BiddyBiddy
Songster
So... fair warning, this is going to be a bit of a rant. I’ll start by saying I love my chickens! They’re loved pets with benefits. They’ll always have a home even when they get too old to provide eggs. That being said, Ive had one problem after another with them.
-It started with ending up with 6 roosters even though I ordered 18 pullets from the hatchery. I found homes for three of them and kept the three that I couldn’t rehome.
-Next was the sweetest little Blue Americana pullet “Blue” with some sort of GI blockage that the vet never figured out. After weeks vet visits, of tube feedings, meds, ect. she died anyway.
-After that one of my hens, Ember the black jersey giant, suddenly developed small masses all over her body. Again vets were stumped. Sent her for a necropsy after putting her to sleep and it was the big bad Mareks. (They’re all supposed to be vaccinated from the hatchery)
-Next was Violet the lavender Americana. She kept laying funky soft shelled eggs so she got an implant in hopes of saving her life. 4 months later I took her emaciated body for a necropsy at the state lab. It was inconclusive, only finding renal failure, no sign of any other cause of death.
- Most recently was Ivory the light brahma. Who, I’ll spare you the details, ultimately was found to have died of visceral fowl pox. Thank goodness I noticed her and isolated her right away so she was the only one who got it.
-Lastly there’s Nova the salmon faverolle. My favorite, my baby, my shadow. Misdiagnosed respiratory illness after illness. Vet finally tested for fungal stuff. Aspergillosis from tractor supply food I bought when I ran out of the organic, non GMO, expensive food I usually get for them. We’re currently halfway through the 3 month long treatment regimen.
- I did extensive research before buying my chickens on keeping them, nutrition, and diseases. Ive see pictures and videos of other’s coops and runs and my feathered kids are obviously spoiled in comparison. They have a huge, well ventilated converted shed/coop, a giant 50’x50’ open air run with aviary netting to protect from hawks with multiple logs and swings for enrichment. Bushes and trees for shade and because it looks nice. I completely clean out the coop at least every 3 weeks even if the shavings are pretty clean and theres absolutely never any smell. The run area is never muddy or smelly because I lay a thick layer pine straw which gets raked out and completely replaced every 3 months. I buy high quality food, sanitize and refill their waterers every 2 days weather they need it or not. Give them kale (their favorite) for treats at least once a week. I take them to an avian vet, about an hour’s drive away, when they need medical attention. I live out in the “country” and have many small nearby farms, but none that are adjacent to my property. So they never have contact with other people’s poultry.
- And NOW I discovered red mites on all over the coop!
WHAT THE HECK! I’m beyond frustrated! And even though I love my chickens, I’m regretting getting them right now. I have had nearly every chicken problem/issue you can have to deal with! Ugh!! I mean, is this the typical backyard flock experience or do I just have the worst luck ever?!?
Sorry for the rant, just completely exasperated right now.
-It started with ending up with 6 roosters even though I ordered 18 pullets from the hatchery. I found homes for three of them and kept the three that I couldn’t rehome.
-Next was the sweetest little Blue Americana pullet “Blue” with some sort of GI blockage that the vet never figured out. After weeks vet visits, of tube feedings, meds, ect. she died anyway.
-After that one of my hens, Ember the black jersey giant, suddenly developed small masses all over her body. Again vets were stumped. Sent her for a necropsy after putting her to sleep and it was the big bad Mareks. (They’re all supposed to be vaccinated from the hatchery)
-Next was Violet the lavender Americana. She kept laying funky soft shelled eggs so she got an implant in hopes of saving her life. 4 months later I took her emaciated body for a necropsy at the state lab. It was inconclusive, only finding renal failure, no sign of any other cause of death.
- Most recently was Ivory the light brahma. Who, I’ll spare you the details, ultimately was found to have died of visceral fowl pox. Thank goodness I noticed her and isolated her right away so she was the only one who got it.
-Lastly there’s Nova the salmon faverolle. My favorite, my baby, my shadow. Misdiagnosed respiratory illness after illness. Vet finally tested for fungal stuff. Aspergillosis from tractor supply food I bought when I ran out of the organic, non GMO, expensive food I usually get for them. We’re currently halfway through the 3 month long treatment regimen.
- I did extensive research before buying my chickens on keeping them, nutrition, and diseases. Ive see pictures and videos of other’s coops and runs and my feathered kids are obviously spoiled in comparison. They have a huge, well ventilated converted shed/coop, a giant 50’x50’ open air run with aviary netting to protect from hawks with multiple logs and swings for enrichment. Bushes and trees for shade and because it looks nice. I completely clean out the coop at least every 3 weeks even if the shavings are pretty clean and theres absolutely never any smell. The run area is never muddy or smelly because I lay a thick layer pine straw which gets raked out and completely replaced every 3 months. I buy high quality food, sanitize and refill their waterers every 2 days weather they need it or not. Give them kale (their favorite) for treats at least once a week. I take them to an avian vet, about an hour’s drive away, when they need medical attention. I live out in the “country” and have many small nearby farms, but none that are adjacent to my property. So they never have contact with other people’s poultry.
- And NOW I discovered red mites on all over the coop!
WHAT THE HECK! I’m beyond frustrated! And even though I love my chickens, I’m regretting getting them right now. I have had nearly every chicken problem/issue you can have to deal with! Ugh!! I mean, is this the typical backyard flock experience or do I just have the worst luck ever?!?
Sorry for the rant, just completely exasperated right now.
