Yep. It’s a cute little thing. I will post some updated pics of it cause the wing feathers are in and tail is coming in
Consolidated Kansas
- Thread starter ChooksChick
- Start date
I would love some, but we have some repairs to do and we don’t have room for anymore right now
Here’s a pic from today of microdot. And yes that is a rabbit.
Due to some unfortunate circumstances I thought it might be wise to start some discussion on chicken disease. So many times new chicken moms and dads lack the knowledge about disease and problems with chickens so they fail to understand the problems and how they work.
There are many viruses, diseases, and other illnesses out there that chickens can suffer from. Even if your birds are contained in a closed pen, over head birds can leave droppings that contain viruses or bacteria and can infect your birds. It takes several years of recognizing what the symptoms are to know what disease or group of diseases you are dealing with.
Most of the problem diseases are viruses but there are also many others that are caused by bacteria, fungus, etc. Treatment is different for each of these and the time it takes for these diseases to clear or to kill varies a lot. If you read through the forums you will read about all kinds of disease that uninformed people mention. But many are only existent in certain areas of the country other than during migration times.
Often bad feed is a culprit that people over look. It occurs all too often especially in prepared and bagged feeds. If the feed didn't totally dry before it was bagged it can harbor mold or even E coli and salmonella which can in turn kill your birds. If mold is the culprit it will cause aspergillus which is not contagious. But aspergillus can also develop if a bird accidentally breaths in mud into their lungs. Often this happens to younger birds who haven't learned to take cover in the rain.
Recently@kskingbee lost several peafowl even after having custom mixed feed because the feed place had included bad feed. So it can happen any time.
I once lost a pen of almost 100 birds to trichonosis within less than a week . It was caused by some wild bird who pooped above the pen obviously. This is carried mostly by pigeons and doves but other birds can also be infected. It's a swift killer and will cause a chicken to die in a couple days. Unlike other disease this one has to be treated with metronidazole or flagyl. Other antibiotics won't clear it. I had sent a carcus to K state back then and gotten the analysis. I had to cull all the birds that remained in that pen to keep it from spreading.
Another disease which is prevalent in summer is fowl pox. It can be a wet or dry form. The wet form is inside the bird rather than outside and it can kill the birds. This is carried by mosquitoes and will usually occur in summer.
There are a bevy of viruses and diseases out there that are carried in by birds, worms, mosquitos and sources of food.
Other forms of disease occur when the weather makes changes. For instance dry hot weather gives into a cooler rainy day or two: you may see a break out of disease. Changing seasons often bring in disease as well. Both through migration and the weather. Abrupt changes in weather can cause your birds to suffer stress which makes them vulnerable to disease.
The key to keeping disease under control is to make sure you flock is as healthy as it can be. Good nutrition, regular worming and treatment for lice or mites, as well as fresh produce or other additional sources of minerals and vitamins make a huge difference. As well as keeping a clean and healthy environment.
Treatment varies for each disease but there are many good antibiotics and natural remedies that will clear most. Unfortunately there are some diseases that can't be cured, and those are the ones that require culling.
My do to for most disease is simply Oregano oik. It is full of antioxidents and has natural healing abilities. Plus it takes so little to do its job. I often give it along with other treatment in case I am not sure what the problem is. Also whenever giving any type of antibiotic be sure to give probiotics and vitamins along with it.
I invite other of you out there to please input about disease and the treatments you use. Nothing beats experience and knowledge. There are so many people out there that have experience with poultry and can share some great insight.
There are many viruses, diseases, and other illnesses out there that chickens can suffer from. Even if your birds are contained in a closed pen, over head birds can leave droppings that contain viruses or bacteria and can infect your birds. It takes several years of recognizing what the symptoms are to know what disease or group of diseases you are dealing with.
Most of the problem diseases are viruses but there are also many others that are caused by bacteria, fungus, etc. Treatment is different for each of these and the time it takes for these diseases to clear or to kill varies a lot. If you read through the forums you will read about all kinds of disease that uninformed people mention. But many are only existent in certain areas of the country other than during migration times.
Often bad feed is a culprit that people over look. It occurs all too often especially in prepared and bagged feeds. If the feed didn't totally dry before it was bagged it can harbor mold or even E coli and salmonella which can in turn kill your birds. If mold is the culprit it will cause aspergillus which is not contagious. But aspergillus can also develop if a bird accidentally breaths in mud into their lungs. Often this happens to younger birds who haven't learned to take cover in the rain.
Recently@kskingbee lost several peafowl even after having custom mixed feed because the feed place had included bad feed. So it can happen any time.
I once lost a pen of almost 100 birds to trichonosis within less than a week . It was caused by some wild bird who pooped above the pen obviously. This is carried mostly by pigeons and doves but other birds can also be infected. It's a swift killer and will cause a chicken to die in a couple days. Unlike other disease this one has to be treated with metronidazole or flagyl. Other antibiotics won't clear it. I had sent a carcus to K state back then and gotten the analysis. I had to cull all the birds that remained in that pen to keep it from spreading.
Another disease which is prevalent in summer is fowl pox. It can be a wet or dry form. The wet form is inside the bird rather than outside and it can kill the birds. This is carried by mosquitoes and will usually occur in summer.
There are a bevy of viruses and diseases out there that are carried in by birds, worms, mosquitos and sources of food.
Other forms of disease occur when the weather makes changes. For instance dry hot weather gives into a cooler rainy day or two: you may see a break out of disease. Changing seasons often bring in disease as well. Both through migration and the weather. Abrupt changes in weather can cause your birds to suffer stress which makes them vulnerable to disease.
