- No egg withholding period — keep collecting and eating eggs right through treatment
- Controls large roundworm, caecal worm and hairworm (threadworm)
- Goes into the drinking water — one day's dosing, then repeat two weeks later
- 500ml treats a lot of birds: enough for roughly 280kg of live weight
- Active constituent 14 g/L levamisole
- Do not use in extremely hot weather, and not within 7 days of slaughter
- No egg withholding period
- Roundworm, caecal worm and hairworm
- In the drinking water, repeat in 2 weeks
- 500ml — approx. 280kg of live weight
- 14 g/L levamisole
Keep eating the eggs
This is the reason most backyard keepers choose Kilverm. There is no egg withholding period — you treat the flock and carry on collecting and eating the eggs the whole way through. Nothing gets thrown out.
That matters more than it sounds. The usual reason a flock goes too long between wormings is not forgetfulness, it is not wanting to bin a fortnight of eggs. Take that away and routine worming becomes something you actually do.
How much do I give them?
Kilverm is dosed on body weight, not per bird, so work out roughly what your flock weighs and go from there. The rate is 1.75ml per kilogram of live weight, or 10ml per 6kg.
| Bird | Kilverm |
|---|---|
| Bantam, around 1kg | 1.75 ml |
| Average laying hen, around 2kg | 3.5 ml |
| Large hen or small rooster, 3kg | 5.25 ml |
| Heavy breed rooster, 4kg | 7 ml |
| A flock of six 2kg hens (12kg) | 21 ml |
Dilute it at one part Kilverm to twenty parts water — so 10ml of Kilverm goes into 200ml of water.
Getting them to drink it
Here is why people give up on Kilverm. The active ingredient, levamisole, is bitter. The birds taste it, they drink less, and you end up wondering whether they got the dose at all. The whole dose needs to go in, and it needs to go in reasonably quickly.
There are two halves to solving that, and we use both.
A tablespoon of honey in the mix
This is what we do, and what we have told customers for years: stir a good tablespoon of honey through the mix. It sweetens the water enough that they drink it properly, and honey is a prebiotic, so it is doing the birds a favour on the way through.
And take the water away the night before
Thirst does the rest
Lift the drinkers about two hours before dark. In the morning, put the honeyed mix out at first light as their only water. Thirsty birds at daybreak will drink it straight down, which is exactly what you want.
Replace it with fresh clean water once they have finished it, or after eight hours, whichever comes first. Mix only what they will actually get through — a couple of hens will not drink two litres.
Then do it again in two weeks
This is the step people skip. A wormer deals with the worms that are in there now, but it does nothing to the eggs — so the second dose is what catches the next lot coming through. Miss it and you are back where you started.
Clean the coop and run out thoroughly about 24 hours after treating, or the birds simply pick the parasite straight back up off the ground.
What it controls
| Large roundworm | Ascaridia galli — the most common intestinal worm in chickens |
| Caecal worm | Heterakis gallinae — lives in the caeca |
| Hairworm / threadworm | Capillaria spp. — the thin threads sometimes seen in egg white |
Kilverm does not treat tapeworm, and it does not treat gapeworm. If your birds are gasping, stretching their necks or making gurgling sounds, that is not an intestinal worm — speak to a vet. Our full comparison of Fluverm and Kilverm covers which one suits which job.
When to worm
- Routinely, every six months, whether or not anything looks wrong. Free-range birds pick up more and may need it more often.
- Before new birds join the flock.
- If you see the signs — weight loss, a pale comb, dropping off in lay, or threads in the egg white.
A healthy chicken carries a few worms without any sign of it. The goal is keeping the load down, not sterilising the bird.
Before you use it
Not in extreme heat
Kilverm is contraindicated in extremely hot weather. In a Queensland summer, treat early in the morning on a mild day, or wait for the weather to break.
- Eggs: no withholding period. Keep eating them right through.
- Meat birds: do not use within 7 days of slaughter.
- Mix fresh. Make up only what the flock will drink that morning.
- Always read the label and follow the directions for use.
Which size do I need?
The 500ml bottle carries enough for roughly 280kg of live weight. A complete worming is two doses two weeks apart, so a flock of six average hens uses about 42ml each time — call it a dozen complete wormings in the bottle. It suits larger flocks, several flocks, a mix of poultry and pigs, or anyone who would rather buy once.
