hacks and tips for general, long term disease prevention?

[goats-n-oats]

Hi all, as antibiotics are getting more expensive and not as effective, I'm looking for ways to control disease in my coop long term. For example, Corid doesn't seem to be working, so I am trying oregano oil to control diarrhea. Another example, my neighbors have goats and never seem to have a problem with mastitis; I wonder if this is due to their twice-daily washing of water bowls, or other sanitation practices. What do you do to keep your birds healthy and minimize veterinary costs?

 

[NatJ]

I'm looking for ways to control disease in my coop long term... What do you do to keep your birds healthy and minimize veterinary costs?

Basic principles can do a lot:

Provide plenty of space, keep things reasonably clean and definitely dry (even outdoors, arrange drainage and/or plants to keep the animals out of the mud.)

Keep clean, fresh water available to the animals, and provide the right amount of the right kind of food (animals are more likely to have health problems if they are are starving, or obese, or eating food that is badly wrong for their needs.)

Be very careful about bringing home new animals, because they might have diseases or parasites as well.

Consider culling animals that are sick, rather than treating them. This keeps them from suffering (because now they are dead), keep them from spreading the disease to others, and usually means that you remove the animals with weak immune systems (they got sick) so the only ones you have left are the ones with stronger immune systems.

Corid doesn't seem to be working, so I am trying oregano oil to control diarrhea.

Corid treats coccidiosis. If the diarrhea is not caused by coccidiosis, then Corid will not help. Many other things can also cause diarrhea, and each one needs treating differently. (Example: chicks are more prone to diarrhea when their brooder is too hot, and fixing the brooder temperature will fix that kind of diarrhea-- but will not help against coccidiosis or any kind of bacteria.)

Another example, my neighbors have goats and never seem to have a problem with mastitis; I wonder if this is due to their twice-daily washing of water bowls, or other sanitation practices.

Yes, keeping things clean can make a big difference.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Basic principles can do a lot:

Provide plenty of space, keep things reasonably clean and definitely dry (even outdoors, arrange drainage and/or plants to keep the animals out of the mud.)

Keep clean, fresh water available to the animals, and provide the right amount of the right kind of food (animals are more likely to have health problems if they are are starving, or obese, or eating food that is badly wrong for their needs.)

Be very careful about bringing home new animals, because they might have diseases or parasites as well.

Consider culling animals that are sick, rather than treating them. This keeps them from suffering (because now they are dead), keep them from spreading the disease to others, and usually means that you remove the animals with weak immune systems (they got sick) so the only ones you have left are the ones with stronger immune systems.


Corid treats coccidiosis. If the diarrhea is not caused by coccidiosis, then Corid will not help. Many other things can also cause diarrhea, and each one needs treating differently. (Example: chicks are more prone to diarrhea when their brooder is too hot, and fixing the brooder temperature will fix that kind of diarrhea-- but will not help against coccidiosis or any kind of bacteria.)


Yes, keeping things clean can make a big difference.

Thanks. This provided a lot of food for thought. Need to up my coop game.