Please weigh in about a poultry veterinarian!!

[Framac]

I think there is a need for more poultry vets, but there is a financial impact that a lot of people will have a had time getting over.

For the majority of people who have a back yard flock of chickens, the expense to keep those chickens after initial set up is fairly minor. A bag a feed here and there, some worming, lice medication, shavings, etc. Right now I have 30ish birds, and the weekly cost would be 10-15 dollars. The cost of a laying bird at POL here is 5-15 dollars. A lot of people will have a big problem spending 50,... 75,..... or 100 dollars on a chicken when the replacement cost is but a portion of that.

I can see there being a bigger need for those that have pet birds, as people tend to spend more on pets then farm animals.

I am not far from you and there is no poultry vet in my direct area that I am aware of. My horse vet entertains my bird questions, and will even do a little research for me if I am persistent. I don't have to pay her but she requires that I do the work. I have to just look at her and go yes dear.

Most of the people I know with birds here get ideas from each other and not the vets on how to treat their birds.

 

[klmclain1]

I think it's an great idea! Just be aware that there won't be a ton of money in it. You'll definitely want to do all the other "small animals" as well. My vet is willing to "assist" me as he says. He feels he has enough on his hands keeping up with all the other animals in his small animal practice. I do the research, and he will look at it and help me make decisions and show me where I should give injections, etc. But, as someone already has said - I know more about the chickens than he does as far as symptoms, treatments, etc. and I've only been at this 9 months! Everything we need as far as wormers, antibiotics, other meds, is available online. Even penicillin!

I don't want to discourage you - I think all small animal practices should be open to birds (including chickens) as well.

As for your club...could you work with your school's vet clinic to help the backyard chickens in your area? Get an advisor with chicken experience. Hold clinics on chicken education (raising and keeping chickens), chicken illnesses and treatments, and maybe even start to get some actual treatment experience?? I know you don't normally get into the clinical stuff until much later, but these things would benefit both you AND the community. You can find hundreds of education ideas on this site alone!

Best of luck!

 

[7&8]

Quote:
The bird fanciers club that I joined has arranged for presentations at some of its meetings. Theses have been geared toward showing topics: what judges look for in a bird; how to start-finish birds for the show; youth related topics - showmanship. I would like to see presentations on health care/ diseases; poultry husbandry; basically, topics that have forums on the BYC site.

An average bird fanciers meeting begins with the door opening early for coffee. It's during the pre-meeting that I see questions, experience, and information on bird topics trading hands.

I think a seminar on how to castrate roosters would be interesting, but the applicability to the backyard flock owner escapes me. Caponization is a meat bird related topic. I would think that it would be a fringe interest, if that, for most backyard layer flock owners.

 

[RobSherman]

Sherman Texas - Ken Lawrence at Texoma Veterinary Clinic sees chickens.