon the weight of the fowl In badly infested flocks individual treatment should be repeated in five to ten days Feed should generally be withshyheld for twelve to twenty-four hours before the treatment is given Worm medicine should be avoided in hens in high egg production

The mixing of roundworm remedies in the feed is not entirely satisfactory Mass treatment eliminates the necessity of catching and dosing each chicken separately yet it does not insure proper dosage When flock treatment is given tobacco dust containing 1~ to 2 percent of nicotine may be used One pound of tobacco dust should be mixed with 49 pounds of dry mash The tobacco mixture should be fed to pullets only every other week The treatment may be continued for several months in mature fowls however egg production may be reduced if tobacco is fed longer than six months or if an overdose of nicotine is given As the tobacco loses its potency upon exposure to the air it should be mixed with the mash in quantities that may be consumed within a week

Tapeworm Remedies-Kamala in capsules is employed for indishyvidual treatment of fowls infested with tapeworms It is not necessary to starve chickens before giving kamala capsules Care must be used in giving the treatment since overdosing is harmful

Lye is sometimes used for tapeworms The lye-grain mixture may be prepared by adding 1 tablespoon of lye to 1 gallon of wheat

bull and oats mixed Cover the mixture with water and boil for one hour Stir the mixture and replace the water to prevent burning Allow the mixture to cool and feed it to fowls after they have been starved for twenty-four hours During the feeding of the mixture supply plenty of fresh water

All fowls treated for worms should be confined in a house If starved during the day and treated in the afternoon the dropping boards should be cleaned the next morning and the refuse burned in order to destroy the eggs and worms If the treatment is applied early in the day straw should be spread over the floor so that exshypelled worms and eggs can be removed and burned Treatments may be repeated after several days but permanent results seem dependent upon the adoption of a definite system of poultry sanitation

Capillaria Infestation

Since this circular was written Capillaria infestation has been encountered in five separate Illinois flocks of chickens This parasite according to Cram l has been found in Michigan Maryland Georgia

lCram E B A parasitic disease of the esophagus of turkeys North Amer Vet 7 46-48 October 1926 Nematodes of pathological significance found in some economically important birds in North America U S Dept of Agr Tech Bul 49 1-2 1928

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS 15

Mississippi and Louisiana but heretofore had not been recognized in Illinois farm flocks In both flocks where Capillarids were found symptoms of unthriftiness accompanied by gross lesions at autopsy

FIG 9-THICKENING OF THE INTESTINE DUE TO INFESTATION

OF CAPILLARIA

Capillaria infestation may be found in the crop as well as in the intestines When symptoms appear and no worms are found in the intestines the crop should be examined The gross lesions of capillaria vary from a mild inflammation to a marked thickening of the intestinal wall as shown above

FIG 10-EGGS OF CAPILLARIA SP

Worm eggs seen under the microscope in scrapings from the intestine of an infected fowl These eggs can be easily distinguished from eggs of other parasites by their shape Note the enlargement (operculum) on each end of the egg as shown on the enlarged egg

suggested the part which this parasite played in the production of unthriftiness emaciation and anemia The extent of Capillaria inshyfestation of poultry in Illinois remains to be established

Infestation of intestinal parasites can be avoided by providing sanitary conditions houses and ranges as suggested in this circular

Printed in furtherance of the Agricultural Extension Act apmiddot proved by Congress May 8 1914 H W MUMFORD Director Agricultural Extension Service University of Illinois

14 CIRCULAR No 344

tetrachlorethylene and nicotine sulfate are given in capsules or with a rubber tube a syringe or a funnel The dosage depends upon the weight of the fowl In badly infested flocks individual treatment should be repeated in five to ten days Feed should generally be withshyheld for twelve to twenty-four hours before the treatment is given Worm medicine should be avoided in hens in high egg production

The mixing of roundworm remedies in the feed is not entirely satisfactory Mass treatment eliminates the necessity of catching and dosing each chicken separately yet it does not insure proper dosage When flock treatment is given tobacco dust containing 1~ to 2 percent of nicotine may be used One pound of tobacco dust should be mixed with 49 pounds of dry mash The tobacco mixture should be fed to pullets only every other week The treatment may be continued for several months in mature fowls however egg production may be reduced if tobacco is fed longer than six months or if an overdose of nicotine is given As the tobacco loses its potency upon exposure to the air it should be mixed with the mash in quantities that may be consumed within a week

