Fatty Liver Disease

[Ccort]

I lost one, if not two, of my little girls to Fatty Liver Disease. I am now trying to do all I can to prevent this in my others. Advise, please! These girls are my world especially because I recently lost my husband too. I cannot take more loss. If you can, please help. I need it.

1. I feed Purina Flock Raiser and free feed. My vet is recommending I STOP free feeding. How can I do this and know everyone still gets to eat enough? SHOULD I even stop free feeding?

2. My treats that I give are typically sunflower seeds, mash with garlic, kale, eggs, frozen melon in the summer, squash, dried mealworms, corn on the cob, banana. (Grass/bugs while free ranging) I'm reading sunflower seeds are fatty so I am simply DONE giving those. What about the rest?

3. Should I be feeding veggies everyday?

 

[Perris]

The vet is right.

 

[Eggcessive]

You should free feed the balanced chicken feed, but eliminate the other things and treats.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You may want to read the links provided in your other thread as well, there's tips on how to feed.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sick-flock-two-dead.1577075/post-26812212

I'm glad you were able to get the results back.

What do you normally feed your flock?
It may be time to re-evaluate diet, but there's also a possibility that genetics plays a role in FLD as well.

https://www.tillysnest.com/2013/12/fatty-liver-diseases-in-backyard-html/
https://the-chicken-chick.com/chickens-obesity-silent-killer-how-to/

 

[Perris]

“Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (flhs) in poultry is associated with high carb, low-fat, selenium-deficient diets given ad lib.” Macwhirter 'Malnutrition' chapter 31 in https://avianmedicine.net/publication_cat/avian-medicine/

 

[Ccort]

Thanks. I'm wondering if it was because I wasn't letting them out anywhere near as much during winter and gave more treats. I'm hoping if others might have it that me having them free ranging a lot more, and way less treats, can help them still.

 

[Ccort]

Had anyone successfully treated chickens with this? I've had three die now. I've stopped all treats and dramatically increased free ranging time.
I've read the links but does someone smarter than me have additional advice?

 

[Kellow1]

Had anyone successfully treated chickens with this? I've had three die now. I've stopped all treats and dramatically increased free ranging time.
I've read the links but does someone smarter than me have additional advice?

Feed a well-balanced layer feed and reduce the amount of "treats" as they throw off the balance of the feed.

 

[RoyalChick]

“Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (flhs) in poultry is associated with high carb, low-fat, selenium-deficient diets given ad lib.” Macwhirter 'Malnutrition' chapter 31 in https://avianmedicine.net/publication_cat/avian-medicine/

It will take me a while to dig up the reference but add low exercise to the list. High carb, low fat, and low exercise.
Free ranging is probably the best way to avoid it.