How to keep healthy chickens?

[casportpony]

Bottom line, I like to keep it simple and for me that means keeping their run reasonably clean, fresh water daily, feeding a fresh, balanced diet that's appropriate for them and their purpose. Too many here to worry about supplements, so I don't bother with them. Of course I have quite a few medications and supplies... Many I've never used, but if the time comes, I'll be prepared.

-Kathy

 

[Francherlady]

I would love to add a couple of thoughts to flock health. We use vinegar to wash out our chicken waterers. Chicken containers can get dirty really quickly, and it doesn't take long for a film to form. Vinegar seems to really cut down on this.

Testing is another great tool I would share. We no longer routinely worm our chickens. Now we test them quarterly or biannually to see exactly what they have if anything. Testing costs about thirty dollars or less, and can save a lot of headache. You can check with a local vet, and they will sometimes do a fecal only exam. You just take in some poo, and they look at it. You will have to call around to find one. You can also mail in a sample to different labs, which is what I do. Here is a link to a website that lists a few different resources for testing. You can look for a vet school in your area, and hopefully avoid out of state fees.

If it sounds like a lot of work, it really isn't. - Scoop fresh random poo sample, place in bag, drop off or mail to testing site, get results in a day or two- We also love using a lab because, if in the future, you have a major health issue raging through your flock, they can usually preform other tests to help you diagnose the problem. We has never found a local, cost effective avian vet who is willing to work with a backyard flock. So, for us having a lab in the back pocket is the next best thing.