Deworming chickens sounds kind of gross, but it really isn’t and it is actually quite simple to do. You can either use chemicals or treat it naturally. This article will show you how to deworm a chicken naturally as well as show you how to replace your chickens beneficial bacteria that is lost after a deworming.
Natural Deworming Methods Work Best as Preventative Flock Care
The natural ingredients discussed in this article are best used as part of a consistent, preventative chicken-care routine. Good coop sanitation, fresh water, balanced nutrition, regular health checks, and careful observation can all help reduce parasite risks and support overall flock wellness.
Natural options such as apple cider vinegar, pumpkin seeds, cucumber seeds, and garlic may provide nutrition, hydration, enrichment, or digestive support, but they should not be relied upon to eliminate a confirmed or severe worm infestation.
If you see visible worms, ongoing diarrhea, weight loss, pale combs and wattles, breathing problems, a sudden drop in egg production, or other concerning symptoms, contact a veterinarian—preferably one experienced with poultry. A fecal test can help confirm whether worms are present and identify the most appropriate treatment.
How Do You Deworm a Chicken Naturally?
Many backyard chicken keepers use a combination of natural flock management practices to help support healthy chickens and reduce parasite risks. Here are five of the most common natural approaches:
Often added to drinking water by backyard chicken keepers as part of a natural flock care routine.
A popular natural supplement that many chicken keepers include in their flock’s diet.
Frequently offered as a nutritious seasonal treat and commonly included in natural chicken care routines.
Another traditional natural food that many backyard chicken keepers use as part of a varied diet.
Removing droppings, replacing bedding, and providing clean food and water helps reduce the conditions that allow parasites to spread.
Nesting Box Herbs
- Increases egg laying naturally.
- Improves chicken health.
- Deters parasites: mites, lice, fleas & flies as well as mice, rats, raccoons, coyotes, opossums and more!
- On SALE!
- SHOP Nesting Box Herbs
How often should you deworm chickens? In order to prevent worms from attacking your flock, you should deworm your chickens every 3 months.
Can Humans Get Worms from Chickens? The type of worms that chickens get are species specific and extremely rare for a human to contract them. The 5 most common worms that chickens get are roundworms, cecal worms, capillary worms, tapeworm and gapeworm.
5 Common Worms Seen in Chickens
Chickens can be affected by several types of internal worms. Knowing their names can help you better understand symptoms, testing, prevention, and treatment.
Roundworms
One of the most common intestinal worms found in backyard chickens.
Cecal Worms
Small worms that live primarily in the chicken’s ceca.
Capillary Worms
Thin, hairlike worms that may affect different parts of the digestive tract.
Tapeworms
Segmented worms commonly spread when chickens eat infected insects or other hosts.
Gapeworms
Worms that attach inside the windpipe and may interfere with normal breathing.
17 Signs Your Chicken Has Worms
How Can I Tell if My Chicken Has Worms?
Watch for these possible signs and symptoms that may appear when a chicken is affected by internal parasites.
Appearance and Body Condition
Energy and Behavior Changes
Droppings and Visible Worms
Breathing and Egg Production
Symptoms alone cannot confirm worms. A fecal test can help determine whether internal parasites are present and whether treatment is needed.
Prevent Worms Before They Arrive: Nesting Box Herbs
Although my Nesting Box Herbs aren’t a deworming treatment, they work wonders as a preventative tool, creating an environment hostile to parasites:
- Natural repellents – Herbs like rosemary, lavender, and peppermint help deter mites, lice, and other pests that can carry or attract worms.
- Improved coop hygiene – A clean, dry, well-scented nesting area discourages worm-laying insects and reduces the risk of fecal contamination.
- Stress reduction – Calming aromatics like chamomile and marjoram support your hens’ immune systems, helping them resist infestations more effectively.
So, while you’re rotating through deworming methods every few months, keep nesting boxes consistently fresh with a sprinkle of herbs to help maintain long-term flock health.
5 Best Ways- How to Deworm a Chicken Naturally
Nesting Box Herbs
- Increases egg laying naturally.
