Is it worth it?

[Mimi13]

I want to add one more important thing: With most chicken diseases (if not all) there is not one clear-cut answer as how to treat them. One example is de-worming. Some people routinely de-worm their chickens every few months. Others say that you should never de-worm them, because that messes up their natural resistance to worms (or something along those lines). Another example: Some people swear by diatomaceous earth and put it in their coop routinely, others say it will harm the chickens and should be avoided at all costs.

Keep in mind who is giving you advice (a random stranger on the internet, like me, or a trained vet?), study yourself, and use common sense.

Exactly!

 

[jvls1942]

don't get caught up in everything you read about chickens.
many times symptoms are mis diagnosed by over anxious people.
I have raised chickens for over 50 years.
hundreds of them per year. I have never had an "egg bound" hen. .
nor "impacted crop".
sure, I have had a few chickens who over ate and their crop became huge.
if left alone, the food passes and the crop is back to normal within a day..
Only once did I have multiple chickens die. I bought a half dozen laying hens from a livestock dealer.
within a week 5 of them died along with about 5 of my own..
things like that happen..
just roll with the punches,
don't try to diagnose chicken diseases. and don't expect a vet to give you a correct answer. most vets don't know anything about chickens.
it gets expensive to spend lots of $$$ on a low cost chicken..and then to have it die anyway..
be realistic.
BTW, you're chances of getting a disease from a chicken is far less than catching a cold/flu that the kids bring home from school..
keep in mind that a chicken is just a bird. treat them kindly, make pets out of them, but don't get emotional over them. their natural life span is short with some exceptions of course.
expect some to die unexpectedly. it happens.
If there is a new way for a chicken to die, it will find it somehow..
..........jiminwisc......

 

[Eggcessive]

A lot of what helps in raising chickens is prevention. Learn all you can from a normal of sources and books, and make sure that source backs up info with poultry authorities, such as vet schools and poultry specialists. TheChickenChick has a good website, and a new good book on raising chickens. I also like to read The Merck Veterinary Manual and The Poultry Site websites when looking for disease issues. Read as many articles on the Learning Center as possible, but don’t make that your only source.

I have raised chickens for about 7 years now, and I never saw much sickness early on. As chickens get older, there will be occaional deaths from reproductive problems, or heart or liver problems. I never saw impacted crops for 5 years, then had a couple of cases within a week.

The most important thing I have found is to get day old hatchery chicks, since any chick hatched by a breeder or bought older can carry certain diseases that are present at the person’s farm. Some diseases cause every chicken in the flock to be carriers for life, and a couple of siseases may be passed through hatching eggs. Some like Mareks, can infect the environment for years to come. A couple of hatcheries, such as Meyer Hatchery in Ohio, will ship smaller groups of chicks than the ones who only ship 25 minimun.

The other thing I recommend is to build a sturdy coop that you can walk into, with enough room for more than you think. Overhead ventilation is important, and I have noticed that my larger wooden barn coop has less frostbite and keeps the chickens more comfortable than my small 5x8x6 satellite coop. If you have snowy winter days where chickens may be confined for days or weeks inside, make sure they have plenty of room to hang out. Outside shade is very important, so plant some trees and bushes. They can also hide under them. Good luck to you.

 

[Chickylove12]

don't get caught up in everything you read about chickens.
many times symptoms are mis diagnosed by over anxious people.
I have raised chickens for over 50 years.
hundreds of them per year. I have never had an "egg bound" hen. .
nor "impacted crop".
sure, I have had a few chickens who over ate and their crop became huge.
if left alone, the food passes and the crop is back to normal within a day..
Only once did I have multiple chickens die. I bought a half dozen laying hens from a livestock dealer.
within a week 5 of them died along with about 5 of my own..
things like that happen..
just roll with the punches,
don't try to diagnose chicken diseases. and don't expect a vet to give you a correct answer. most vets don't know anything about chickens.
it gets expensive to spend lots of $$$ on a low cost chicken..and then to have it die anyway..
be realistic.
BTW, you're chances of getting a disease from a chicken is far less than catching a cold/flu that the kids bring home from school..
keep in mind that a chicken is just a bird. treat them kindly, make pets out of them, but don't get emotional over them. their natural life span is short with some exceptions of course.
expect some to die unexpectedly. it happens.
If there is a new way for a chicken to die, it will find it somehow..
..........jiminwisc......

Thanks so much for responding...yes I can totally see how vets in most cases are guessing..sonetimes its that way with domestic pets and it still costs a lot of money.
I will get emotionally attatched..that is what I am made of..a sucker with a soft heart for creatures. However I do realize that everything dies at one point. I just want to get peoples outlook on chicken keeping. Its great to hear the good news that it can be successful.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I haven't experienced any parasites with mine, and I've had chickens 3 + years. Dogs can have parasites too, and if they get them you deal with it....
I'd say relax, it's going to be okay....

 

[Chickylove12]

A lot of what helps in raising chickens is prevention. Learn all you can from a normal of sources and books, and make sure that source backs up info with poultry authorities, such as vet schools and poultry specialists. TheChickenChick has a good website, and a new good book on raising chickens. I also like to read The Merck Veterinary Manual and The Poultry Site websites when looking for disease issues. Read as many articles on the Learning Center as possible, but don’t make that your only source.

