Questions on basic preventative medical care for young chickens

[Momtymztu]

Hi again,
Forgive me for asking a questions that I'm sure
have been answered somewhere else, but I
couldn't find the info after several searches.

We have had our 9 little chickens about 7 weeks now,
which I'm thinking makes them around 8 weeks old or so.
We got them from a tractor supply. The people at the store
aren't very informative unfortunately and I know nothing about
chickens. So, my question is, what kind if preventative
medical care ( worming, antibiotics, vaccines even) do my
chickens require and on what schedule? If these were dogs I'd
have all kind of info and opinions, but for chickens
I've got nothing and am having difficulty finding
any info. I have been unsuccessful in finding a
vet that will treat chickens too... I was told " if they
ever need vet care, it will probably too late".

They are currently eating Dumor Starter/grower. We switched from
Dumor Chick Starter about 2 weeks ago because TSC only had small
bags of Starter and we wanted to buy a bigger bag. The Dumor
Brand is what they recommended at the store, although
they do carry other brands as well. We also started introducing
Dumor Chick Grit about 2 weeks ago when they started
spending some time outside during the day. I give it to them in a separate
bowl and only when they are outside.

Also, being a chicken newbie, I am not exactly sure what " normal poop" looks like
but I did notice a change in poop when we switched to the Starter/Grower and outside
time. The poop is kind of tarry and reddish ( not bloody looking, more melted chocolatey
color for lack of a better comparison). I am used to other birds ( parrots) and know what
their poop looks like normally, but not sure how chicken poop compares).

They are all eating, drinking, chasing each other around, scratching up dirt,
catching bugs and doing everything else I imagine is normal
for chickens.

Thanks for any and all advice!!

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! The Tractor Supply chicks won't have been vaccinated for Marek's disease, which is given to day-olds at the hatchery. The other usual management plan for chicks is to feed medicated chick starter for their first six weeks, to help control coccidiosis. At this point, just continue with a grower feed until most of them are laying eggs; then either switch to layer feed, or keep them on grower. Either way, have oyster shell on the side free choice. Practice good biosecurity!!! It's the most important thing, besides predator protection, that you can do to keep a healthy flock. Other vaccines are given to birds in show flocks, and commercial layers in big operations. Worming and external parasite control as needed. Mary

 

[aart]

Some folks will vaccinate for what ever they can and worm on a regular basis and put all kinds of stuff down to kill insects......I prefer to be more circumspect in administering any chemicals unless there is an absolutely positively identified reason to do so. I do not use medicated starter for coccidiosis, but do have the treatment on hand if needed, haven't needed it yet.

Observation to get to know what is 'normal' in your animals is the best preventative you can preform. But it takes time and patience and common sense not to over react to what you see.....very hard the first year, chickens have a steep learning curve, after that it gets much easier.

There might occasionally be some reddish tissue in a poop, normal unless it's excessive or continues.
When it's hot, they will drink more water and poops will be watery to shed heat from the body, normal.
Feed change will change poops, normal.

There a many 'normal' poops, here a couple resources to help you learn, again beware not to over react to some of them.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/?topic=17568.0


I like to feed a 'flock raiser' 20% protein crumble to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and all molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

Animal protein (mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided during molting and if I see any feather eating.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some good advice so far. Their poop will change color and consistency when their food changes. The best example I can think of is that when I can beets I feed them the cooked beet skins. Their poop turns red and liquid. You’d swear they were pooping pure blood. I think it is likely their pop changed to a darker color because they are eating dirt for mineral content. When they are pecking at the ground they are sometime looking for grit but they will also eat small bits of decaying plant matter and sometimes dirt. They get their nutrients wherever they can.

I also do not medicate for anything on a regular basis, only when I see a need. I hardly ever need to. I regularly butcher chickens and always check their intestines for worms when I do. I haven’t found any yet. If I regularly found worms I’d likely change the way I do it.

