What routine preventative medicine or measures do you use with your flock to prevent illness or maintain good health?

[RuffIedFeathers]

I've heard of people doing many things for prevention, such as regular deworming, water or feed supplements, etc. I'm wondering what sorts of things are actually helpful? I haven't really done anything for prevention, other than trying to keep a clean coop. Would love to hear everyone's opinions on things they do to prevent illness, disease, pests, etc. I would also love to read any articles or research you have found that backs or explains why you do it (though not necessary). Thank you!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! I put dried oregano and cinnamon into my hens feed, oregano is a natural antibiotic and cinnamon is an antiparasitic. I add echinacea as an immunity boost, I alternate the oregano and the echinacea. I also brew a tincture overnight of the dried oregano or echinacea and put it in their water. I started giving them yogurt a month ago and they love it!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I make sure the water is clean and the coop and run are as dry as I reasonably can.

 

[Isadora]

I don't supplement anything except for oyster shell on the side for any laying hens that may want it.
Having a spacious living area, well-ventilated coop, a clean(ish) coop, feed and fresh water daily, is a great preventive for illness.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Agree with the previous two posters! I give my birds plenty of space, offer fresh water and an appropriate feed every day, and keep their coops clean and dry. That's it.

 

[3KillerBs]

I make sure the water is clean and the coop and run are as dry as I reasonably can.

Exactly.

Good feed, clean water, plenty of fresh air, and an appropriate degree of sanitation works to keep pretty much any animal healthy.

I am a strong proponent of not fixing what isn't broken. Should an illness or parasitic infection appear in my flock I will treat it. But I see no need to treat problems I don't have.

 

[deidreg]

Also, inspect chickens at least once a week, assuming that's reasonable. (Not sure how many chickens you have.) Look for injuries, mites and see if the vent looks clean. If they don't tolerate this, go visit them after they go to sleep. They're much easier to handle.

 

[SourRoses]

I love reading such good sense as provided above!

The only things I will add are:

Grit... because our soil is fine sand with little to nothing in the way of small stones. I don't want to deal with crop issues.

Probiotics for young birds, using Probios or other tested reputable sources. not the probably-dead little packets or what's milled into the feed.
Probiotics helped with horses, dogs, and people in our family. Good bacteria release compounds that help keep bad bacteria from proliferating, which is why a wide range of types is best.

In 12 years of chicken keeping I've never wormed birds or dusted for mites
We have some wormer on hand, and I've read up on dosing (the water - too much math - but I don't want to go bird-by-bird).

 

[In the mtns]

I’ve only had chickens for two yrs, and I do believe in the less is more method, a clean coop, fresh water, organic feed and scratch, plenty of sunshine and free ranging. I do like to add ACV to the hens water, it’s good for humans so why not hens. My sister has been raising chickens for a while so I get some great advice from her. Yesterday she suggested adding some dried red pepper flakes to the feed, it’s suppose to kill internal parasites. Has anyone heard of this? I added a small amount today, but am curious to hear feedback from anyone else who has tried this!

 

[Perris]

Besides the good advice given by many above, I would add a caution against over-stocking. "The more intensive the production system, the more the intensity and diversity of diseases identified by farmers as their main problem" https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2022.102062