How much are you willing to spend on your birds?

[jools2014]

Hi,

I was just wondering how much everyone had spent or would spend on their birds for medical treatment? I'm probably going to have to take my oldest chicken to the vet in the next couple of days, and so it got me thinking. Maybe I was naive, but I had no idea how much I would have to spend on chickens. We've had all sorts of animals before and they have not cost that much-even dogs for vet treatment.

The most I have spent so far in one go is £200 on a duck who lost her eye-hopefully that is a one off and not something that will ever happen again, or would happen to most people, but it required an operation. Apart from that I've had no issues with my ducks at all. My first flock of 6 chickens have all had egg yolk peritonitis (well the first one I wasn't sure but the next 4 did, and this last one might have it too) Back then I didn't know that if you got good layers that they were prone to this problem (we just got them from our local farm shop and these were the ones they had). Anyway, the costs can really mount up, I was just wondering how much one would expect to spend?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We don't use a vet for chickens. Around here they are considered livestock and livestock vets won't waste their time on them. My birds are either healthy or culled. We are in farm country where the price of the farm animal is factored into the price put out for them. We do lots of vetting ourselves, and in my experiences chickens don't really recover once they start going downhill.

 

[jools2014]

^^ I think that's the problem with poultry. It's a bit of a grey area. We have an avian vet so I try to get them treatment. It's not as clear cut as another type of animal/pet though. We never intended to have to spend £200 on our duck but she was only 2 years old and I had no idea how she lost her eye (could've been my fault if she caught it on something sharp in the garden etc) I thought it was an infection that could be treated fairly cheaply. When we got to the vet he said she'd need an op and it'd be £200! We didn't feel like we could just say no we can't pay it we want her put to sleep-and I don't think the vet would do that either.

As far as the egg yolk peritonitis, and chickens getting ill in general, yes they do seem to die easily and are hard to cure (the vet never has cured one, but maybe I left it too long before I took them). I need to learn how to wring their neck I think but if it came to that I don't know if I could do it

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

We don't use a vet for chickens. Around here they are considered livestock and livestock vets won't waste their time on them. My birds are either healthy or culled. We are in farm country where the price of the farm animal is factored into the price put out for them. We do lots of vetting ourselves, and in my experiences chickens don't really recover once they start going downhill.

X2

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

^^ I think that's the problem with poultry. It's a bit of a grey area. We have an avian vet so I try to get them treatment. It's not as clear cut as another type of animal/pet though. We never intended to have to spend £200 on our duck but she was only 2 years old and I had no idea how she lost her eye (could've been my fault if she caught it on something sharp in the garden etc) I thought it was an infection that could be treated fairly cheaply. When we got to the vet he said she'd need an op and it'd be £200! We didn't feel like we could just say no we can't pay it we want her put to sleep-and I don't think the vet would do that either.

As far as the egg yolk peritonitis, and chickens getting ill in general, yes they do seem to die easily and are hard to cure (the vet never has cured one, but maybe I left it too long before I took them). I need to learn how to wring their neck I think but if it came to that I don't know if I could do it

I think you will find yourself doing a case by case assessment of each sick bird before deciding on what you are willing to spend on them. Some birds deserve a chance, others won't make it regardless, and still another factor is that each bird is an individual and some we get attached to more than others.

I say spend what you are comfortable spending but don't feel guilty if you feel it isn't worth it either. Have the bird humanely put down if you can't do it yourself.

Poultry do fall into a grey area that you need to decide for yourself what you want, and are willing to do. I don't think my practices would change if I had a vet willing to see chickens based on what I know about chickens, and their biology.

I do on the other hand take my dogs to the vets and think nothing of spending money on them so it's not necessarily the money, but perhaps the outcome that matters more on deciding if it's worth it or not so to speak.

 

[jools2014]

Yeh that's true, all depends on the bird I guess. They are like pets but they don't recover in the same way most of the time as a dog or cat would. Also-it's incredibly difficult to administer medication to a bird, especially if they are not eating or drinking much.