For a small backyard flock the 125ml bottle is usually the sensible size — six hens would take years to work through a 500ml, and it carries an expiry date like anything else.
Specifications
| Size | 500ml |
| Active constituent | 14 g/L levamisole (as 16.5 g/L levamisole hydrochloride) |
| Controls | Large roundworm, caecal worm, hairworm |
| Dose rate | 1.75 ml per kg live weight (10 ml per 6 kg) |
| Dilution | 1 part Kilverm to 20 parts water |
| Repeat | 2 weeks after the first dose |
| Egg withholding | Nil |
| Meat withholding | 7 days |
| Also suitable for | Pigs (see label for rates) |
| Manufacturer | Vetsense, Australia |
Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you are worried about a bird, speak to a vet.
Product Specifications
- Size:
- 500ml
Frequently Asked Questions
Dosage, timing and the questions we actually get asked about worming with Kilverm.
How much Kilverm does each chicken need?
It is dosed on body weight, not per bird: 1.75ml per kilogram, or 10ml per 6kg. An average 2kg laying hen needs 3.5ml, a bantam about 1.75ml, a heavy rooster around 7ml. Add up your flock's weight and dose the total. Dilute at one part Kilverm to twenty parts water.
How do I actually get it into them?
Through the drinking water, and the trick is thirst. Lift the drinkers about two hours before dark. In the morning, put the medicated water out at first light as their only water — thirsty birds will drink it straight down. Replace it with fresh water once they have finished, or after eight hours, whichever comes first.
Can I still eat the eggs?
Yes. Kilverm has no egg withholding period, so you can keep collecting and eating the eggs right through treatment. Nothing needs to be thrown out.
Do I really have to do it twice?
Yes, and it is the step most people skip. A wormer kills the worms that are in the bird now, but it does nothing to the eggs. The second dose, two weeks later, is what catches the next generation as it matures. Worm once and you are back where you started within a month.
How long will a 500ml bottle last?
A long time. 500ml covers roughly 280kg of live weight. A complete worming is two doses two weeks apart, so a flock of six average hens uses about 42ml each time — around a dozen complete wormings in the bottle, or six years of twice-yearly worming. That is longer than the bottle's shelf life, so for a small flock the 125ml is the sensible size; this one suits larger flocks, several flocks, or a mix of poultry and pigs.
What worms does it actually treat?
Large roundworm (Ascaridia galli), caecal worm (Heterakis gallinae) and hairworm or threadworm (Capillaria spp.) — the three common intestinal worms in backyard chickens.
Does Kilverm treat gapeworm?
No. Gapeworm lives in the windpipe rather than the gut and is not on the label. If your birds are gasping, stretching their necks or making gurgling sounds, that is not an intestinal worm — speak to a vet. Worth knowing that Fluverm does not treat gapeworm either.
Does it treat tapeworm?
No, Kilverm does not claim tapeworm. Fluverm does, at its higher dose rate. That is the one genuine coverage difference between the two products.
Can I use it in hot weather?
No — the label says Kilverm is contraindicated in extremely hot weather. Treat early in the morning on a mild day, or wait for the weather to break. Worth planning around in a Queensland summer.
How often should I worm the flock?
Every six months as a routine, whether or not anything looks wrong, plus before any new birds join the flock. Free-range birds pick up more from the ground and may need it more often.
What about meat birds?
Kilverm is suitable for meat birds, but do not use it within 7 days of slaughter for human consumption.
What if they will not drink it?
Levamisole is bitter, and that is usually what is going on. Two things fix it, and we use both: stir a good tablespoon of honey through the mix to sweeten it, and make sure they are actually thirsty — water lifted the night before, medicated water out at first light, and no other water available. A puddle or a second drinker will undo the whole thing. Mix only what they will get through in a morning.
Can I put honey in it?
It is what we do, and what we have told customers for years. A good tablespoon stirred through the mix sweetens the water enough that the birds drink it properly instead of sipping at it, and honey is a prebiotic so it does them a favour on the way through. It is our own practice rather than a label direction — always read the label and follow the directions on it.
Not sure what your flock weighs, or which wormer you need? Get in touch — we are a small Australian family business and we answer our own emails.