# To Worm Or Not To Worm During The Racing Season?



## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

What are your thoughts on this? Do you worm your birds during the race season and why or why not? 

Ace


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I don't race, but I will give my thought on it anyway...I would worm before racing, that way they are in top shape and not carrying any worms, and the meds MAY make some feel a little off, not that you can prove it, but people know their birds, so that would be their own opinion. but better to avoid it if it is possible...JMO... do a fecal test to see if you even need to deworm also...


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## Young Bird (May 2, 2007)

I am going to medicate with the three in one one month before I start training. My birds have yet to get any meds my mentor does not believe in medicating. So I am on my own with the medicating.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Just to clarify, I think the question is not wether to worm _before_ racing season but wether to worm _during_ the season. At least that is the way I read it.

Dan


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## Bluecheckard (Jun 23, 2008)

what I do back home is I never worm my race team during race season because it will just add stress to them during the season. I would rather worm them two months before the race and reapeat it 15 days before the race starts. that way their system will be clean of any type of worm before I start the conditioning stage for the race season.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

I've never wormed my birds ever. My birds don't have worms. If your birds are picking up worms you need to change what you're doing. Don't just throwing meds at the birds and hope something sticks.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Matt D. said:


> I've never wormed my birds ever. My birds don't have worms. If your birds are picking up worms you need to change what you're doing. Don't just through meds at the birds and hope something sticks.


Matt.........come on now..........I agree with not "throwing" (not through) meds at your birds, but ALL animals get wormed. Horses, pigs, goats, dogs, cats,.................If they NEVER EVER are around other birds, (which they are) if they are NEVER EVER on the ground.(which they are).......then MAYBE they won't get worms.


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

Matt D. said:


> I've never wormed my birds ever. My birds don't have worms. If your birds are picking up worms you need to change what you're doing. Don't just through meds at the birds and hope something sticks.


Matt, if you never ever worm your birds I hope you are having a vet check their stool for worm on a regular bases. If not, how do you know your birds don't have worms. If you race your birds they are exposed to it! You can't tell me you have never had a bird come home days or weeks late from training or a race. They were exposed to it!

I had round worms in some of the racers I recieved for breeding last year. Some of the birds had them real bad. I don't want you to give some of the newbees here the idea that worms are nothing to worry about.

Ace


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Lovebirds said:


> Matt.........come on now..........I agree with not "throwing" (not through) meds at your birds, but ALL animals get wormed. Horses, pigs, goats, dogs, cats,.................If they NEVER EVER are around other birds, (which they are) if they are NEVER EVER on the ground.(which they are).......then MAYBE they won't get worms.


Well, I would (generally) agree with that. I'd like to know though since I've moved here (8 years ago) and had my loft where it is, why I've never had to worm. My loft is on a large brick walkway and cement. The birds never are really 'on the ground.' I used to worm out at the old house because they got worms because i let them pick through the ground. In 8 years My birds never have had worms. If they did I wouldn't have said what I did. My birds just don't get worms. I didn't believe it for the first couple of years and i can remember going down to the avian vet that used to be out of town and had a full work up done on the birds to see if they did. They just don't. I think in large part because they don't pick through the ground.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

ace in the hole said:


> I don't want you to give some of the newbees here the idea that worms are nothing to worry about.


I do know how bad worms can be. If you have them then Yeah you do need to get rid of them or you'll have some serious problems. Like I said in the last post though I've had vets go through the stool samples i've brought in. Not once since I've moved have I had worms. I'm not really sure why i'd tell you that i didn't have worms when i really did; or my birds did.  If I did have worms I'd be talking about how I take care of them. I just don't have a worm problem. I have a horrible horrible bug problem on my birds. Everyone around here does. So If we want to talk about bugs then I can talk to you about that. Nothing prevents bugs. I just think that if you keep your birds off the ground and away from certain things. Then you can eliminate or at least greatly decrease your chances of worms.


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

Even though I haven't join any race, I (this is my way) give my birds dewormer (Wazine) every 6 months, now, if you have some babies or babies coming, DON'T...


As far as I know what ever keep them healthy and majority do use wormer for their animals then I will too...First year I had my 1st set of youngerster I have a friend and works for medical field, I did ask if he can take a poop sample and look into the microscope and see if my birds have worms, sure enough when he came back, he told me that I have to medicate them with de-wormer, he also mentioned that this can lead to weight lose or even worst...I do what I have to do to prevent this things, I do treat my pigeons as my 2nd IMMEDIATE family...They might don't have the luxury of airconditions during the summer or portable heat during the winter but as far as health is concern, that's is my main priorities...


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

If you add "DE" to the birds feed at least once a week your birds are in a continuing state of de-worming and there is no harm in that "La Natural wormer"


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

Well, matt this is something I know a bit about. I do checks on my birds very often and alot of times do checks on every bird I am going to put into the race that weekend. To say that your bird had no worms in 8 years is just not right. How many birds did you have fecals done on? How often? I bet most people that take a few samples to the vet never know much about what their flock has and most don't even do that. I will tell you that sometimes I would check 15 birds and maybe 1 had worms. Why, who knows the cocci count can vary greatly also between each bird. Maybe some birds are more resistant to certain stuff but the thought of "I will take a bird or 2 to the vet" and find out everything is not right. It will help if you have a serious problem and maybe at a high level then most your birds will have it. By the time it gets to this level you will not be doing anything in any race anyway. Your birds can look great, be healthy, and even do well in a race with a small amount of worms. I will believe you don't have a bad problem with worms cause I don't either but I still find a worm egg or 2 once and a while.


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Ace, Just to answer the question To Worm or Not to Worm During Racing. I Do!! Some of my best races were Worming 1-2 weeks after Racing.... One of the best Races I ever had, I wormed the Race Team 2 weeks before a 550mi. Race. Sent 13 to Race, & had 12 ON THE "DAY" Winning at 1,305yds. per min. for 1st bird. Sure didn't hurt these, but to each there own. I will not say what kinds/dosage of Worm Meds. I use, as some may not use it correctly & I'm not a Vet!!!!..... I also Canker birds "During Racing"........ Good Luck, Hap


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

Happy said:


> Ace, Just to answer the question To Worm or Not to Worm During Racing. I Do!! Some of my best races were Worming 1-2 weeks after Racing.... One of the best Races I ever had, I wormed the Race Team 2 weeks before a 550mi. Race. Sent 13 to Race, & had 12 ON THE "DAY" Winning at 1,305yds. per min. for 1st bird. Sure didn't hurt these, but to each there own. I will not say what kinds/dosage of Worm Meds. I use, as some may not use it correctly & I'm not a Vet!!!!..... I also Canker birds "During Racing"........ Good Luck, Hap


Thanks Happy,

Wow, 12 out of 13 on the day from a 550 is great! Winning the race to boot, that's Priceless!!!!!!   Why to go!

Ace


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