I've been out shoveling manure from one of the doe coops. Found kazillions of teeny tiny white worms. Are these parasites that the goats have cast off? Should I treat the area with something before I put litter back down? The broody hen thought I was uncovering these just for her and her chicks. lol. Wondering whether I shall need to worm them, too?

Thanks for your thoughts.

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), May 11, 2002

Answers

Hi Mary, the only worm that is a parasite to goats that can be seen with the naked eye is tapeworms. Coming out of the goat normally they look like rice, worm with a good tapeworm wormer and they look like spegetti abandoning ship, though I have no idea what they look like in the ground. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

Sounds like maggots to me. Little lime would work fine.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), May 11, 2002.

Probably nematodes, they shouldn't hurt your goats.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), May 12, 2002.

The chickens are fine.

-- Erin m. o. (captainemo@yahoo.com), March 12, 2003.