HOw do I best prevent diseases in our healthy hens?

[Clay Valley Farmer]

There are very very few example of a disease in chicken being a true problem for human consumption as chicken is always fully cooked. It is more a question of personal taste. I don't care to eat sick animals, but eating an extra roo, old hen, or bird with an injury, defect or one that is just not thriving is quite ok in my little brain.

 

[Avalon1984]

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I would say that anytime you are not sure what disease it was to just bury it and use it as fertilizer. If it is something obvious like impacted crop or if it broke a leg, then I wouldn't mind eating it.

 

[Beekissed]

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Well, we are discussing good health here and not production levels. Absolute darkness is needed for melatonin uptake in the system...even an electric bedside alarm clock can deny humans this action and more is the same for birds. Nature provides for a slow down for these birds for a reason. Melatonin uptake provides the needed hormones for a healthy reproductive system, denying the birds that can lead to reproductive abnormalities and cancers.

I know you are talking about 3 hours and not lighting all night, but melatonin is also necessary for moods and behaviors that are related to hormones/chemicals in the body. I don't want to deny this for my hens either, as winter can cause enough down feelings. The more darkness, the more melatonin release/uptake.

I don't want eggs badly enough to compromise the health of my flock that I've developed for years, invested time and money into and feel a strong responsibility towards. Maybe folks who aren't really invested in their flock management as much and don't have a very large number of birds will use their smaller flocks as vending machines for eggs, but that is the difference in being in it for the long run and only in it for a hobby.

If the chicken needs a slow down in the winter due to less daytime hours, I say let nature take it's course....after all, chickens have been doing this for thousands of years without our lighting interventions and survived very well. Why fix something that isn't broken?

 

[Arielle]

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Where are these purchased? My local feed store carries very litle medicinal items let alone vaccines.

 

[Ridgerunner]

In my opinion, keeping a closed flock and providing a balanced diet, adequate clean water, and a dry environment are the most important things you can do to keep a healthy flock.

If you have a history of a specific disease in your flock, then you should of course take the required precautions based in that specific disease. That may or may not include a vaccination. Personally, I treat for known problems and don't treat when I don't have a specific reason to treat.

Some people worm their chickens on a regular schedule, once or twice a year usually. Some of us only worm when we see a specific problem and treat for that specific worm. Different worms require different worming techniques or medications.

Before I got chickens, I spoke to my county extension agent, in the phone book under county government. He put me in touch with a university professor that teaches courses on chicken diseases and treatment. He also is on the regional task force that investigates chicken disease in this area. After discussing disease history in this county and how I was going to manage my chickens (no shows or swaps, do not bring in new chickens other than day old chicks from hatcheries or hatch the eggs myself, no chickens over three years old to be kept) I decided to not vaccinate for anything. That is based on my county and my situation. The recommendations for your area or the way you plan to manage your chickens may give you a different answer.

 

[seminolewind]

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X2

No rescues, no taking give aways, no birds from auctions, want ads or unknown sources. Best to stick with hatching eggs or chicks from a tested source.

Other than that, plenty of space, a clean coop and good quality food. Feeding cayane pepper, ACV or other herbal profolactics or remidies if they are of any proven value are going to be much much less importaint than basic animal husbandry.

X3

 

[Sozoed]

Thanks all. Next question: can my 3 pullets get diseases that are airborne? (no other flocks are nearby) If so, what should I look out for?

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

DEFINITELY good hygiene.

Clean out the waterer every day.

Keep the feed clean and dry.

I breeze through twice a day with a kitty litter scoop and scoop up the droppings I can see and those under the roost bar and toss them into the compost bin. I've done this for 11 months faithfully and never seen a fly. We went on vacation a few weeks back and I asked the chicken sitter to do the same. But I'm thinking she just did it occasionally because I came back to lots of flies. Started doing it again and with in a week, no more flies.

Give them a nice place to dust bath and keep themselves clean.

I put treats out every day but what doesn't get eaten within a few hours, is tossed out and their treat bowl washed.

 

[seminolewind]

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They could, but the chances are very minute. Most are passed chicken to chicken.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

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The frequency that chicken's lay eggs is based mostly on day length and their breed (more on this here: http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/2011/10/12/controlling-chicken-egg-production/ ), without supplemental light, many breeds will slow down or quit laying altogether during the winter. It depends on whether you want to let the chickens follow natural patterns or want to make them lay more than what's natural in the winter as to whether you would add supplemental light.