Scully Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 On our DIY syndicate last year we lost about 50 birds to worms in the first few days following delivery of our poults. We're assuming the birds were already infected when delivered as the two pens are well apart on different parts of the land, in woods, and both pens were affected. Water treatment soon put it right and we will be doing this from now on as matter of course. We had a post season meet yesterday and it was suggested the ground within the pens is treated now, before things start growing again, to kill off any chance of parasitic elements living in the soil within the pens, and the use of either jeyes fluid or lime was suggested. I'll admit I know nothing of this sort of treatment and have e-mailed the NGO to enquire, but would be interested to hear what those with experience thought in the interim. All input gratefully received. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentos Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 have a look here http://www.solwayfeeders.com/categories/bird-hygiene-parasite-control-c83.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Scully You do not say which worms the poults were infected with. Sunlight kills worm eggs, so there is room for argument that after a long period of fallow there should not be eggs on the ground for new poults to pick up come July. However,as worms and slugs act a host it is beneficial to control them with applications of slug pellets before the birds arrive. Liming will be of benefit to the grass if you have acid soil, however, as worms don't like acid soil, it can be argued that applying lime will encourage them. By far the best solution is to liase with your supplier on his worming regime and ensure that you worm them within the prescribed time frame and then continue to worm regularly until a month before the season starts (to comply with the withdrawl period). Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Sorry Charlie T, I don't actually know which worm the birds were infected with, and will mention this to part-time 'keeper. Thanks for the input, most helpful. You too Bentos, thanks for the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Charlie has pretty much summed it up, the previous captian before me used to lime the pens until he found out gape worm actually prefer more alkali soil. Almost every pen will have some worms present usually takes 4-5 years on a new pen site for the burden to build up and affect the birds althou may be quickier if dealing with higher densities of birds or usinfg the pen for 2 batches really just be prepared for it next time and keep a close eye on ur birds don't think u'll ever totally kill it off in the pen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Poults always develop gapes about 10 days after going to pen, let a few get it then go in with medicated pellets. OR feed medicated pellets from the off. When I did the latter I had an outbreak in Sept, so for the last couple of years I have started on std pellets then moved to medicated after about 14-15 days. Worst time for a gapes outbreak is September, birds are out and about so very hard to treat and you have drug withdrawal periods to consider. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 There is some good information on gapes, and just about everything else, on these links: http://www.nadis.org.uk/bulletins/diseases-of-game-birds/part-4-diseases-from-10-days-to-7-weeks-of-age.aspx http://www.nadis.org.uk/bulletins/diseases-of-game-birds/part-5-the-release-pen.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1steele Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Poults always develop gapes about 10 days after going to pen, let a few get it then go in with medicated pellets. OR feed medicated pellets from the off. When I did the latter I had an outbreak in Sept, so for the last couple of years I have started on std pellets then moved to medicated after about 14-15 days. Worst time for a gapes outbreak is September, birds are out and about so very hard to treat and you have drug withdrawal periods to consider. A Yes very common but not always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Poults always develop gapes about 10 days after going to pen, let a few get it then go in with medicated pellets. OR feed medicated pellets from the off. When I did the latter I had an outbreak in Sept, so for the last couple of years I have started on std pellets then moved to medicated after about 14-15 days. Worst time for a gapes outbreak is September, birds are out and about so very hard to treat and you have drug withdrawal periods to consider. A I find that a tight, well managed regular worming program will all but eliminate gapes. Whilst birds are on pellets it's easy but as soon as they are on corn I calculate worming dates back 28 days (for the withdrawl period) from the the first shoot day and then treat the wheat with wormer every 4 weeks. Prevention is better than cure, but as you say once September has arrived your stuffed ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Have just spoken to NGO vet on the phone and she has recommended hydrated lime applied now, and a medicated water supply, after confirming that the outbreak was gapeworm. If anyone is interested she is speaking about the causes, prevention and treatment of disease in game birds tomorrow night at Newton Rigg College, in Penrith, Cumbria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Out of interest, which wormer was recommended. I guess it was Panacur AquaSol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 She didn't specify Charlie T, just said a good wormer, and as 'keeper is already using one ( not from flubenvet he told me) I didn't ask, sorry. She did ask what size pens we had, and said it was always worth asking your supplier what they've been using also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Poults always develop gapes about 10 days after going to pen, let a few get it then go in with medicated pellets. OR feed medicated pellets from the off. When I did the latter I had an outbreak in Sept, so for the last couple of years I have started on std pellets then moved to medicated after about 14-15 days. Worst time for a gapes outbreak is September, birds are out and about so very hard to treat and you have drug withdrawal periods to consider. A Usually in a new pen i find birds generally don't develop gapes at all, generally takes 4 or 5 years for the birds to develop smptoms or for burdens to build up, our old pen birds never sowed signs for 6 years, but the new pens had gapes last year as a 1st time after 4 years. So will expect it every year now Our game farmer also reckons that when birds get to 14+ish weeks they will survive gapes in most cases but it will really knock them back a fair bit Our game farmers specialist vet advised Fenzol in the water, worked really well this year first time i've used it, Out of courisity do most of u treat for gapes after 10ish days even if no signs/symptoms? In the past i was told to hold off treatment until a good 50-75% of birds had symptons but we always had the medication ready to go, but to be fair most of our pens were older and by day 10 or so most of the birds were displaying symptoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumbrian top shot Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) If anyone is interested from roughly 9-30am until 3-00pmish Newton Rigg college is having a workshop day about a few different things including gamebird welfare and disease issues, then as far as I know the afternoon is talks by guest speakers including Lindsay Waddell from the shooting times and a few others from the shooting world. I should mention the workshop day is tomorrow 4th March. Edited March 3, 2015 by cumbrian top shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Usually in a new pen i find birds generally don't develop gapes at all, generally takes 4 or 5 years for the birds to develop smptoms or for burdens to build up, our old pen birds never sowed signs for 6 years, but the new pens had gapes last year as a 1st time after 4 years. So will expect it every year now Our game farmer also reckons that when birds get to 14+ish weeks they will survive gapes in most cases but it will really knock them back a fair bit Our game farmers specialist vet advised Fenzol in the water, worked really well this year first time i've used it, Out of courisity do most of u treat for gapes after 10ish days even if no signs/symptoms? In the past i was told to hold off treatment until a good 50-75% of birds had symptons but we always had the medication ready to go, but to be fair most of our pens were older and by day 10 or so most of the birds were displaying symptoms Fenzol contains Fenbendazole which is the same as in Panacur, which is what I use to treat once they are on wheat. Anyone who waits for birds to show symptoms before treating has to be barmy. A worm burden will stress the bird and stress will trigger Hexamiter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Fenzol contains Fenbendazole which is the same as in Panacur, which is what I use to treat once they are on wheat. Anyone who waits for birds to show symptoms before treating has to be barmy. A worm burden will stress the bird and stress will trigger Hexamiter. This I treat just after week one and then every 14 days after the end of the previous treatment so just shy of every 3 weeks My birds are in early enough that come September they can ride gapes out, however I will still treat all water sources up to the cut off point for withdrawal / first shoot day, the cost throught the whole rearing season is equal to no more than a few birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I wait until I have 15 or 20 birds in a pen showing signs of infection then use medicated pellets. I have several spring fed pens making using panacur in the water far less effective. Generally one treatment is enough. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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