Antibiotics??

[Dixiedoodle]

Do any of you give your hens (laying age) antibiotics? My dh (who doesn't know much about chickens--less than I do, anyways), keeps saying I need to put antibiotics in their water... I lost a pullet a few weeks after I got them at 18weeks old--they are now 30weeks old and I have another hen that's not doing well.. They were wormed, they don't have mites, pest, they have fresh organic layer pellets, water daily, they get to free range af least a few hrs each afternoon.. I have cut way down on their treats since they get to free range each day

When I told my dh, I had a girl that wasn't doing well...he said "well, you aren't giving them any antibiotics"---which is one BIG reason I wanted my own hens.--Eggs with no bad stuff..

So, do you supply your chickens with antibiotics?? Did I miss something that says I 'must' give them the tons of un-natural stuff to keep them healthy??

I am sad that I am not doing something right but feel like I am doing everything I know, have read, studied, thought was good for the girls...She was fine at 4:30--eating, drinking scratching around..standing at the fence for a hand out..

Thanks for any ideas , help...Dixie

 

[canada-goose]

Are they acting strange?
Disgusting poop?
What were the symptoms?

I never give my chickens antibiotics unless they need it. Routine use wouldn't help if the bacteria gained resistance to it.
I hope they'll be okay.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

The first pullet, never grew, She ate, drank, scratched-- she just never grew--I thought she was a bantam and never thought anything about it. She was here for three weeks and it was amazing how much her sisters had grown and she was so tiny... After she died, I looked all over her--no mites, no worms, no prolaspe NOTHING --she just never grew..

This girl was FINE one and a half hours before. I checked her neck, nothing unusal, I checked her for mites, nothing.. Just sitting very still and didn't come out when I opened the gate, I picked her up and she didn't squawk, try to run away..


No blood, not even the head, her legs look fine, her vent looked normal... the area under/behind her wings looked great..not even any real dirty areas..Her vent was clean-- none of their poop is strange/different color..

The girls act like chickens, they scramble for food, treats, they scratch, make great loud noises, They run from one 'goodie' spot to another.. flap their wings, walk in the water.