Tapeworm Remedies-Kamala in capsules is employed for indishyvidual treatment of fowls infested with tapeworms It is not necessary to starve chickens before giving kamala capsules Care must be used in giving the treatment since overdosing is harmful

Lye is sometimes used for tapeworms The lye-grain mixture may be prepared by adding 1 tablespoon of lye to 1 gallon of wheat

bull and oats mixed Cover the mixture with water and boil for one hour Stir the mixture and replace the water to prevent burning Allow the mixture to cool and feed it to fowls after they have been starved for twenty-four hours During the feeding of the mixture supply plenty of fresh water

All fowls treated for worms should be confined in a house If starved during the day and treated in the afternoon the dropping boards should be cleaned the next morning and the refuse burned in order to destroy the eggs and worms If the treatment is applied early in the day straw should be spread over the floor so that exshypelled worms and eggs can be removed and burned Treatments may be repeated after several days but permanent results seem dependent upon the adoption of a definite system of poultry sanitation

Capillaria Infestation

Since this circular was written Capillaria infestation has been encountered in five separate Illinois flocks of chickens This parasite according to Cram l has been found in Michigan Maryland Georgia

lCram E B A parasitic disease of the esophagus of turkeys North Amer Vet 7 46-48 October 1926 Nematodes of pathological significance found in some economically important birds in North America U S Dept of Agr Tech Bul 49 1-2 1928

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS 15

Mississippi and Louisiana but heretofore had not been recognized in Illinois farm flocks In both flocks where Capillarids were found symptoms of unthriftiness accompanied by gross lesions at autopsy

FIG 9-THICKENING OF THE INTESTINE DUE TO INFESTATION

OF CAPILLARIA

Capillaria infestation may be found in the crop as well as in the intestines When symptoms appear and no worms are found in the intestines the crop should be examined The gross lesions of capillaria vary from a mild inflammation to a marked thickening of the intestinal wall as shown above

FIG 10-EGGS OF CAPILLARIA SP

Worm eggs seen under the microscope in scrapings from the intestine of an infected fowl These eggs can be easily distinguished from eggs of other parasites by their shape Note the enlargement (operculum) on each end of the egg as shown on the enlarged egg

suggested the part which this parasite played in the production of unthriftiness emaciation and anemia The extent of Capillaria inshyfestation of poultry in Illinois remains to be established

Infestation of intestinal parasites can be avoided by providing sanitary conditions houses and ranges as suggested in this circular

Printed in furtherance of the Agricultural Extension Act apmiddot proved by Congress May 8 1914 H W MUMFORD Director Agricultural Extension Service University of Illinois

INTESTINAL WORMS IN CHICKENS 15

Mississippi and Louisiana but heretofore had not been recognized in Illinois farm flocks In both flocks where Capillarids were found symptoms of unthriftiness accompanied by gross lesions at autopsy

FIG 9-THICKENING OF THE INTESTINE DUE TO INFESTATION

OF CAPILLARIA

Capillaria infestation may be found in the crop as well as in the intestines When symptoms appear and no worms are found in the intestines the crop should be examined The gross lesions of capillaria vary from a mild inflammation to a marked thickening of the intestinal wall as shown above

FIG 10-EGGS OF CAPILLARIA SP

Worm eggs seen under the microscope in scrapings from the intestine of an infected fowl These eggs can be easily distinguished from eggs of other parasites by their shape Note the enlargement (operculum) on each end of the egg as shown on the enlarged egg

suggested the part which this parasite played in the production of unthriftiness emaciation and anemia The extent of Capillaria inshyfestation of poultry in Illinois remains to be established

Infestation of intestinal parasites can be avoided by providing sanitary conditions houses and ranges as suggested in this circular

Printed in furtherance of the Agricultural Extension Act apmiddot proved by Congress May 8 1914 H W MUMFORD Director Agricultural Extension Service University of Illinois

Printed in furtherance of the Agricultural Extension Act apmiddot proved by Congress May 8 1914 H W MUMFORD Director Agricultural Extension Service University of Illinois