Diagnosing and preventative care

[FarmMommaH]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any advice on a kind of mental “flow chart” so to speak on when you see a chicken that could be sick. I currently have a hen that has her tail down and I’ve read that’s a sign of something wrong and I just don’t really know where to go from there. Any “diagnosing” tips would be helpful.

And then does anyone do any kind of “preventative” medical care? Like feed additives to stave off sickness or just to boost overall health.

I love learning all I can do any info is greatly appreciated!

 

[nuthatched]

A healthy, balanced diet that's 90% feed and 10% others.

Chickens are prey animals so they'll hide symptoms until they can't.
Withdrawn
Still
Pale
Hunched up
Tired
Eyes shut (ultimate indicator of suffering)
Best way is to get in the habit of checking your birds over evernight.
Feet
Crops
Eyes

 

[Mrs. K]

Good food, enough water, enough space - as in at least or more than recommended. Occasionally free ranging does not change a too small coop.

A lot of people worry about being egg bound. I have had chickens for decades and never had one egg bound. I wonder if it is because their birds are in too small of pens, and do not get enough excercise.

Adding roosts and clutter in the run, can allow them more room in the run. If they fly up, that is exercise. Anything they can get under or on top of increases their space, and allows them to get away from each other, good for flock dynamics.

If a chicken is bright eyed, eating, and active they are healthy. I know a lot of people treat their birds a lot of the time. I don't and I have only had one sick bird, that I got from someone else, and I culled that bird. People don't like to talk about it but culling sick birds is a very good disease prevention for the flock. Keeping a sick bird continually adds disease to the flock.

Mrs K

 

[FarmMommaH]

Good food, enough water, enough space - as in at least or more than recommended. Occasionally free ranging does not change a too small coop.

A lot of people worry about being egg bound. I have had chickens for decades and never had one egg bound. I wonder if it is because their birds are in too small of pens, and do not get enough excercise.

Adding roosts and clutter in the run, can allow them more room in the run. If they fly up, that is exercise. Anything they can get under or on top of increases their space, and allows them to get away from each other, good for flock dynamics.

If a chicken is bright eyed, eating, and active they are healthy. I know a lot of people treat their birds a lot of the time. I don't and I have only had one sick bird, that I got from someone else, and I culled that bird. People don't like to talk about it but culling sick birds is a very good disease prevention for the flock. Keeping a sick bird continually adds disease to the flock.

Mrs K

Thanks. Do you ever wash the coops? I’ve lost a few hens this year and I don’t know to what. The most recent were two new from someone else. Prior to that they would just get the tail down, pale red and not active. I checked over the last one and saw some mites and dusted them with de and spread that around the coop. Not sure if that’s what going on this time. I haven’t had a chance to check this girl over yet.

 

[aart]

I checked over the last one and saw some mites and dusted them with de and spread that around the coop.

DE is not going to kill a mite infestation.

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[aart]

The most recent were two new from someone else.

Consider biological/medical quarantine:

BYC Medical Quarantine Article

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with AArt, all natural is nice, until it comes to parasites, then get the real stuff and follow the directions. Treat the coop and birds.

No, I have never washed a coop. I do broom them out several times a year.

If you have one bird with mites or lice, more than likely you have more than one bird with it.

 

[FarmMommaH]

DE is not going to kill a mite infestation.

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

Oh geeze. Alright I’ll check that out. Thanks

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks. Do you ever wash the coops? I’ve lost a few hens this year and I don’t know to what. The most recent were two new from someone else. Prior to that they would just get the tail down, pale red and not active. I checked over the last one and saw some mites and dusted them with de and spread that around the coop. Not sure if that’s what going on this time. I haven’t had a chance to check this girl over yet.

Don't use water in the coop, it can create mold issues.
DE doesn't work for mites , and it's awful for you and especially your girls to breathe.
I'd avoid it

 

[Loving my girls]

I agree with AArt, all natural is nice, until it comes to parasites, then get the real stuff and follow the directions. Treat the coop and birds.

No, I have never washed a coop. I do broom them out several times a year.

If you have one bird with mites or lice, more than likely you have more than one bird with it.

Absolutely being kind to the planet is great but zap, smash, squish and throw every chemical know to mankind at the little nasties as soon as they get brave enough to exist.

NOTHING TOUCHES MY GIRLS