There are two main families of internal poultry pests.

These are:
1. Worms
2. Coccidia

Worms may well be the single most dangerous parasite for the chook breeder to deal with and severe cases certainly weaken the birds sufficiently to allow more serious diseases to break out. The most common worms found in chooks, are Round worms and Tape worms.

Various drugs are used to treat your birds for worm infestation. Most sheep drenches will work quite well, however the strength must be diluted to about 2.5%. There are proprietry brands of poultry wormers such as Nilverm, however it is best not to continue using the same drug on a long term basis as the worms build a resistance if this is done. The best method is to alternate between two or more different types of drench to avoid this happening.

Some fanciers like to use a drug called Piperazine, however most worm strains now have a resistance to this particular compound. Other people prefer to use more natural medicants. Garlic crushed into the feed is one such method, but a better one is mixing apple cider vinegar into the drinking water. This also acts as a tonic for the birds.

No matter what methods or drugs you use, it is important that you keep your birds as worm-free as possible to maintain vigour and vitality in your stock.

Coccidia are a group of eight different species of protozoan organisms which sometimes infect chooks. The main variety Eimeria tenalla infects the caeca and is the major cause coccidiosis chick mortality. When chicks are kept in clean, dry conditions, coccidiosis is seldom a problem. However in damp, humid conditions and if chicks are overcrowded, coccidiosis can become a very real threat. Chicks kept on ground previously used for chickens that has not been properly cleaned and prepared will also favour an outbreak.

The main symptom of caecal coccidiosis, is bloody droppings. The birds will be depressed and huddle together in a crouched over position. Their faces are pale due to the anaemia caused by the parasite. If left untreated, the chicks will virtually bleed to death.

Treatment consists of a course of sulphaquinoxaline. Some fanciers mix the preparation in the drinking water, however some chicks will not drink medicated water and thus die. I prefer to mix the drug with water at a rate of about 10% and directly administer each chick with about 1/2ml using a syringe. This method ensures that all chicks get equal doses and none miss out. Done this way, I have found chicks recover much quicker. Another dose given about two days after the first, usually gives a full recovery. It is important to minimise the risks of reinfection, by removing the cause. Most commonly, faulty water containers are the main cause of dampness in a brooder.

Tape worms

Life cycle of tapeworms

(1) scolex or head with suckers and hooks,
(2-3) undifferentiated segments; (4-5-6) segments with male and female generative organs (7) mature segments or proglottids with eggs; these drop off at intervals and carry on the infestation, (A) droppings with proglottids, which crawl out and eaten by slugs, (B) small embryo (oncosphere) armed with six hooks, (C) slug containing oncosphere, which develops into- (D) encysted shape, which forms in the slug and is eventually eaten by a fowl, and develops into a fully grown tapeworm (Davainea proglottina).