OLDER HENS BEING MORE LIKELY TO SPREAD DISEASE TO YOUNGER HENS

happyhencamper

Songster
Sep 25, 2020
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I HAVE READ MULTIPLE ARTICLES IN MY HOBBY FARMS CHICKEN MAGAZINE. THEY SAY THAT OLDER HENS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BRING SICKNESS TO THE FLOCK OF YOUNGER GIRLS.

I HAVE A SMALL FLOCK ONLY 12. LOST SEVERAL LAST YEAR FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. MAYBE COCCIDIOSIS? GAPE WORM? MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS SOME DIFFERENT IN EACH BIRD. ONE DEFINITELY HAD SOUR CROP, ANOTHER JUST LETHARGIC, STANDING ALONE SHAKING HEAD OFTEN AND OPENING MOUTH LIKE A YAWN TRYING TO CLEAR SOMETHING. THE OTHER HAD NO SYMPTOMS AND DIED DURING CARE FROM A FRIEND WHILE I WAS ON VACATION. HE JUST FOUND HER DEAD IN COOP BY DOOR.

I GET 6 PULLETS EVERY OTHER YEAR AND ADD THEM TO THE CURRENT FLOCK WHEN OLD ENOUGH.

THEY ALL HAVE NAMES I LOVE THEM SO MUCH AND GET SO UPSET WHEN THEY ARE SICK.

I HAVE 3 OF MY ORIGINAL 4 (ONE LOST BY HAWK) THEY ARE 7 YEARS OLD. NO LONGER LAYING BUT NO SIGNS OF SICKNESS. ONE STAYS ON ROOST A BIT LONGER THAN THE REST SEEMS TO BE ON THE COLDER DAYS BUT COMES DOWN AS SOON AS I START ACTION WITH THE OTHERS.

I AM GOING TO TRY AND DO A TREATMENT FOR COCCIDIOSIS SHORTLY TO TRY AND PREVENT IT THIS SUMMER? NOT SURE IF THIS IS RIGHT OR WRONG.

I DO NOT WANT TO KILL/PURGE THE OLD GIRLS.

DON'T CARE ABOUT PRODUCTION OR FEED COSTS AS THEY ARE PETS TOO.

ANY OPINIONS OR SUGGESTIONS?
 
I HAVE READ MULTIPLE ARTICLES IN MY HOBBY FARMS CHICKEN MAGAZINE. THEY SAY THAT OLDER HENS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BRING SICKNESS TO THE FLOCK OF YOUNGER GIRLS.

I HAVE A SMALL FLOCK ONLY 12. LOST SEVERAL LAST YEAR FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. MAYBE COCCIDIOSIS? GAPE WORM? MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS SOME DIFFERENT IN EACH BIRD. ONE DEFINITELY HAD SOUR CROP, ANOTHER JUST LETHARGIC, STANDING ALONE SHAKING HEAD OFTEN AND OPENING MOUTH LIKE A YAWN TRYING TO CLEAR SOMETHING. THE OTHER HAD NO SYMPTOMS AND DIED DURING CARE FROM A FRIEND WHILE I WAS ON VACATION. HE JUST FOUND HER DEAD IN COOP BY DOOR.

I GET 6 PULLETS EVERY OTHER YEAR AND ADD THEM TO THE CURRENT FLOCK WHEN OLD ENOUGH.

THEY ALL HAVE NAMES I LOVE THEM SO MUCH AND GET SO UPSET WHEN THEY ARE SICK.

I HAVE 3 OF MY ORIGINAL 4 (ONE LOST BY HAWK) THEY ARE 7 YEARS OLD. NO LONGER LAYING BUT NO SIGNS OF SICKNESS. ONE STAYS ON ROOST A BIT LONGER THAN THE REST SEEMS TO BE ON THE COLDER DAYS BUT COMES DOWN AS SOON AS I START ACTION WITH THE OTHERS.

I AM GOING TO TRY AND DO A TREATMENT FOR COCCIDIOSIS SHORTLY TO TRY AND PREVENT IT THIS SUMMER? NOT SURE IF THIS IS RIGHT OR WRONG.

I DO NOT WANT TO KILL/PURGE THE OLD GIRLS.

DON'T CARE ABOUT PRODUCTION OR FEED COSTS AS THEY ARE PETS TOO.

ANY OPINIONS OR SUGGESTIONS?
First of all, I don't think a Coccidiosis treatment is necessary. This usually only affects chicks who are unused to all of the bacteria in adult droppings.
And actually, seven year old hens show good disease resistance. While it's possible that they're carriers of a disease that could kill your younger hens, it's unlikely. It's more likely that new hens could give your older hens a disease, but if you buy them as day-olds, you don't have to worry about that.
The risk of disease spreading through age groups as you buy new birds is there, but it's a bit overstated. They should be fine.
 

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