...about all these mites, lice, diseases and injuries that everyone's chickens are having on this forum. I've kept chickens on and off my whole life and can't ever remember having any of these things! Is it just the area in which everyone lives, their weather conditions, etc. that causes these things? I don't do anything special with my chickens that would cause them to be disease free or anything. No medicated feed, no DE dusting, no vaccines of any kind.
I've only had one hen die from unknown causes and that was from a flock I had just bought from a lady, and the hen just went poorly and died shortly after I got them. None of the others showed any signs of illness. Other than that...nothing. Am I just awful lucky or am I missing something? I know my grandma would have chickens that would get a croup type illness ever once in awhile.
Is it crowded living conditions, exposure to other poultry flocks, etc. that causes these things or do they just appear out of the blue?
Whatever it is, I would like to know how to avoid them rather than treat them. Anyone have advice on how to avoid mites, lice, respiratory illnesses, etc. ? Maybe I'm already doing it and am unaware that that is what is keeping them healthy...I don't know.
I've only had one hen die from unknown causes and that was from a flock I had just bought from a lady, and the hen just went poorly and died shortly after I got them. None of the others showed any signs of illness. Other than that...nothing. Am I just awful lucky or am I missing something? I know my grandma would have chickens that would get a croup type illness ever once in awhile.
Is it crowded living conditions, exposure to other poultry flocks, etc. that causes these things or do they just appear out of the blue?
Whatever it is, I would like to know how to avoid them rather than treat them. Anyone have advice on how to avoid mites, lice, respiratory illnesses, etc. ? Maybe I'm already doing it and am unaware that that is what is keeping them healthy...I don't know.