Tapeworms in Chickens

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Chickens can become infested with a few different types of intestinal parasites. The most common intestinal worm is probably the roundworm, but the tapeworm is another intestinal worm to be on the lookout for within your flock.

Identification

Internally, tapeworms are long, ribbon-like worms that attach themselves to the intestinal lining of the host animal. The worm’s body is composed of segments, and these segments are what you may see in the chicken’s feces if your flock has tapeworms. The segments look like grains of rice that may move around like an inchworm.

Prevention

To reproduce, tapeworms require an intermediate host such as an earthworm, snail, slugs, or small rodent. We can’t stop chickens from eating the slugs and earthworms but we should try to control the rodent population for many reasons.

Cleaning out the manure on a regular basis will also help eliminate infection by many parasites.

Treatment

Valbazen (albendazole) given by mouth at ½ cc to standard-sized (¼ cc to bantam breeds) chickens will help eliminate tapeworms. Repeat the dosage in 2 weeks.

Safeguard 10% Liquid Dewormer (fenbendazole) for Goats may be used in the drinking water for larger flocks. Add 3 cc per gallon of drinking water every day for 3 days. Repeat the 3-day treatment in 10 days.

Please note that giving fenbendazole during a chicken’s molt may cause the new feathers to be deformed.

Meyer Hatchery offers a selection of several dewormers and highly recommends the Chicken Health Handbook for more information.