Help! My chickens/livestock are all healthy!!!!!

[BayMinetteChickenMom]

Well, it's $4.00 now. I foresee more chickens in the future. And I've kept plenty of other animals- I know there are no guarantees. I told my son that very few chickens die of old age, but that we would do our best.

We keep out chickens in a dog kennel, wrapped in hardware cloth, with an electric fence out from that. The coop is a large dog house. The other day the air conditioner repairman asked me just what kind of dog was I keeping in there?

 

[mandelyn]

I just got my chickens this week, but I'm not new to chickens.

Everything is going peachy! 3 out of the 4 are great pets, the other hen hates me but she's a proven mother, so that can be her job.

I was worried my dogs would freak, but they remembered their previous "this is a pet, don't touch it" training. They watch, but they don't get excited nor do they terrorize the chickens through the mesh door when I'm in the house. (I watch them from the window)

Was worried 1 more rooster in the neighborhood would set the chickenless neighbors over the edge, since the house touching corners with ours already has 3 roosters. It has not, one neighbor saying "What's one more? I have double pane windows anyways". And it really is a neighborhood... most of the lot's (and the other chicken yard) have small yards, you could easily throw a baseball 3 houses down. Our's is the original farm house set about 100 feet from the others, with a park on the other side. Not rural by any means but our house atleast has extra space.

Was worried that there would be ordinances against chickens... there are not, only 3 villages of the city have anything against chickens. But the City, County, and Township I live in, have nothing against them, not even roosters.

Was worried about the cost... but I'm re-using a giant dog house we had built years ago that my dogs don't use, after a couple alterations. The rest of the materials I scavenged or found in the basement, I only had to buy feed and a waterer. My future purchase will be a couple of 2x4s to finish the run framing, chicken wire, and corrogated roofing. Maybe some wood siding for the dog house to finish it out and make it pretty. It's unpainted plywood right now.

But my total cost for the year will be about $200, including the chickens themselves. Once the run is done I may add some full size layers. I don't expect much from the Bantam hens...

So far all my worry has been for nothing! And that's great news.

 

[Skamaghetten]

My small flock of three chickens is doing wonderfully. Eating well, laying decent, and not being overly annoying. I also integrated a Silkie bantam in to an existing flock of normal sized chickens. No disease here.

 

[PortageGirl]

My 12 are happy and easy to deal with. I've had many more at a time and I'd say up to 30 is still pretty easy (on a sliding scale sort of way).

They 8 pullets don't come out of the coop much, but that's their problem, not mine! They'll venture out when they're darn good and ready. I'm not buying trouble over it.

The older 4 follow me demanding treats whenever they see me. It's a real hoot!!

 

[BeccaOH]

I love my chickens so much that I keep adding more. They are all doing very well. A couple older ones are molting and looking goofy, though.

I had a few coon issues in early July, but things are very quiet now that those too rascals are gone.

Egg production has picked back up since Fall is coming on. I love the joy of doing the egg count each day.

Keep this thread going. I love all the good reports.

 

[AHappychick]

my flock is healthy as can be. I have never seen a sniffle or runny nose, no lice, mites, scaley legs, or any thing else. I do on occasion have to deal with cocci, and the occasional injury but that is it. Also I had a battle with Mareks a year ago but that too I have under control with no birds showing any symptoms since early spring.

This is a good thread as I do feel as though it can be scary to see all of the problems chooks can come up with

 

[SimplyForties]

What a great thread idea! My flock of 9 Buckeyes is doing great. No problems of any kind with anything!

Just started turning them out to free-range and they go in and out all day on their own. Getting them all in at night is also a non-issue. Our first winter coming up and I don't suspect that will be a problem either.

I hope I won't have to become acquainted with any other sort of chicken lifestyle!

 

[Beekissed]

Just thought prospective chicken owners should have a flip side on which to view the whole poultry thingy!

When you open the forum, mostly what you see are the HELP and WHAT do they HAVE kind of threads and it can be quite daunting.

TEll us more, by all means! Spread the hope that animals can live a healthy life somewhere....and, no, it won't jinx you!

Animals and humans get sick, they die, but they live happy and healthy too and most folks don't get to talk about the good stuff....not enough drama.

I've had a few hens die from heart attacks this year. Why? Who knows? They were young and healthy acting right up to the time of death. It happens. But the rest of my rotating flock live every day with a snootful of fresh air, good pickin's while they free range in the sun all day. Healthy and happy....this is a good thing, huh?

 

[noobiechickenlady]

6 RIR & a BR roo, all happy fluffy butts. I love watching them soar off the roost into the yard when I open the coop. And the fights over hornworms

Only issue I have is my roo is rather dumb and keeps getting trapped inside the fence of the ballfield next to my house. DH just says he doesn't have to be smart to do his job

 

[FarmerChick]

I have over 200 layers. All are fine! They lay wonderful and they are happy birds (I guess as happy as a chicken can be..lol)

But going to sell about 100 to scale down. Getting tired now and after many years time to back off a bit and relax.

Healthy birds throughtout their life is not hard to produce at all!

I sure don't name mine though. They are farm birds only..LOL..so when one does kick the bucket I don't care. Well, I care to be sure it is not a problem through the flock...but not to the sentimental level.