Digging through other BYC topics can scare the poop out of you, or at least make you think twice about owning chickens. First I read in some graphic posts about flystrike, including internally after a hen had an egg break inside, then I read about chickens dying from mites and lice and worms. Do you all treat prophylactically for these things or only if you have an outbreak, and then how do you notice? My hens all look clean, healthy, they act normally. Are these nasty critters common to WA? Mine were immunized for Marek's as chicks, but otherwise nothing. Am I asking for trouble? Are there low toxic or non toxic means to prevent parasites? I clean the trys under the roosting bars every other day or so, or daily when the weather cooperates, and change the pine shavings in the nest box every couple of weeks eventhough the hens hardly ever poop in the nest box. If it is sunny, I clean the inside of the coop with a mild soap and leave the lid off for the sun to dry. When the weather is nice, I move the tractors daily, and when it is nasty I have the runs on woodchips with hay that gets refreshed every week. What else should I be doing to prevent sick birds? Are sick birds common? Are they obvious?
There are some local ladies that make the most wonderful tamales....I buy them whenever I can.
