I want my chickens to live a really long time?

[lululemon436]

Hi everyone.
I have 3 silkie hens and they are all about 3 years old. They are healthy, cage free during daytime, and very healthy. I want them to live atleast 15 years. How do I keep them from getting tumors and such, along with other diseases? Or should I give my chickens away and start with a new batch (which i really don't want to do, but if its for their own good, then I can do it)
I live in rainy ol' Washington state, and it rains a lot during spring and occasionally during summer. I know chickens like warm weather, and cold weather can get them prone to other diseases. is this true?

THANKS! oh by the way i'm a new comer to your website so... yey!

 

[Southernbelle]

The best way to keep them disease free is to practice biosecurity.

-Don't bring any other chickens home. If you must bring started birds home, quarantine for 4-6 weeks first.
-Don't let people who have chickens around your chickens.
-Don't let wild birds eat from your chickens' feeders
-Santitize the coop, feeders and waterers on a regular basis

If your birds are healthy and you're happy with them, there's no need to give them away.

 

[MaggieRae]

Quote:
Belle, how do you sanitize your coops and how often? I've heard of several methods and it's getting time I ought to do mine. Bleach?

 

[dawg53]

MaggieRae. I sanitize their house once a week. I rake out the soiled hay, get in there and scrape the poop off the perches(I'm wearing decon gear...rubber gloves,mask,goggles,long sleeve shirt.) I have a trap door that I open and use my blower to blow the debris out, which I rake up later. I use bleach water in a bucket to wipe everything down. Next I put fresh hay in the nests and on the floor. I then sprinkle sevin dust on the hay and finish by raking their pen. As a matter of fact, I gotta do it first thing in the morning before it gets too hot lol. In the winter time, I'll clean it out about every 10 days.

 

[lululemon436]

thanks, you guys are a lot of help! i will start cleaning out my coop more often!

 

[pontoosuc]

why would you think it best to give your birds away?
you sound like a great bird keeper

 

[GreenGables]

I have 5 chickens and I empty the dirty shavings and put clean pine shavings in their house every 3 weeks during the freezing winter months. When the weather is warmer I clean it with a natural germicide every 3 weeks and add new shavings. Forgot to mention, I scoop out poop in between the cleanings. Good luck with your flock and

 

[honeydoll]

Quote:
What natural germicide do you use? I am really into natural things for my chickens as my customers want organic eggs, so anything I do natural helps to sell my eggs.

Carolyn

 

[gallusdomesticus]

One of the biggest killers of chickens are predators. You can give them the best feed, medicine, exercise, fresh air and medical care but it won't protect them from the neighbor's (or your) dog, racoons, possums, hawks, eagles, owls, weasels, or foxes.
What protection do you have during their free range time? Hawks, especially Cooper's Hawks, are chicken killers of the first order. Possums and racoons are smart and can devastate your birds when they're roosting at night. Dogs can kill them in an instant.
I would recommend you read the threads on "predators" to get suggestions on how to proof your hen house and run against predators and what you can do to help prevent hawk attacks.
Good luck with your birds and welcome to the forum!