Chicken Keeping notes

[SkyAJK]

I would like to keep a note about my chicken keeping. Chickens come with much love, joy, pain, work and many up and down. The down is to do with flock disharmony and ill health.

At time I am sadly wonder about why none of my chickens die of old age? I have been keeping chickens for 7/8 years now. Why are my flock so prone to ill health?

I work very hard every day to care for my chickens, clean their bedding every morning, new bedding at night, pick up their poops several times a day, clean water every day and containers are cleaned many times during the week. I give the good feed, green leafly and yes, the treat like sprout grains, bananas, blue berries, those are healthy stuff. Still I found now that I have 2 hens with skin infection below the vent, and I have 2 hens started reproductive issues that I know because they are Isa Brown.

I found a size of a half teaspoon fleshly lump inside my Australorp egg. She is such a healthy hen, lay 3 eggs a week and I am sure this lump is cancerous.

It has started to wear me down with so much ill health. When I see them running to me, digging up my garden, I feel all love again, all the work and pain worth it all.

 

[Debbie292d]

Your words really resonate with me, and I’m so sorry you’re carrying so much of this on your heart. You give them time, effort, good nutrition, and most of all, love. That already makes you an exceptional chicken keeper, even on the days it doesn’t feel like it.

I don't know much about your breeds, but I've learned here on BYC that high-production layers like ISA Browns are prone to reproductive and health issues, no matter how well they’re cared for. The skin infections, if not sure how to treat it, just post in the Emergency forum for some help.

The exhaustion you’re feeling is completely understandable, and I think we've all been there a time or two, but it sounds like you're getting more than your share of it, and I'm sorry.

Illnesses cropping up again and again would wear down any of us, but the joy you describe, like the way they run to you, makes it worth it. For the time they are here, they know you love them.

I feel you should be very proud of yourself for hanging in there through thick and thin with them. I bet they are!

 

[thecatumbrella]

We've both been through such a ride (you even more so). I've started to have mixed feelings about chickens. I love caring for them, spending time together, and working to improve their lives. I hate watching them squabble and hurt each other, just for the heck of it. I hate when they're ill, and there's nothing you can really do except wait it out.

Glad you're keeping notes here. I know I'll use a lot of my BYC posts and articles for reference in the future, so it's worth jotting down notes and dates of events.

Also, I just saw that you finally had to euthanize Mint. I'm so sorry.