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

[Ocho 8 Farm]

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).

What probiotics do you use?

 

[SourRoses]

What probiotics do you use?

Probios

 

[CRGoldenGirls]

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!

I also use stinging nettle herb for respiratory, oregano, yarrow, lavendar to try and keep my red's a little calmer. lol They can be a bit grumpy with the barred rock girls.

 

[kmk]

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!

We had lots of extra garlic from our garden so I chop it up, add water, and give it to the girls appx. once/month as a worm preventative.

 

[ChicFil- A]

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!

Responding to Ruffled Feathers:
I’ve had this flock of chickens about 3 years,
last spring I added 2 ISA pullets and 1 Australourp that gives me a total of 7 hens,
All I have done for my chickens is plenty water- plenty food I free feed. and I cast 7 grains and cracked corn for them to kick around and scratch, I give them oyster shell most of the time, I add DE to each of the laying boxes with straw on the top to keep dust down, I also once in spring sprinkle the chickens for mites and lice,with DE. I also use food grade DE to worm the chickens spring also. I’ve had no problem at all, I have heard adding Oregano oil to the drinker to build up their amune systems.
They are the picture of health

 

[ChicFil- A]

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.

Great answer and I ditto that