Recent content by jh7192

Wait until the chicks are fully feathered before letting them out side. That should be about now. Not much forage available at this time of year. You must live in far NE GA. WE never had it that cold in Athens

Medicated feed. To feed medicated feed effectively, one must have sick birds and a definitive diagnosis. Then you or more likely your veterinarian can prescribe the appropriate medicated feed. FDA is moving in the direction of requiring all antibiotics be prescribed by a vet.:/ N Not all drugs...

Amanda: yes,this is a result of mating and dominance. Homosexuality in birds is not uncommon. When I worked at the zoo, it was common at this time of year. Either separate the drakes or give them each about 10 hens. jh7192

Again, it's difficult to diagnose chickens on the internet. I will throwout a couple of possibilities. First, Newcastle disease (ND) is a possibility. ND is caused by a virus and is similar to canine distemper. Commercial chicks are vaccinated for ND in the shell at 18 days of embryonation. ND...

First, let me say it is difficult if not impossible to diagnose a sick bird on the internet. The proper way to obtain a diagnosis is to consult a poultry professional. Several things contribute to diarrhea: disease, parasites, water intake. intestinal disease, renal disease. For starters are you...

I think if you try treating the chick with each of those treatments sequentially, it will be long dead by the time you get to the last one. One photo of the chick lying in a palm shows dark legs. Is this a breed with normally dark legs. If not, the dark veins suggest chilling or bacteremia...

Though no one else has said so, the two photos are not normal chicken droppings. Normal droppings are semi-solid and form a small pile. The lower portion of the pile is usually green-brown with a few yellow specks(corn). The upper portion of the pile is white-that's the bird's urine (uric...

It is difficult to diagnose sick chicks on the internet. Several possibilities here. One is Aspergillosis or brooder pneumonia. Aspergillus is a fungal infection chicks pick up in the hatcher. It affects the lungs,causing the bird to be deprived of air. No treatment. Another possibility is...

I'll help as best I'm able. There are several causes of a gurgling sound associated with breathing in chickens. If these birds are outside and come in contact with wild wrens, sparrows, finches, etc, then Mycoplasma is a real possibility. Mycoplasma is a bacterial disease and can be treated with...

A couple of comments concerning DE as an organic dewormer for poultry. First, DE has never been proven in scientific trials to kill internal parasites.I don't have the reference handy but could probably locate if pushed. Second, I doubt DE would have any effect on the ova of most roundworms or...

These are good biosecurity precautions. The comment about the foot bath is a good one and is frequently utilized by commercial poultry producers. Be sure to change the bleach solution when it becomes contaminated with mud, leaves, feathers and other debris. Organic debris inactivates bleach. Use...

Rita: You describe fairly classic signs of upper respiratory disease or sinusitis in birds. Is there any swelling beneath the eyes? Is the birds breathing normal? Can you hear any bubbling sounds or gurgling as the bird breathes? Any matter in the birds eyes? Assuming the bird has an upper...

Generally, birds require 14 hours of light to lay. As we are now just about to the shortest day (interms of daylight) you should be shining a light on the birds for about 4 hours daily. We get about 11 hours of daylight at my latitude. However, if the bird coop is near the house and the house...

I do not know where in MD you live so it may not be worthwhile to drive to Taneytown or Westminster. However, A&W Country meats in Taneytown (410 7562420) may do the processing for you or Hahn's of Westminster(410 848 4200). There is also Maurer and Miller in Manchester (410 374 2884). Good luck

Chickens can sneeze for a variety of causes. One is management or husbandry. Maybe the air is dusty. Maybe there is ammonia in the air. Likewise, chickens may be on medicated feed. Maybe the feed is dusty. Several bacterial organisms may cause the signs you described. I think first of...