Hi all,
New here.
I am feeling very discouraged...close to ready to give up.
I grew up with chickens and my mom rarely had health issues with her hens. In the 16 months since i have owned chickens i've dealt with: (edited to add more detail)
- needing to get rid of most of my flock due to roosters (not allowed roosters in town)
- major lice (integrated a couple free range birds that were infested and i didn know it)
- many broken toenails (annoying due to blood all over the place)
- one nail completely ripped off (took 3-4 weeks of care to heal)
- one was not digesting food properly so had stands of grass hanging out of it's bum (learned not to give much grass as a treat)
- one was not handling the feed well before it started laying (was my only <18 week old for a little while)
- one had frostbite on it's comb which was then pecked off and there was more blood all over the place
- one died of respretory issues (only one chick and didn't spread)
- one just died of either egg yoke peretonitis or cancer (have had major egg laying issues ever since it started laying)
- two more haven't laid in three months leading me to think they are on their way out with egg yoke peretonitis or trauma (one had the ripped nail and hasn't laid since and the other never started laying consistently despite being born Apr 2020)
- And now i have to deal with bumble foot.
It seems like as soon as one issue is dealt with a new one shows up.
I am so tired of this. I did and continue doing my research in order to ensure proper nutrition, housing, and space requirements. But the health issues just keep happening.
What am I doing wrong?
New here.
I am feeling very discouraged...close to ready to give up.
I grew up with chickens and my mom rarely had health issues with her hens. In the 16 months since i have owned chickens i've dealt with: (edited to add more detail)
- needing to get rid of most of my flock due to roosters (not allowed roosters in town)
- major lice (integrated a couple free range birds that were infested and i didn know it)
- many broken toenails (annoying due to blood all over the place)
- one nail completely ripped off (took 3-4 weeks of care to heal)
- one was not digesting food properly so had stands of grass hanging out of it's bum (learned not to give much grass as a treat)
- one was not handling the feed well before it started laying (was my only <18 week old for a little while)
- one had frostbite on it's comb which was then pecked off and there was more blood all over the place
- one died of respretory issues (only one chick and didn't spread)
- one just died of either egg yoke peretonitis or cancer (have had major egg laying issues ever since it started laying)
- two more haven't laid in three months leading me to think they are on their way out with egg yoke peretonitis or trauma (one had the ripped nail and hasn't laid since and the other never started laying consistently despite being born Apr 2020)
- And now i have to deal with bumble foot.
It seems like as soon as one issue is dealt with a new one shows up.
I am so tired of this. I did and continue doing my research in order to ensure proper nutrition, housing, and space requirements. But the health issues just keep happening.
What am I doing wrong?
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