How do you know your chickens are healthy?

[Somshine]

I mean of course it's obvious when a chicken is sick. But you hear about these diseases they could carry and that are so contagious and can be carried by wild birds and so on and so on. So what if all your chickens appear perfectly healthy but have something? Seems like having a whole flock tested once or twice a year would be quite pricey. But how else would you know if nobody has any symptoms?

 

[Somshine]

I mean what if you had your flock tested and everybody was good but two months later wild birds bring it in. The more you read about this stuff and things that can be passed through the egg and things that can live in the ground for years or in the birds with no symptoms the more it feels overwhelming. If these things are so contagious and long-lasting and there are wild birds everywhere seems like all birds would have it. Then even if you tested your flock and they were fine could they not pick it up a week later? Seems impossible to know unless birds start dying. And then the Mareks vaccination doesn't do anything but suppress symptoms which seems adverse to keeping spread down...Maybe I just need to stop reading about this stuff lol

 

[SandyRiverChick]

It's a really valid question because if you're on BYC you're reading about quite the plethora of issues and if you're me you're thinking, how am I never dealing with this stuff, shouldn't I be? Shouldn't my chickens be sick from all sorts of issues? Well it's really just that alot of people are here seeking solutions to problems and a whole lot more are either not on here because all is well or they're on here doing other stuff because all is well. I've had chickens for 20 years. I've had a grand total of 3 health issues in 20 years (Cocci, bumblefoot, respiratory.) Chances are really good that your chickens are healthy and will stay that way. I've never ever dealt with the majority if issues I see on here. Like what is Vent gleet, um water belly? other things I've seen and I don't even know what it is.... hasn't happened to me.....

 

[Somshine]

It's a really valid question because if you're on BYC you're reading about quite the plethora of issues and if you're me you're thinking, how am I never dealing with this stuff, shouldn't I be? Shouldn't my chickens be sick from all sorts of issues? Well it's really just that alot of people are here seeking solutions to problems and a whole lot more are either not on here because all is well or they're on here doing other stuff because all is well. I've had chickens for 20 years. I've had a grand total of 2 health issues in 20 years (Cocci, bumblefoot.) Chances are really good that your chickens are healthy and will stay that way. I've never ever dealt with the majority if issues I see on here. Like what is Vent gleet, um water belly? other things I've seen and I don't even know what it is.... hasn't happened to me.....

I know! But then you worry about selling fertile eggs or chicks. My first six I got from a hatchery so I imagine they were vaccinated. The rest I hatched myself or got from a farm a county over. She hatches her own but has gotten several specific breeds by having eggs mailed. This leaves endless possibilities. Seems no way to guarantee your chickens are healthy unless you have them all tested and keep them in separate bubbles immediately afterwards so that if the results are good they'll stay that way.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I guess my approach is about odds... Like people see airplanes in the news and decide it's not safe to fly. YET what are the odds of getting hurt via plane travel as compared to auto/motorcycle, etc. So what are the actual statistics on disease? I'm just going to assert that chances are slim enough to make me not worried.

 

[Somshine]

Too bad there isn't a practical way for small flock owners to test all regularly.

 

[Somshine]

I remember a few years back catching a little red house Finch near our bird feeder, pretty easily cuz he couldn't seem to see, and I took him to our wildlife center. Appeared to be some sort of respiratory issue. I washed and bleached the bird feeder. But I'm thinking what if one like that landed on top of one of my runs and stayed there for a couple hours pooping in my run?! But then also, never saw another sick wild bird after that. You read about that stuff spreading like wildfire but it doesn't seem to in nature.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Wow, no offense but I just don't over analyze like that. Everyone is different and I have a bestie that is consumed by analysis. Just seems to me to be so much work. Guess I'm lazy. I prefer to throw caution to wind... Carpe Diem... y know... The wild birds constantly fly in and out of my run and eat chicken food. Yet my stats are awesome... I'm not worried about a thing.

 

[Somshine]

Well I'm just wondering, say for instance wild birds, are the ones that appear healthy really just asymptomatic? Then you think about herd immunity and wonder what's more likely, or even what's better. The immunity of a landrace or the possibility of untouched chickens

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Wow, no offense but I just don't over analyze like that. Everyone is different and I have a bestie that is consumed by analysis. Just seems to me to be so much work. Guess I'm lazy. I prefer to throw caution to wind... Carpe Diem... y know... The wild birds constantly fly in and out of my run and eat chicken food. Yet my stats are awesome... I'm not worried about a thing.

I agree, no offense to those who do worry, but if I worried about that there would be ten thousand more things to do so and I'd never have a life.

Like currently we have a hen with a crop/reproductive issue and are doing everything we can for her but it seems like nothing is helping, and she's a favorite, just a bit slower