I have raised chickens for about 7 years now, and I never saw much sickness early on. As chickens get older, there will be occaional deaths from reproductive problems, or heart or liver problems. I never saw impacted crops for 5 years, then had a couple of cases within a week.

The most important thing I have found is to get day old hatchery chicks, since any chick hatched by a breeder or bought older can carry certain diseases that are present at the person’s farm. Some diseases cause every chicken in the flock to be carriers for life, and a couple of siseases may be passed through hatching eggs. Some like Mareks, can infect the environment for years to come. A couple of hatcheries, such as Meyer Hatchery in Ohio, will ship smaller groups of chicks than the ones who only ship 25 minimun.

The other thing I recommend is to build a sturdy coop that you can walk into, with enough room for more than you think. Overhead ventilation is important, and I have noticed that my larger wooden barn coop has less frostbite and keeps the chickens more comfortable than my small 5x8x6 satellite coop. If you have snowy winter days where chickens may be confined for days or weeks inside, make sure they have plenty of room to hang out. Outside shade is very important, so plant some trees and bushes. They can also hide under them. Good luck to you.

Thankyou for your response and your tips. I am definetly researching and reading long before I even build a coop. I want to ensure they will be getting the best care. A little apprehensive about free range as there is seven acres of woods around me. Would love to let them free range for a period in the day when i am out there...however my presence may not detour a coyotee or a hawk. Will want a chicken mansion and a really big covered run though.

 

[Chickylove12]

Thankyou for your reassurance..I have had my heart set on getting them and planning out a proper coop and run..then yikes..started reading about things like flystrike..and worms...and had a vision of an infestation that cant be avoided. It is reassuring to hear that it does not have to be a disaster with proper care. I am someone who does in fact struggle with an anxiety disorder..but I love chickens soooo much and really would love a flock to enjoy and care for.

 

[Chickylove12]

Short answer: Yes, it is worth it. Easily.

However, I think it's a very healthy attitude you have, to consider the worst possible scenarios. Chicken keeping isn't a hobby like painting or motorbike maintenance, when if things go south you can just say "the hell with it", and leave everything to gather dust in the basement. Chickens are living, feeling creatures and the moment you acquire them, you also acquire the responsibility to keep them healthy and happy for the rest of their lives. An "it will never happen to me"-attitude is a terrible starting point if you want to keep animals.

My parents have chickens, and I think they have the wrong attitude about it. They don't mind picking up poop, feeding them and gathering eggs, but when the chickens get ill, they cop out. They aren't prepared to one-by-one catch a whole flock to administer medication to them. They aren't prepared to daily swap a bandage on a shy bird with bumblefoot. I'm always the one who has to take care of the difficult stuff.

But I don't mind doing that. If you truly love your chickens, you're okay with doing messy, disgusting, time-consuming, expensive, even painful treatments, because you know it's for the good of the birds. (What I do mind is that most days, I don't have time to visit the chickens, so I really wish my parents were as passionate as me.)

And, even though you should be prepared for the worst, fact is that statistically, your chickens will for the most part be healthy. I myself have in my decade or so in chicken keeping never been hit by the worst diseases, such as red mites, Marek's disease or ILT. And the problems I have had, such as frost-bitten combs and scaly leg mites, have been easily treatable.

Another thing to note is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Make sure to buy healthy individuals (personally, I find that purebreeds seem to be the least healthy...) Keep your coop clean (easy if you clean a little every day). Provide fresh water and good food every day. Let them free-range as much as possible; as with humans, chickens are healthiest if they get a lot of exercise, and free-ranging lessens the amount of poop they step in, increases the variety of their diet and, last but not least, keeps them entertained. There are dozens of ways you can tweak your coop and pen to make them more chicken-friendly, but that's a topic for another thread.

In short, it's definitely worth it, but keep learning as much as you can and prepare yourself as best you can for the worst possible scenarios.

Aww..you sound like a lovely compassionate person. Thankyou for caring for your parents chickens the way you do. Its unfortunate they arent experiencing the joy of spending time with the chickens.

 

[BlueWolfy]

I hope you don't mind me chirping in (Hehehe, had to)

I think the only bug you need to concern yourself with is a chicken-keeping bug. I rescued a chicken a few days ago which was unplanned (never owned any bird before so totally oblivious as to what to do). Rehomed it to a member of this forum actually, which was unplanned.

It's been a single day since and I suddenly want chickens myself! :| They're so easy to love.

I've no experience with chickens, never owned any so what I say should be taken with a pinch of salt: Your level of concern is a pretty good indication that you're gonna make a good chicken owner, you've already got their welfare in mind and you're already in love with them despite not having them!

With proper boundries in place I don't see parasites being too much concern for you. Just remember to have a good quarantine in place, minimize any risk of exposure to other avians (I imagine they'd be the biggest risk to parasite transmission?) and have a good vet in place (just incase!).

Edit: Forgot to mention, it could be helpful to ensure your neighbours (if applicable) aren't going to have any issues with crowing!

 

[Henrik Petersson]

If you have anxiety I think chickens would be super for you.