To me the best thing you can do to raise healthy chickens is to strengthen their immune system. I do not try to raise them in a sterile environment. I feed them dirt from the run a couple of days after they go in the brooder. This introduces any probiotics the adult shave, gives them grit, and gets hem started on the flock immunities they will need when they hit the ground with the adults. I keep their water clean and their environment dry, but they are introduced to the environment they will live in as soon as I can manage that. My brooder is in the coop so they are exposed to the adults. I try to expose them much like a broody hen would.

 

[Momtymztu]

Thanks so much to all of you who have answered
so far. When it comes to my dogs, I am very conservative
with vaccines and other chemical treatments. ( basic vax only,
titer testing instead of yearly boosters, no chemical flea/tick treatment, etc)
and I've always had healthy animals.... But I don't have the
experience yet with chickens to make those calls.

Since they probably didn't get any vax from TSC and have not
been on medicated feed, it appears I'm taking the "natural" route
by accident at the moment. They seem healthy and active, so I guess
I'll just keep an eye on them and hope for the best. I don't have other chickens and no plans
to add more until we are sure of hen/roos in this bunch,
so at least I don't have to worry about passing illness from new to old, vice versa.
I do have a plethora of wild birds (we are particularly enjoying
the pair of red headed woodpeckers at the moment) but I have a top on
the run and no feeders nearby to limit exposure for the
time being. Of course, once they start free raging a little,
I can't do much about it.

What are the earliest indications that worming might
be required and what is the best med to have on hand? What about mites/lice? I do have
a TSC close if I need to grab something. Also, I saw up there and have
read about giving probiotics, electrolytes and diatomaceous earth. I've also seen
Apple cider vinegar mentioned a lot. Benefits? Drawbacks? Are any of those necessary
or recommended at this point?

Again, I really appreciate all the advice to a newbie. These
chickens are very important to my kids, and while we've talked
about the fact that something might happen and
they might die/get eaten, I want to at least be sure that we
are doing our best for them.

Thanks!

 

[aart]

I've taken the route of using a 10 day acidified copper sulfate solution regime in the water twice a year,
as I started with older chickens(something I now kind of regret) that came with lice and scaly leg mites.
Took care of the lice, reduced the leg mites and I have seen no worms in the intestines during harvest.
Going to try oil on the legs to hopefully finish off the mites as a few hens and broody chicks have it pretty bad.

I use DE in the bottoms of the nests under the straw as a preventative,
and in my feed storage if I see grain mites(brought some home as a gift from Purina a few months ago).

There a lot of 'stuff' out there that some find absolutely necessary for their chickens(or themselves),
Most of it is 'snake oil' IMO.
I keep the cocci meds and some blukote and vetrx and triple anitbiotic(with NO pain relief) for wound care if needed.

 

[Folly's place]

Snake oil abounds! Water, good food, and treating issues if they appear. Mites and lice may happen, because wild birds bring them to your flock. Treat if needed. Intestinal parasites may or may not be an issue, as it depends on what you have in your soil, and some folks will never need to worm their birds. You can have fecals checked at your veterinarians if you have doubts. I have chicks ordered from hatcheried vaccinated for Marek's disease; it's cheap insurance. Chicks hatched here aren't vaccinated, and it's been fine. I'm paranoid about biosecurity, and blessed to not have very near neighbors with chickens. I also necropsy every bird who dies here, and never bring in outside older birds. Preventing problems is the best! Mary

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Snake oil abounds! Water, good food, and treating issues if they appear. Mites and lice may happen, because wild birds bring them to your flock. Treat if needed. Intestinal parasites may or may not be an issue, as it depends on what you have in your soil, and some folks will never need to worm their birds. You can have fecals checked at your veterinarians if you have doubts. I have chicks ordered from hatcheried vaccinated for Marek's disease; it's cheap insurance. Chicks hatched here aren't vaccinated, and it's been fine. I'm paranoid about biosecurity, and blessed to not have very near neighbors with chickens. I also necropsy every bird who dies here, and never bring in outside older birds. Preventing problems is the best! Mary

Could not have said it better if I'd have tried - wise words from a wise woman!

 

[Folly's place]

Thank you! Takes one to know one. Mary