What would you consider the top five chicken problems?

[gryeyes]

1. Stupid laws telling me how many chickens I can keep.
2. My own, elderly dachshund who kills chickens. Didn't know that til I got chickens. Now I have to be vigilant when he's out in the yard. But he's a great tester of fence security, so that's good. (He's 11 years old and I love him, so there's no getting rid of HIM.)
3. Not being able to free range my chickens, but at least I have a large run. Wish it were larger.
4. The adorable factor of any chicks in any feed store. No, can't get any more. Honest. No more. Well, maybe just these two....
5. Remembering to change the outside shoes to work or inside shoes after spending some time in the run with the chickens. Ooops.

 

[lorrir]

What is Biosecurity as it's related to chickens?

 

[DaughterOfEve]

1. pecking
2. worms
3. poop
4. culling
5. the unreasonable desire for MORE!!!

(lorrir) biosecurity relates to transmitting disease to your flock, whether by unknowingly introducing a diseased bird which could wipe out your flock, or just from stuff stuck to the bottom of your shoe carried from one pen to another which can put your birds at risk.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

Quote:
Here is a quick link to get you a bit of info on biosecurity..

http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/avian/pfs26.htm

Many chicken diseases are not actually treatable. They can become carriers if they survive an illness..

Ive been told that chickens do not get colds like humans. If they show signs of cold is for us. Then most likely its a chicken disease..

Make sure you isolate all new birds for at least 20 days. If sign of illness.. Cull it.. Make sure you dont wear the same clothes into the isolated coop and your regular coop.. Keep both coops/cages a great distance apart..

Some diseases can be passed through egg to baby. Although I dont know which ones yet.. Still studying

ETA
Oh ya.. Dont let other poultry owners in your coop, they may be carrying a disease on their shoes. Even a pet owner of a bird. Some expensive pet birds may be a carrier for some diseases because even if they are a carrier. People dont want to cull them cause they cost so much..

 

[cobrien]

For me and my city chickens:

1. the practical reality that raising poultry creates unwanted cockerels / roosters that have to die or be eaten
2. free ranging chickens aren't compatible with gardening / flowers / mulch unless you want fences everywhere
3. dealing with illnesses, either watching then suffer or paying so much $ to go to the vet
4. noisy hens
5. it's a tie: flies / dogs eating the poop!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

For me personally?

1. Hawks during the migration, when there are no leaves on the trees.

2. Mites brought in by migrating songbirds in spring.

3. Keeping them out of my chard.

4. Digging the snow out after a blizzard, even though the run is covered.

5. Resisting the urge to get more chicken breeds than I have.


Earlier in my life with chickens, I had a different top five.

1. Learning about brooding chicks.

2. Choosing what breeds to get. This is still sometimes very hard for me.

3. Building their coop.

4. Predators of all kinds.

5. Mites.

 

[woolychicken]

WHAT WAS THE QUESTION ?

OH
TOP 5 CHICKEN PROBLEMS

1.KEEPING THEM HEALTHY

(I FEEL AWFUL WHEN 1 IS DOWN)

2. WANTING MORE BUT BEING KNOWING WHEN TO STOP

3 WISHING THERE WAS A CHICKEN VET AROUND. (CHEAP ONE) NEVER HEARD OF A CHICKEN VET IS THERE SUCH A THING?

4. HAVEING MORE FENCED IN AREAS FOR THEM TO ROAM

5. POO,POO, AND MORE POO, IT SURE MAKES THINGS GROW

NOTHING IS MORE WORTH THE WORK, TRIALS AND JOY AS ONE GETS FORM A FEW FEATHED FRIENDS.
EXCEPT MY HUSBAND AND CHILDERN.
WOOLY