- Improves chicken health.
- Deters parasites: mites, lice, fleas & flies as well as mice, rats, raccoons, coyotes, opossums and more!
- On SALE!
- SHOP Nesting Box Herbs
Nesting Box Herbs-Our #1 Best Seller!
Apple Cider Vinegar for Chickens
How some backyard chicken keepers use ACV as part of a supportive digestive-health and parasite-prevention routine.
Apple cider vinegar, commonly called ACV, is sometimes added to chickens’ drinking water as part of a natural flock-care routine. Its acidity temporarily changes the drinking water and may help support a healthy digestive environment.
However, apple cider vinegar has not been proven to reliably eliminate an active worm infestation. Chickens with persistent symptoms, visible worms, weight loss, breathing problems, or a confirmed parasite burden may need a fecal test and an appropriate poultry dewormer.
Jump directly to the probiotic section later in this article.
Replenishing Probiotics After DewormingHow Often Should I Give My Chickens Apple Cider Vinegar?
Add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water.
Some chicken keepers offer it for up to one week as part of an occasional flock-care routine.
Only use apple cider vinegar in a plastic or other acid-safe waterer.
Vinegar can react with and corrode certain metals. Always use a plastic or acid-safe chicken waterer when offering ACV.
After medication or digestive upset, some chicken keepers offer a poultry-specific probiotic according to the product directions. Plain yogurt is sometimes offered in very small amounts, but chickens do not digest dairy particularly well, so it should not be relied upon as the primary probiotic source.
Replenishing Probiotics After Deworming
Pumpkin Seeds for Chickens
A nutritious seasonal treat often included in natural chicken-care routines—but not a proven replacement for an effective dewormer.
Do Pumpkin Seeds Deworm Chickens?
Pumpkin seeds are frequently described as a natural chicken dewormer. They contain plant compounds that have been studied for possible antiparasitic properties, but feeding whole pumpkin seeds has not been proven to reliably eliminate an active worm infestation in chickens.
Pumpkin seeds can still be offered as an enjoyable and nutritious treat. They provide healthy fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, and enrichment while encouraging natural pecking and scratching behavior.
I enjoy giving my flock leftover pumpkins during pumpkin season. Watching the hens peck through the flesh and seeds gives them something interesting to do while helping reduce food waste.
How Much Pumpkin Can Chickens Eat?
Offer approximately 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds per adult chicken as an occasional treat.
Give bantams a little less and adjust the portion slightly for especially large chicken breeds.
Pumpkin and pumpkin seeds should supplement—not replace—a balanced, complete chicken feed.
A Fun Fall Treat for Your Flock
During pumpkin season, you can offer your flock a fresh, undecorated pumpkin or leftover jack-o’-lantern as long as it is still firm and free from mold, paint, wax, glitter, and other decorations.
Cut the pumpkin open or make a few starter holes so your chickens can easily reach the flesh and seeds.
Never give chickens a pumpkin containing candles, melted wax, toothpicks, paint, glitter, artificial decorations, or mold. Remove any remaining pumpkin from the run before it begins to spoil.
Do not rely on pumpkin seeds alone when a chicken is losing weight, passing visible worms, experiencing ongoing diarrhea, gasping, or showing other serious symptoms. A fecal test can help determine whether worms are present and which treatment is appropriate.
Cucumber Seeds for Chickens
A refreshing, hydrating treat that can be included in a balanced natural flock-care routine.
Do Cucumber Seeds Deworm Chickens?
Cucumber seeds are sometimes recommended as a natural dewormer for chickens. Although plants contain naturally occurring compounds that continue to be studied for possible antiparasitic properties, feeding cucumber seeds has not been proven to reliably eliminate an active worm infestation in chickens.
Cucumbers can still be a healthy occasional treat for your flock. They contain a high percentage of water, making them especially enjoyable during warm weather, and the seeds are safe for adult chickens to eat.
Slice a cucumber lengthwise and place it in the run so your chickens can peck at the flesh and seeds. This provides hydration, enrichment, and an opportunity for natural pecking behavior.