The key to keeping disease under control is to make sure you flock is as healthy as it can be. Good nutrition, regular worming and treatment for lice or mites, as well as fresh produce or other additional sources of minerals and vitamins make a huge difference. As well as keeping a clean and healthy environment.
Treatment varies for each disease but there are many good antibiotics and natural remedies that will clear most. Unfortunately there are some diseases that can't be cured, and those are the ones that require culling.
My do to for most disease is simply Oregano oik. It is full of antioxidents and has natural healing abilities. Plus it takes so little to do its job. I often give it along with other treatment in case I am not sure what the problem is. Also whenever giving any type of antibiotic be sure to give probiotics and vitamins along with it.
I invite other of you out there to please input about disease and the treatments you use. Nothing beats experience and knowledge. There are so many people out there that have experience with poultry and can share some great insight.
One thing I need to add to what Danz said is that if you're new to chickens & you add new ones to your flock you should always quarantine them for a minimum of two weeks. Some do a longer period than that but at least with two weeks most things will show up within that period. This keeps your flock safe with any birds you already have & the new ones can be culled if needed or treated before adding them in with the other birds. As well as they practicing good bio-security is just good farm practice. People do things differently in this regard but I restrict people who have chickens from walking around my pens. People don't realize that diseases can be carried on their shoes & clothing from other places to your farm. Some meet people other places off of their farm to deliver birds if they're selling. The soil can harbor many diseases & bacterias so not spreading those to other farms is just good practice. Also be wary of going to swap meets or auctions to buy birds. They may not look sick at the time but again quarantine is very important if you do buy from these places.
We do have a couple of major migrations of wild birds that come through every year & often those can carry diseases that are passed to chickens. I have had outbreaks of something around those times myself. I agree with Danz that the best thing you can do is feed a good diet to your flock & keep them healthy so when they're faced with something they can get through it. Many big chicken operations now are using oregano oil or adding oregano to their feed for a preventative. I think most of us would rather not have to use a lot of antibiotics with our birds but will when it's needed. Oregano however is a natural antiobiotic & can treat some things as an alternative. We just need to make sure it's a pure organic oregano oil, not just any oil.
We do have a couple of major migrations of wild birds that come through every year & often those can carry diseases that are passed to chickens. I have had outbreaks of something around those times myself. I agree with Danz that the best thing you can do is feed a good diet to your flock & keep them healthy so when they're faced with something they can get through it. Many big chicken operations now are using oregano oil or adding oregano to their feed for a preventative. I think most of us would rather not have to use a lot of antibiotics with our birds but will when it's needed. Oregano however is a natural antiobiotic & can treat some things as an alternative. We just need to make sure it's a pure organic oregano oil, not just any oil.
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I'm glad you mentioned shoes, Trish. My rules here are that no one goes in my pens, and that they wear shoes that have been washed and disinfected or that have never been worn in an area where chickens are. My one exception to this rule is if people are buying all the birds in that particular pen and I will have time to spray it down with disinfectant before I add more birds.
This is a huge factor. I once lost all the chicks in my brooder building because I let one man go in there to help catch the birds. Not until weeks later did I learn he had lost his entire flock to a virus and that is why he was buying more.
Needless to say, the longer I do this the more I've learned.
This is a huge factor. I once lost all the chicks in my brooder building because I let one man go in there to help catch the birds. Not until weeks later did I learn he had lost his entire flock to a virus and that is why he was buying more.
Needless to say, the longer I do this the more I've learned.
I had to quote a message I got from @Gray Farms . Hope he doesn't mind
People don't realize that transporting birds is very stressful on them and weakens their immune system. Plus taking them to a totally new place, a new coop, new soil, and new birds exposes them to a whole different set of bacteria and illnesses they have never dealt with before. They are more likely to get a little sick than not. Also people don't understand that you should quarantine new birds for at least 30 days after you get them. Not only to protect you established birds but to protect you new birds as well. I guarantee she just put them right in with her old birds. Its no wonder they got the sniffles. And you are exactly right. Who gets blamed....the breeder.
1. Its not the person who hauled them for 2 hours or more in a car.
2. Got home and put them right in with the other birds.
3. Wasn't prepared for when a new bird got sick.
4. Couldn't see that the new bird was showing early signs of getting sick.
5. Didn't know what to do when the bird got sick.
6. Once it was to late to treat the bird they "had to put it down".
Yep its our "the breeder" fault.....
People don't realize that transporting birds is very stressful on them and weakens their immune system. Plus taking them to a totally new place, a new coop, new soil, and new birds exposes them to a whole different set of bacteria and illnesses they have never dealt with before. They are more likely to get a little sick than not. Also people don't understand that you should quarantine new birds for at least 30 days after you get them. Not only to protect you established birds but to protect you new birds as well. I guarantee she just put them right in with her old birds. Its no wonder they got the sniffles. And you are exactly right. Who gets blamed....the breeder.
1. Its not the person who hauled them for 2 hours or more in a car.
2. Got home and put them right in with the other birds.
3. Wasn't prepared for when a new bird got sick.
4. Couldn't see that the new bird was showing early signs of getting sick.
5. Didn't know what to do when the bird got sick.
6. Once it was to late to treat the bird they "had to put it down".
Yep its our "the breeder" fault.....
He doesn't mind 
@Gray Farms those things are all true. This is why when I sell chicks to people who have traveled any distance I tell them to give chick electrolytes when they get home to help with the stress. This is also why when you order chicks from hatcheries that some die along the way. They have a very hard & stressful journey via the postal system. It's a wonder any of them make it to their destinations alive.
Yay! We got rain last night. Very humid today but worth every bit of it.
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