WORMS IN POULTRY BIRDS AND TREAMENTS.

Worms are major threat in poultry keeping. They impair the health of the birds to some degree as it is in humans because they take out the nutrients inside the food of their host which leads to weight lost, reduced growth rate, emaciation in poultry birds and even death in severe cases. Worms can also damage the digestive tract of the birds which can lead to other infections leading to reduction in egg production. There are basically five worms that threaten the welfare of the birds, they are; 1. Ceca worm 2.  Roundworm.   ·     3. Capillaria or threadworm. ·     4. Tape worm ·     5. Gape worm   ROUNDWORM Roundworm Roundworms are the most common; they look like spaghetti and live in the intestine of the bird. They can affect chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. There are several types of roundworm e.g. hairworms, threadworms, but the most common is the Large Roundworm. Most birds can live with some infestation but it can result in drop in egg production and weight loss.    Heavily infected birds may show droopiness, emaciation and diarrhea. The primary damage is reduced efficiency of feed utilization but death in sever e infection. The worm is occasionally found in the egg.   Roundworms normally follow a direct life cycle i.e an infected birds releases worm eggs in its dropping where another bird can pick up the eggs; or, they can be picked up by a carrier like an earthworm. They have a 28 day life cycle and can be found not only in the intestine but also in the crop, gizzard or oesophagus. They can even infect the oviduct and be passed out inside the eggs. At maturity they are 3 inches long and can be seen in the dropping if expelled by the bird.

Treatment: This worm can be treated only with piperazine. Gapeworms Gapeworm Syngamus trachea is a round red worm that attach to the trachea of birds and causes the disease known as Gape. The term describes the open-mouth breathing of gapeworm in infected birds. Heavily infected birds usually emit a grunting sound because of difficulty in breathing and may die of suffocation. The worms can easily block the trachea, so they are particularly harmful to young birds. Gapeworms are a type of roundworm; they attach themselves to the trachea (throat) of chickens where they impair breathing resulting in the birds gasping (gaping). Young birds are particularly susceptible and can become infected by sharing space with wild birds such as pheasants. Fatal if not treated. Gapeworm is often brought about through an intermediate host i.e. earthworms, snails, slugs can all be carriers of larvae and once ingested by the bird have a life cycle of 14 days. It can also be picked up directly from another bird coughing up the worms on to the ground and then your birds picking it up when scratching the ground. Treatment: Gapeworm is best prevented by administering a dewormer at fifteen to thirty days interval.

Fenbendazole is also effective in preventing gapeworm.

TAPEWORM tapeworm Tapeworms  or cestodes are flattened, ribbon-shaped worms composed of numerous segments or divisions. Tapeworm varies in size from very small to several inches in length. The head or anterior end is much smaller than the rest of the body. This worm causes a lot of damage. In young birds, heavy infections result in reduced efficiency and slower growth. All poultry tapeworms apparently spend part of their lives in intermediate hosts and birds become infected by eating the intermediate host. These hosts include; snail, slugs, beetles, ants, grasshoppers, earthworms, housefly etc. Tapeworms are less common and are segmented, ribbon-like, worms. They attach themselves to the wall of the intestine by burying their heads in the lining of the intestine. Their eggs are carried by slugs and snails so free-ranging birds are more susceptible than indoor birds. Heavy infestation can reduce the bird's ability to fight other infections. Reproduction is from segments of the worm that break off and are passed through the chicken in its droppings where it contaminates the ground for other birds to pick up. Tapeworm larvae can be carried by intermediate hosts, most particularly slugs and snails. They are very hard to see with the naked eye and have a life cycle of 6 weeks.

Treatment: Tapeworms can generally be controlled by preventing the birds from eating the infected intermediate host. It can be controlled by regular treatment of the birds with Fenbendazole or Leviamisole. CECAL WORM This parasite (Heterakis gallinae) is found in the ceca of chickens, turkeys and other birds. It causes blackhead in birds. It produces no observable damage Treatment: The ceca worm can be effectively treated with Fenbendole. CAPILARIA OR THREADWORM There are several species of capillaria that occur in poultry. Capillaria annulata and Capillaria contorta occur in the crop and oesophagus. These may cause thickening and inflammation of the mucosa and hemorrhage. These parasites may become a severe problem in deep litter house. It reduces growth, egg production and fertility. Treatment: it can be controlled Hygromycin and Maldane.