Plant-derived compounds have a long history of traditional use in animal care, but their effectiveness can vary according to the plant, preparation, dose, parasite species, and animal being treated.
Understanding Plant-Based Parasite Research
How Much Cucumber Can Chickens Eat?
Offer approximately 1 tablespoon of cucumber seeds or chopped cucumber per adult chicken as an occasional treat.
Slice a fresh cucumber lengthwise and allow the flock to share it under supervision.
Cucumbers should remain a small part of the diet so chickens continue eating enough nutritionally complete feed.
A Refreshing Warm-Weather Treat
Chilled cucumber slices can provide extra moisture and enrichment during warm weather. They should complement—not replace—unlimited access to fresh, cool drinking water.
Only offer fresh cucumber. Remove uneaten pieces before they become dirty, fermented, moldy, or attractive to rodents and flies.
Do not rely on cucumber seeds alone when a chicken has ongoing diarrhea, weight loss, pale comb and wattles, visible worms, breathing problems, or a significant drop in egg production. A fecal test can help identify whether parasites are present and guide the appropriate treatment.
Garlic for Chickens
A flavorful kitchen herb that may be offered occasionally—but should not replace proven treatment for an active worm infestation.
Does Garlic Deworm Chickens?
Garlic is commonly recommended in natural chicken-care circles as a home remedy for internal parasites. However, feeding garlic has not been proven to reliably eliminate worms from a chicken’s digestive tract.
Garlic should be viewed as an optional food or flavoring—not as a substitute for a fecal test or an effective poultry dewormer when worms are confirmed.
Chickens may eat small amounts of fresh garlic mixed into their regular food. It can be finely minced or crushed and offered occasionally as part of a varied flock-care routine.
Some chickens enjoy the flavor immediately, while others avoid strongly flavored food. Whenever I introduce a new ingredient to my flock, I start with a very small amount and make sure their normal complete feed and fresh water remain readily available.
How Should Garlic Be Offered to Chickens?
Offer a small amount of finely minced or crushed garlic mixed into the flock’s food rather than giving each chicken a whole clove.
Garlic should be an occasional addition and should not replace nutritionally complete chicken feed.
Remove it if the strong flavor causes your chickens to eat less of their regular feed.
Should I Put Garlic in My Chickens’ Water?
Garlic-infused water is sometimes used by backyard chicken keepers, but there is no established deworming dosage for garlic water.
Strongly flavored water may discourage some chickens from drinking. Fresh, plain water should always remain available, especially during warm weather or illness.
Feeding garlic should not replace inspecting the skin, feathers, vent, roosts, and nesting boxes or using an appropriate treatment when external parasites are found.
Seek testing or veterinary guidance when a chicken has ongoing weight loss, pale comb and wattles, diarrhea, visible worms, breathing difficulty, reduced egg production, or declining body condition.
A fecal test can help identify the parasite and prevent unnecessary or ineffective treatment.
Diatomaceous Earth for Chickens
A fine mineral powder sometimes used in chicken care, but one that requires careful handling and realistic expectations.
Does Diatomaceous Earth Deworm Chickens?
Diatomaceous earth, commonly called DE, is made from the fossilized remains of microscopic aquatic organisms called diatoms. It is commonly used as a dry powder for certain crawling insects.
Some poultry keepers add food-grade DE to feed in hopes of lowering internal parasite levels. However, it should not be relied upon as a dependable treatment for a confirmed or severe worm infestation.
How Does Diatomaceous Earth Work?
When dry DE comes into direct contact with certain insects, its abrasive and absorbent particles can damage the insects’ protective outer coating. This causes the insects to lose moisture.
That mechanical action works differently from a medication. Once DE becomes wet or moves through the moist digestive tract, it should not be assumed to work the same way against internal worms.
What Should Chicken Keepers Know Before Using DE?
Only use a product specifically labeled as food-grade or approved for the intended poultry use. Never use pool-grade DE.
Do not create clouds of powder around your chickens, their bedding, nesting boxes, feeders, or enclosed coop.
