Keeping them healthy

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

Good morning! I have a small flock of fabulous chickens and want to keep them healthy and happy.

I feed them Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve; treats, less than 10% daily, of black soldier fly larvae, sunflower seeds, a handful of oats, and a little more corn when it gets cold. Fresh water, too.

I want them to have their best life. Is there any kind of daily/weekly supplement that should be added for continued health?

They do receive “peepcicles” when it’s hot, and warmed mush when it’s cold. I have heated waterers, and add ice to their water in the summer. Yes, they may be a little spoiled, but… they didn’t ask to live here, except one who just showed up, and they are special to me.

I was raised in a farm, have had chickens for years, and am now having fun with colorful egg layers. I am starting to raise pure Aracaunas and they are so beautiful!

Thank you for any advice.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

My chickens have always appreciated range time. I think it’s good for them to work for their “treats” sometimes. You mention lots of food—what is their setup like? Enrichment, proper ventilation and space is all important too for quality of life. I don’t personally give any kind of supplement unless it’s for a targeted reason (when it was unseasonably cold this winter I gave them a splash of fire cider in their water for a week or so, for example).

 

[saysfaa]

You might consider replacing the oats, corn, and sunflower seeds of the treats portion with fresh food. Things like vegetables, sprouts, and fruit have nutrients that don't show up in the standard lists of nutrients. Some of the best known are antioxidants (there are lots of kinds of antioxidants) but there are a also a plethora of other things that work directly or indirectly.

Less fresh foods, including dried vegetables and seeds, have some depending on how they were stored and dried. Certain weeds have more than most foods from the grocery store or garden so they are good options in season if you know they haven't been sprayed or growing in contaminated soil.

Oats, corn and sunflower seeds have theses kinds of micronutrients too but they are in the feed in large enough quantities that a bit more doesn't add any value. Well, except the value of the social aspects of getting treats.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have a small flock of fabulous chickens and want to keep them healthy and happy.

For happiness, I find the best supplement you can give them is sufficient room. I find the more I crowd them the more behavioral problems I have, the harder I have to work, and the fewer options I have to deal with issues. While this sounds like it is to my benefit (and it is) the chickens also greatly benefit from more room. Health as well as happiness.

A wet coop and run can be very unhealthy. Walking in mud or water will not hurt them as long as they can get to a dry place. But after a few days of staying wet anaerobic bacteria take over. They stink and are very unhealthy. If their feet stay wet they can develop issues. So keep your coop dry and try to make sure your run drains well. If the weather sets in wet for a spell you may not be able to do a lot in the run but at least give them a way to get out of the wet.

Another issue is poop management. Dry poop is not an issue but wet poop is. If poop builds up enough that it never dries out then those anaerobic bacteria show up. The larger your run is the more the poop out there gets scattered so you are less likely to need to manage that, but poop can build up under the roosts. You will probably need to manage that.

I consider a balanced diet to be important. That's why you see so many suggestions to limit treats. Too much of a good thing can hurt them so don't get ridiculous in treating them. Mine forage for a lot of their food so I have lost the ability to micromanage their diet. They are pretty good an regulating that. But if you are basically providing all that they eat that becomes your responsibility.

I consider a strong immune system to be important. About their second or third day in the brooder I give them a little dirt from the run to eat. Not enough for dirt to be a major food group but enough for them all to eat some. This gets grit into their system, introduces anything in the run their immune system needs to start work on, and gets them any probiotics the adults may have. If you don't have any adults they won't get the probiotics but they get the other advantages.

Of course, good predator protection.

Dirt from the run fed twice a week is the only "supplement" mine get. As long as you don't overdo it I doubt anything else you see mentioned on here will hurt them but I don't find them necessary.

Good luck!