Common Mistakes Poultry Keepers Make (And How to Fix Them)

If you ask any poultry keeper, they will probably give you a list of things they would have done differently. Everyone has made mistakes at one point or another, some of them are harmless, but others can lead to your birds getting seriously injured, or even killed. Hopefully, you can learn from some of these common mistakes, and prevent them from happening to you.

• Not noticing a sick bird in time

It is very important to observe your birds every day so that in case you have a sick or injured bird you will notice it in time to save it. Becoming accustomed to your birds' normal behavior, and observing them daily is a good idea. Your birds all should be active and have nice bright eyes, healthy red or pink combs, and their feathers should be clean, glossy, and well preened. (Keep in mind that there are exceptions to these last two while your birds are going through their annual molt).

Symptoms of ill birds include:

Moving slowly, and not interested in food or treats
Refusing to come out of the coop in the morning
Not eating or drinking
Huddling on the roost or floor during the day with closed eyes
Head pulled tightly in
Droopy wings and tail
Heavy or strained breathing
Decreased egg production
Straining
Acting lethargic
Ruffled feathers (Keep in mind that hens will sometimes ruffle their feathers when cold)
Pale or purple comb, and wattles
Cloudy, leaky, swollen, or watery eyes
Sneezing, wheezing, or coughing
Swollen legs or feet

When you have a sick or injured bird, it is best to separate it as soon as possible. Inspect the ill bird's weight, vent, face, mouth, and nostrils and look it over for blood, scabs, and other signs of injury. Also, check for mites and lice, and expect the bird's legs for scaly leg mites.


Typical look of a sick bird. This hen most likely died of some kind of internal injury.

• Using toxic chemicals around the coop

You have a rat problem in the coop, and there are some annoying weeds growing in your birds' run. Well, the right thing to do would be to bring out the rat poison, and herbicides, right? Wrong!

Most chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, and pest poisons, are deadly to your birds. It is best to avoid using such items around your coop, run, or anywhere in your birds' range. Even if you put out rats or other rodent poisons where you are sure your birds will not get it, your birds may find and eat the dead or dying rat, in which case the birds may ingest the poison that way.

If you spray weeds or grass around your coop, or anywhere in your birds' range, they may eat than it, and ingest the chemicals, which can cause illness or death to your birds. It is best to use such chemicals sparingly and with caution around your flock.

• Buying birds from an unknown source/dishonest breeder

Buying birds from unknown sources is very risky for many reasons. For one thing, you don't know what you are getting. The birds may have health issues or carry diseases that may not be apparent at first. Another reason not to buy birds from unknown sources is to avoid dishonest breeders. While there are a lot of very good breeders with very high-quality birds, there are some that are either not knowledgeable about the birds they raise, or just plain deceptive.

For more on buying birds, read this article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/tips-for-purchasing-birds-from-a-breeder

When adding birds to your flock, it is a good idea to quarantine them for a little while before adding them to the rest of your flock: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...often-underestimated-part-of-raising-chickens

• Overcrowding and/or overheating your chicks in the brooder

Many people make the mistake of keeping chicks in a small brooder until they are well feathered out. This is a mistake for many reasons, for one thing, chicks grow very quickly, and will outgrow a small brooder (such as a plastic storage tote) very quickly. The general rule of thumb for how much space your chicks will need is a minimum of 1/2 a sq foot for the first week, 1 sq foot for the second week, and then increase that every week by 1 sq foot. (keep in mind that you can get away with slightly less space for bantams, quail, and other small birds, and you will need slightly more than that for large birds such as turkeys and geese). No, this does not mean that you have to give your birds a bigger brooder each week, but take into consideration before you purchase your chicks, how much brooder space they will need as they grow.

Observing mother hens has convinced me that baby chicks do not need as much heat as we are often told. I have seen many a mother hen out scratching with her chicks on 20F and 30F degree mornings, and even one hen and her 2-week old chick out eating on a 5F degree morning! Don't get me wrong, chicks do need to be kept warm, but they don't need to roast under a heat lamp, all the time. Chicks out with a mother hen, would go out and scratch for an hour or two, and then come and warm up before going out to eat and scratch again. As they get older, the time spent out eating and scratching will increase. Chicks that are kept in a heated brooder all the time have far less tolerance to cold temps and often are poor winter layers. When setting up or constructing your brooder, make sure that your babies have a place where they can get out from under the heat. Observe them closely and make sure they are comfortable. As long as you are not getting temps 30F's or below, your chicks should be ready to leave the brooder by the time they are fully feathered out.

• Keeping birds in a dirty/poorly ventilated/dark coop

This is a common mistake. Keeping birds housed in dirty, poorly ventilated, and dark coops can lead to many health issues such as respiratory problems, mite/lice infestations, higher susceptibility to frostbite, decreased egg production, and a host of other health issues and diseases. Make sure to keep your bedding clean, and change it often. Make sure your coop is well ventilated with plenty of airflow. Light is also important. Don't keep your birds cooped up in a dark coop without natural light.

Here are a couple of articles on the subject:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bedding-part-2-maintaining-your-bedding
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop


Good, clean bedding is a must.

• Not predator proofing your coop

You're getting ready to build your coop. Chicken wire is the obvious thing to use, right? Unfortunately, it probably is, but it is not the best thing to use. Predators can easily tear through it, and carry off your defenseless birds. While the chicken wire is good for interior use, and on coops where predation is not an issue, it is not recommended for exterior use. Hardware cloth (though more expensive) is much stronger and safer. Keep in mind while building your coop, that almost everything loves a good chicken dinner, so make sure your coop is VERY predator-proof.

Note: Check out the ''Coop & Run: Design, Construction, & Maintenance'' section of this forum for more on the subject of predator-proofing your coop.

• Not buying/building a big enough coop

Overcrowding can lead to stress, cannibalism, feather pecking, and other issues. Chickens need a minimum of 4 sq feet each in the coop, and preferably 10 sq feet of run space. Remember this is a bare minimum, it is best to (if possible) at least double that size. Remember, there is no such thing as a coop that is too big. You may plan on getting 12 chickens at first, but you may want to add a few more in the future, so instead of rebuilding a new coop when your flock expands, it's a good idea to build a bigger coop from the start.

• Not picking the right breed

Chickens are bred for many different purposes, such as meat, eggs, exhibition, etc. Before buying your flock, decide why you want chickens. Do you want them for production? Pets? Meat?

Decide carefully on what breed(s) you want. For example, if you want pets, don't buy a breed known for being flighty. Keep climate in mind too, and pick a breed that does well where you live.


Handling your birds is also a good idea to get them accustomed to you

• Be prepared for emergencies

At one point or another, you may very well end up with a sick or injured bird. When this happens you don't want to be caught unprepared. This is why it is good to have a first aid kit on hand.

Here is some help that will help you get a first aid kit started:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...dy-and-essential-supplies-and-how-to-use-them

I hope this article helps you have a better experience with your birds! If you have any questions, comments, or would like to add anything to this list, feel free to post below, or PM me.

Thanks for reading!