Suggestions for healthy hens?

[haileyeverhart]

After having two hens die all of a sudden and only live to 5 years old I really want to make sure my other hens live to atleast 8! I have never given my chickens dewormer.. maybe a pellet dewormer but can you deworm chickens as a precaution? And are there any all around disease/parasite killer that I can give as a precaution? Preferably that I can get on Amazon or something. I just want healthy babies! Im scared im doing something wrong.
(also one of the hens died last year and her sister died recently they didnt die at the same time)

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sounds like they had a good life. Sorry for your losses.

I never wormed in 8 years... people swear mud bumm equals worms. Since I know not all wormers treat every worm... and wormer IS poison... I had a float test done at the vet... Cost was $25. But I didn't have to buy meds or with hold eggs or subject my birds to that harshness on their system. A "flock" sample... is accepted. Meaning several small samples collected into one float to get an overall look at the whole flock.

It came back negative and now I don't have to treat for worms I don't have... "as a preventative".

My suggestion... get a float if you want but don't treat what you don't have. Offer good nutrition and don't diminish with low nutrient snack like scratch (too much).

Since too much calcium (more than 3%) has been shown it *can* (doesn't mean will) cause kidney failure to birds not in lay... I use a flock raiser with 20% protein and 1% calcium and offer oyster shell free choice for the ladies who are laying. I always have broody's, molters, rooster, and juveniles. In addition... the higher protein (than layers' 16%) helps the ladies get through molt faster and easier because feathers are made from 90% protein and it's amino acids... so it HELPS a lot.

I don't have the ability to switch for molt and each birds needs. Most mu birds are dual purpose and not light bodied like leghorns. DP birds like Wyandotte, Rocks, Marans, Orps.. will do best on about 18% protein minimum.

Your chickens have an immune system that works as overall disease/parasite killer... Supporting that is the best method IMHO. Probiotics like yogurt or raw acv in the water... on
occasion. Nothing should ever be supplemented more than 10 days in a row.

Noticing your vegan tag... chickens are omnivores and NEED the amino acids that come from animal sources. Those amino acids are added into most vegetarian chicken feeds though. The Purina flock raiser I use... doesn't have animal product in it. I guess maybe the amino acids they add are synthetic or something?

5 years may not be the longest life. But that's pretty good! I don't know of anything right off that you are doing wrong. But IF you wanna know the cause you can have a necropsy done next time. Links to bookmark if you want... It's often free or low cost to back yarders as a means of protecting our food supply chain.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

Hope this is helpful.

 

[rebrascora]

@EggSighted4Life has given a very good and expansive answer. The simple one is that there is no way to guarantee longevity in any creature including ourselves, no matter how much we wish it.
Chickens are prone to a myriad of ailments and diseases as well as being prey to countless different predators. We all do what we can to keep them healthy but there are no magic formulas. 5 years is a good age, but of course chickens can live longer and some of them will, but quite a few die younger. Some types of chickens have a better chance of living longer than others.... red sex links are pretty much bottom of the scale due to their high production. Heritage breeds that have less intensive production and more natural instincts like broodiness may live longer. Bantams probably have a better chance of living longer than large fowl.

Having worm egg counts done from faecal samples is certainly a good way of monitoring their parasitic load and only giving them medication if/when they need it. Fermenting their feed can promote a healthy digestive tract and therefore helpful. Giving them some animal protein occasionally can be beneficial. Free ranging them helps to stimulate them mentally and physically and allows them to self medicate on herbs etc, but comes at a risk of predation, so the benefits have to be weighed against the risk. If free range is not an option, then giving them access to greens and fruits and veg is better than a vitamin supplement but the latter can be useful to give them a boost occasionally.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

If free range is not an option, then giving them access to greens

Sprouting or fodder... I love both and so do my birds!

 

[haileyeverhart]

@EggSighted4Life has given a very good and expansive answer. The simple one is that there is no way to guarantee longevity in any creature including ourselves, no matter how much we wish it.
Chickens are prone to a myriad of ailments and diseases as well as being prey to countless different predators. We all do what we can to keep them healthy but there are no magic formulas. 5 years is a good age, but of course chickens can live longer and some of them will, but quite a few die younger. Some types of chickens have a better chance of living longer than others.... red sex links are pretty much bottom of the scale due to their high production. Heritage breeds that have less intensive production and more natural instincts like broodiness may live longer. Bantams probably have a better chance of living longer than large fowl.

Having worm egg counts done from faecal samples is certainly a good way of monitoring their parasitic load and only giving them medication if/when they need it. Fermenting their feed can promote a healthy digestive tract and therefore helpful. Giving them some animal protein occasionally can be beneficial. Free ranging them helps to stimulate them mentally and physically and allows them to self medicate on herbs etc, but comes at a risk of predation, so the benefits have to be weighed against the risk. If free range is not an option, then giving them access to greens and fruits and veg is better than a vitamin supplement but the latter can be useful to give them a boost occasionally.

theyve always been free range!