Should I just stop raising chickens?

[scubaforlife]

Every few months my chickens get sick. They start sneezing, their eyes swell shut, I have to give them antibiotics and force feed/hydrate them. I was under the impression that raising chickens was pretty easy but I have found out it isn't. I just don't like the idea that I have this sick flock and something keeps popping back up and killing a few and making the rest ill.

Going out of my mind because I badly want to provide good products but cannot because I have to keep dealing with illness.

I have no idea how to get this outta my flock, and no idea what it is.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

You should probably have your flock tested to see what is wrong. It's not normal to keep having recurring respiratory problems, so either your chicks have something that you have been using the wrong remedy for, or not enough of it and it has become resistant, or you have weakened chickens (from earlier illnesses) with secondary infections. To reduce your own stress and solve the problem, you need some professional help....

 

[Illia]

No, you shouldn't stop raising them. I too had terrible beginnings. I previously had bantams given by a friend, then I got some chicks from a hatchery. I started out with 48 chicks. I dwindled to 30. Then, I introduced the chicks to the coop the bantams were using - My numbers dwindled to 8. I culled the bantams, as obviously they had a disease, and I cleaned out the entire coop. Things went decent, but with a new batch of chicks I got from the hatchery again, even they went down in numbers - Yet had no exposure to the bantams or anything the bantams touched. I felt doomed.

So, after a LOT of loss, my flock tapered dramatically, then settled with a small number compared to what I was planning on seeing. One thing I tried was getting show quality, breeder raised/bred birds. That way, I could see the parents, how they lived, I could know about the history and genetics of the bird, etc. Well. . . I haven't lost a single new chick, pullet, or cockerel yet.

I would say don't give up - Find out the source of the problem. It looks like you have an outbreak of some sort of disease. I'm sorry to say, but culling may be your only option now. After that you could clean out everything and start a new. I know I've heard of outbreaks in hatcheries before. . .

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Try using preventatives like ACV DE and garlic. Clean everything out with soapy water as if you were starting over. Sounds like maybe the flock is generally unhealthy at the moment, but they can be better you just have to research ways to help them get better and STAY better. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. What are you doing as far as biosecurity? I don't think you should quit. It is much easier once you get the flock healthy. This winter has been particularly hard for respiratory issues in birds. Several folks have been fighting it. Sorry you're having a bad experience!!!!!!

 

[TheRanch]

I know that must be frustrating for you, but continuing to get birds before you know what made your last ones ill/die is kinda putting the cart before the horse. You need to get your area cleaned/sanitized/disease free and ready before you introduce new stock.


If you don't know a good vet that deals with chickens (and a lot of them don't ) Call your local extention center to see if they have any resources to help you identify the illness - you can also call the USDA folks. They are extremely helpful and may be able to help you find the source of your illness. Start with your NPIP coordinator for your state/area - they can put you on the right track and they can help figure out what disease you may have in your coop. They can autopsy (I know there is another name for it but you get the idea) the bird so that they can establish what is going on. Then you can do additional research to make sure your area is ready (quarantine, cleaning, treatments etc) before you get more birds. Good luck to you. Keep us posted on your progress

 

[chicmom]

Hey Scuba!

I'm so sorry to hear about your luck with chickens. First, if it was me, I'd ask myself...."How much do you really ENJOY raising chickens?" If the answer is ALOT, then keep on trying.


Fanc has a really good idea for you to start with. Have your flock tested and find out exactly what the illness is that keeps re-occurring. Then you can give the proper treatment.

There may be some extensive cleaning you might have to do to rid the flock of those germs. Sometimes, and I hate to mention this, some culling is necessary due to diseases.

Good luck to you and I hope you get some resolution to your problems.

Sharon

 

[calicokat]

No answers, but posters above had good advice. I'm just sending

your way 'cause I feel your pain!

Had a small flock for almost a year, no problems, everyone healthy, happy and spoiled.

Then a month ago I lost one of my favorites to a predetor; 2 wks later another loss with a diff. predator; a week later an injured chick; and today I wake to a bleeding hen

.

Chickens are worth it though -- keep trying!

 

[scubaforlife]

My birds aren't pets to me. I have a few my children believe are pets, but the majority are egg/meat production units.

I don't mind culling out a disease, I just don't know what the disease is. I know that if I send out a bird to find out what the problem is they will just come back with some thing that they can sell me to fix it. Then when that doesn't work they will sell me something else. I don't trust the government, the USDA especially. Too many pharmaceutical companies set the regulations and tell the USDA what the problems are.

Is there an independent organization that will tell me what the real problem is?

Any of you that have these problems, do you vaccinate for MG?

The birds that have had these problems are carriers, they don't seem to get sick. The new birds I bring in seem to be getting something from the old ones. I vaccinate for coryza, I guess I will add MG and see if I can get it stopped in a generation or two. I might have to kill off the "old birds" and get new ones setup in a completely new place.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Quote:
That's why I reccomend getting it tested. Your county extension isn't getting pharmacutical kickback, it's his job to provide testing for diagnostic means. After you recieve a diagnosis, you can purchase the correct vaccine or whatever from whatever source you choose. Lots of people on BYC have had great results from testing - it gets right to the source of the problem and saves you time and money.

Otherwise you could guess whats wrong for a long time.

 

[Bantimna]

Quote:
I don't know much but what I would suggest is;
1. Clean out your coop of the birds that are tested positive carriers
2. Check the label of the feed that you are giving them
3. Have your whole flock tested
4. Consider desinging/building new housing
5. Do you change their water daily?
6. Are your birds living in hot and moist conditions?
7. Check with your extension office if the person/s or hatchery are NIPI tested

Don't give up raising chickens. Just because of one experince don't decided that chickens are worthless.
Think of the food that your chickens gave you while they were healthy and that they gave you your own food.
I would suggest you start answering/adressing these problem before you decided if chickens are really for me.