Purebred Pigeon Sept/October 2025

10 – Purebred PIGEON Veterinary Viewpoints #7 : Reader Q&A: Worm Infestations in the Loft – How Do Birds Cope? By Tim England DVM In this edition, I’m responding to a thought-provoking question from a regular reader. It highlights an important as- pect of loft management and bird health that I believe many of you will find useful. The reader writes: I have a loft divided into five sections, each with slat- ted and wire floors that are cleaned regularly. I deworm my birds twice a year and document the treatments on a calendar. Recently, I noticed that the birds in one section seemed listless and quieter than usual. When I checked my records, I realized I had accidentally skipped deworming that section in February. After administering the treatment, I noticed the birds passing large amounts of spaghetti-like worms in their droppings. Can you explain how birds can appear relatively normal while carrying such large numbers of worms? A G reat O bservation and an I mportant L esson First, I want to commend the reader for two things: Carefully observing their birds and recognizing that some- thing was off in just one section. Keeping accurate treatment records, which helped identify the issue quickly. In many cases, bacterial or viral infections affect the entire loft due to how easily they spread through air, water, equip- ment, or even the keeper’s hands. So, when only one section is affected, it often points to a localized management issue – in this case, a missed deworming. Thankfully, the problem was caught early, treated quick- ly, and the birds improved. Let’s unpack what happened and explore how worms and pigeons can coexist – sometimes for longer than we’d expect. W orms in a “C lean ” L oft : H ow ? The reader’s loft setup – with slatted and wire floors – is actually ideal for reducing the risk of parasite buildup. These designs help separate droppings from the birds, lowering ex- posure to infective eggs. Yet, even in well-maintained environ- ments, parasites can persist. Here’s why: No loft setup is completely immune to intestinal parasites. Birds kept on bedding materials (like pine shavings, straw, or wood chips) face even higher risk because parasite eggs can accumulate in the substrate. But even with wire floors, regular preventative care is still essential. U nderstanding the R oundworm L ife C ycle Based on the reader’s description of “spaghetti-like” worms, it sounds like the birds were infected with round- worms. Let’s look at how these parasites operate: Egg Shedding: Adult worms lay eggs that pass out of the pigeon in drop- pings. Larval Development: In the environment, the eggs develop into an infective larval stage over several days to weeks. Ingestion: Other birds ingest these infective eggs, usually from con- taminated food or water. Hatching and Penetration: Inside the host, the larvae hatch and may penetrate the intestinal lining. Maturation: They mature into adult worms and begin the cycle again. Even a clean loft can harbor infective eggs if droppings aren’t removed frequently enough, or if just one infected bird is shedding eggs. W hy D on ’ t B irds S how S ymptoms I mmediately ? It’s important to note that birds and roundworms have co-evolved. In moderate numbers, the worms can coexist with the bird without immediate, obvious signs. The worms feed on partially digested food, not the bird itself, so their “goal” is to survive – not to kill the host. But problems arise when: • The worm burden becomes too high. • The worms damage the gut lining. • Nutrient absorption is compromised. • Young or stressed birds are infected. That’s when you start seeing signs like weight loss, list- lessness, poor feather quality, and in this case – quiet behavior and visible worms in droppings. T reatment and M edication O ptions The reader used ivermectin, a common and effective dewormer. Based on the response (many worms passed after treatment), it was clearly working. They also used a consistent