Use only the amount and application method listed on the specific product label.
Can DE Help with External Parasites?
Food-grade DE may help reduce some crawling insects when it remains dry and makes direct contact with them. It may be used by some chicken keepers in coop cracks or carefully managed dust-bath areas.
However, DE may not eliminate an established mite or lice infestation, does not kill parasite eggs, and should not replace a complete treatment and coop-cleaning plan.
Diatomaceous earth is a very fine dust. Avoid applying it directly onto a chicken’s face or creating airborne powder inside an enclosed coop. Apply only in a well-ventilated area and wear an appropriate dust mask while handling it.
Contact a veterinarian or arrange a fecal test if your chicken has visible worms, ongoing diarrhea, pale comb and wattles, weight loss, breathing trouble, reduced egg production, or declining body condition.
Identifying the parasite allows you to choose an effective treatment rather than relying on DE alone.
“Diatomaceous Earth or DE is totally organic and safe. It is taken from fresh water deposits and is the purest form available. DE is mother nature’s product with no harm to the environment, pets or to humans. Diatomaceous Earth is not actually an “earth” but it is the fossilized remains of microscopic shells created by one celled plants called DIATOMS.”
Earth Core What is Diatomaceous Earth and How Does it Work?
Is Diatomaceous Earth Good for Chickens?
Food-grade diatomaceous earth is used by many backyard chicken keepers as part of their regular flock-care routine. It is often added to dust baths or used carefully around the coop to help maintain a clean environment and may play a supportive role in an overall parasite-prevention program.
However, diatomaceous earth should not be relied upon as the sole treatment for an active worm infestation. If your chickens show signs of worms, a fecal test and guidance from a poultry veterinarian are recommended.
Nesting Box Herbs
- Increases egg laying naturally.
- Improves chicken health.
- Deters parasites: mites, lice, fleas & flies as well as mice, rats, raccoons, coyotes, opossums and more!
- On SALE!
- SHOP Nesting Box Herbs
Using Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth as Part of Routine Flock Care
Many backyard chicken keepers choose to mix a small amount of food-grade diatomaceous earth into their chickens’ feed as part of a regular flock management routine. While some believe it may help support an overall parasite prevention program, it should not be relied upon as the sole method of treating an active worm infestation.
If you choose to use food-grade diatomaceous earth, always follow the manufacturer’s directions for mixing and application. Many products recommend mixing approximately 2% food-grade diatomaceous earth with chicken feed, but directions may vary by manufacturer.
Because it is much easier to achieve an even mixture when preparing larger batches, thoroughly mix the diatomaceous earth into the feed before offering it to your flock.
How Much Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth Should I Add to Chicken Feed?
The chart below uses a mixing ratio commonly recommended by many food-grade diatomaceous earth manufacturers (approximately 2% of the total feed). Always follow the directions provided on the specific product label.
| 🐔 Chickens | 🍽️ Chicken Feed | 🌿 Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3 cups | 1 Tablespoon |
| 12 | 6 cups | 2 Tablespoons |
| 20 | 10 cups | 3 Tablespoons |
| 24 | 12 cups | ¼ cup |
| 30 | 15 cups | ⅓ cup |
| 40 | 20 cups | ½ cup |
| 70 | 35 cups | ¾ cup |
| 100 | 50 cups | 1 cup |
Lactose Free Instant Pot Yogurt- Replenishing Probiotics After Deworming
For all types of deworming methods, it is beneficial to follow up with giving probiotics to your chickens. Deworming will not only kill the worms, but also the beneficial gut bacteria that your chicken needs for healthy digestion. This can be done by offering your chicken 1 TBS of lactose free, plain yogurt.
“Chickens are NOT lactose intolerant. Chickens do produce a small amount of lactase which does not make them lactose intolerant. This is why they are ok consuming a small amount of products containing lactose without any harmful effects.”
By letting your homemade instant pot yogurt incubate a longer time, all of the lactose will be consumed.”
