NY chicken lover!!!!

[Hunnied]

I heard there was one in BVille ..
What is your problem ?
Maybe we can help ?

Fortunately, I don’t currently have any health problems in my small flock, but I’ve had a some scares in the past, and also had to have a friend euthanize an injured one for me. There are new posts regarding sick or injured chickens each day on various online groups I am a member of, and I also had a tough time yesterday helping a chicken suffering from heat stress (tough as in it was distressing for me, but not in the sense that the care required was beyond my scope).
It just got me thinking that I’d do well to find and get established as a client with a vet before I’ve urgent need of their services. I started searching for one, but haven’t found any near me who care for poultry, so far.

I am an RN, and it also crossed my mind that while I encourage my clients to educate themselves about their health on their own online or what have you as much as they wish, I urge them not to lose site of the fact that that is not a substitute for their primary care provider- AND the same is true for animal health care (though I’ve not been practicing what I preach on that one).
Granted, poultry veterinary care can be prohibitively expensive, and I highly doubt I’d seek extraordinary measures to save one of my chickens’ lives like I would for one of my kids, but I do love my birds, and want to be as proactive as I can in preventing and treating any health problems that may arise.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Fortunately, I don’t currently have any health problems in my small flock, but I’ve had a some scares in the past, and also had to have a friend euthanize an injured one for me.
Granted, poultry veterinary care can be prohibitively expensive, and I highly doubt I’d seek extraordinary measures to save one of my chickens’ lives like I would for one of my kids, but I do love my birds, and want to be as proactive as I can in preventing and treating any health problems that may arise.

We are forced to do most chicken care ourselves ...Ask your vet if he will treat your chicken . Mine knows nothing about chickens .. However he will give me medicine if I need it ..if I know what is needed . And he has put a Rooster to sleep for me

 

[Hunnied]

We are forced to do most chicken care ourselves ...Ask your vet if he will treat your chicken . Mine knows nothing about chickens .. However he will give me medicine if I need it ..if I know what is needed . And he has put a Rooster to sleep for me

I don’t have a vet, currently, for any other animal either. It’s a relief to hear that there are vets like yours that will prescribe meds and euthanize (I couldn’t bring myself to do it, which is why I phoned a friend). I’ve been a little surprised by just how little most vets know about chickens. I expected that most vets wouldn’t treat chickens, or know a lot about poultry health, but I thought I’d have at least a few vets to choose from in my region!
Thanks for the feedback, it’s very helpful. I thought I was completely outta luck, but hopefully I can find at least some care if I start calling around!

 

[PiperJane]

PiperJane
I was going to suggest a outside Cat or Rat traps .
Or feed on Demand ..

Not a cat fan and don't feel good about leaving one outside all winter (def. not inside). Will probably have to look into feed on demand...not sure how that will work but will read up on it. Hubby got 4 chipmunks last night and a squirrel but there's at least one more squirrel that is pretty good at hiding. We set up a trap that we usually have really good luck with but nothing as of yet. Have to get rid of it during the day because the chickens will get into it. We'll keep trying but still open to suggestions, please!

 

[Gooseface]

Not a cat fan and don't feel good about leaving one outside all winter (def. not inside). Will probably have to look into feed on demand...not sure how that will work but will read up on it. Hubby got 4 chipmunks last night and a squirrel but there's at least one more squirrel that is pretty good at hiding. We set up a trap that we usually have really good luck with but nothing as of yet. Have to get rid of it during the day because the chickens will get into it. We'll keep trying but still open to suggestions, please!

I use a 5 gallon bucket with 90 degree elbows. Allows you to hang it so the chipmunks can’t get in. Also keeps the chickens from dumping the feed.

 

[PiperJane]

I use a 5 gallon bucket with 90 degree elbows. Allows you to hang it so the chipmunks can’t get in. Also keeps the chickens from dumping the feed.

So that's kind of a good idea but I can't picture it - you mean the elbow is at the bottom so the chicken can eat out of it? Can't the squirrels still climb around on it (I've seen those funky videos of them climbing all over bird feeders)?

 

[Gooseface]

So that's kind of a good idea but I can't picture it - you mean the elbow is at the bottom so the chicken can eat out of it? Can't the squirrels still climb around on it (I've seen those funky videos of them climbing all over bird feeders)?

Let’s see if this works.....it’s a YouTube link. After you build it you can just hang it from the handle so there is nothing the chipmunk can climb....

 

[Gooseface]

The one thing i learned when switching to this system (and vertical water nipples in a 5 gallon bucket)....take any other feeder out when you put this in. They will find it. I took my other feeders out, put 2 of these in, and gently placed 3 of my birds heads into the feeder. They knew where the food was then. After that....when they were hungry, they ate from the new feeder. And the other girls followed. Did the same thing with the water nipples. They learn really quickly.

You can fill these buckets to the top, slap a lid on them and the feed stays dry and clean. And best of all there is no more waste. The feed stays in the feeder. So there is nothing to attract chipmunks and other vermin!

 

[PiperJane]

The one thing i learned when switching to this system (and vertical water nipples in a 5 gallon bucket)....take any other feeder out when you put this in. They will find it. I took my other feeders out, put 2 of these in, and gently placed 3 of my birds heads into the feeder. They knew where the food was then. After that....when they were hungry, they ate from the new feeder. And the other girls followed. Did the same thing with the water nipples. They learn really quickly.

You can fill these buckets to the top, slap a lid on them and the feed stays dry and clean. And best of all there is no more waste. The feed stays in the feeder. So there is nothing to attract chipmunks and other vermin!

Thanks for the video and for the advice, I think we'll try this one. We do use one for watering with nipples but also have one outside of the run that is the old fashioned kind, told the hubby last night we have to replace that one with the nipple waterer too because now that the "rats" know we have food I'm sure they've been in the water too. Don't need their diseases, etc. Things have been pretty easy for two years, I knew this day was coming, lol! Thanks again!

 

[Gooseface]

Thanks for the video and for the advice, I think we'll try this one. We do use one for watering with nipples but also have one outside of the run that is the old fashioned kind, told the hubby last night we have to replace that one with the nipple waterer too because now that the "rats" know we have food I'm sure they've been in the water too. Don't need their diseases, etc. Things have been pretty easy for two years, I knew this day was coming, lol! Thanks again!

No problem! I used the rent a coop nipples from amazon....they are awesome. No leaks! Good luck!