How to Make Homemade Instant Pot Yogurt for Chickens
I like to serve plain, lactose free yogurt that I make in my Instant Pot after each deworming treatment. Just make sure that you use the plain yogurt, without any added sugars.
Nesting Box Herbs-Our #1 Best Seller!
YOGURT SERVING SIZE TO REPLENISH PROBIOTICS LOST AFTER DEWORMING CHICKENS
The serving size for any type of chicken “treat” is 1 TBS for each adult chicken. Bantam chickens should be given a little bit less and large breed chickens can be given a little bit more.
Chickens absolutely LOVE this healthy treat. But, stand clear when you serve this to them. They tend to fling yogurt all over the place!
Read my article below for the step by step instructions on how to make Homemade Instant Pot Yogurt for chickens.
Other F.A.Q.’s
Can you see worms in chicken poop?
Yes, you can see little wiggly worms in a chickens poop if it is infected with worms. It is important to periodically check out your flocks poop to make sure they are ok.
If one becomes infected, the whole flock is likely to become infected too. Worms in poop looks quite tasty to a chicken.
Nesting Box Herbs-Our #1 Best Seller!
Can you eat eggs after deworming a chicken?
If you use natural methods to deworm your chicken, it is safe to eat chicken eggs both during and after worming. Natural methods include using apple cider vinegar, pumpkin and cucumber seeds, garlic and diatomaceous earth.
Depending upon what chemical treatment is used to deworm, there may be an “egg withdrawal” period. For instance, after using Ivermectin, there is a 17 day egg withdrawal period. After a hen is given Ivermectin, you must wait 17 days before you can eat its eggs.
Final Preventative Thought
Deworming is key to poultry health, but keeping pests out in the first place is just as important. My Nesting Box Herbs blend supports this by keeping nesting areas fresh, clean, and pest-repellent—which helps prevent worms from taking hold. Think of it as your first line of defense, every day.
CONCLUSION: 5 Best Ways- How to Deworm a Chicken Naturally
It’s important to know the signs as well as keep up on deworming in order to prevent worms from infecting your flock in the first place. There are 5 natural ways that you can use to deworm a chicken:
| NATURAL METHODS OF DEWORMING A CHICKEN |
|---|
| 1. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR |
| 2. PUMPKIN SEEDS |
| 3. CUCUMBER SEEDS |
| 4. GARLIC |
| 5. DIATOMACEOUS EARTH |
Nesting Box Herbs
- Increases egg laying naturally.
- Improves chicken health.
- Deters parasites: mites, lice, fleas & flies as well as mice, rats, raccoons, coyotes, opossums and more!
- On SALE!
- SHOP Nesting Box Herbs
Meet Jenny from Backyard Chickens Mama 🐓
Jenny is a longtime backyard chicken enthusiast who has raised a variety of chicken breeds in her Northern California backyard for more than 27 years.
Favorite Chicken Breeds 🥚
Jenny especially enjoys incubating and hatching fertile chicken eggs and raising baby chicks from day one. Over the years, she has raised many different breeds and loves the colorful variety they bring to the coop and egg basket.
Together, these beautiful breeds create a colorful basket of farm fresh eggs in shades of blue, olive, brown, cream, and speckled tones.
Together, Jenny and her husband built their own chicken coop, and she and her dad built her current chick brooder setup for raising young chicks safely and comfortably.
Over the years, Jenny has learned countless practical tips and flock care routines through hands-on experience caring for her own chickens. She loves sharing those simple, realistic ideas to help others raise happier, healthier, and more productive backyard chickens naturally.
Jenny first created her original Nesting Box Herbs blend to help support calmer hens, cleaner nesting boxes, and healthy laying routines naturally.
As Backyard Chickens Mama continued to grow, additional seasonal herbal blends were developed to help support chickens year-round — including Cooling Herbs for Chickens for hot summer weather and Warming Herbs for Chickens for chilly winter months.
Today, Backyard Chickens Mama offers a full collection of natural herbal chicken care products — including their popular Seasonal Blends bundle — designed to support happier, healthier, more comfortable hens through every season.
