Why keep chickens if they're so disease prone?

[jmc]

This section on 'Diseases', etc. is like one nightmare after another. If you wanna get neurotic and paranoid, this is a good place to come. (esp. if you're a worrier like me!)

I know many people who have raised chickens for decades and haven't had problems such as i've seen on this section.

BUT, i woiould like to suggest that maybe chickens AREN"T so disease prone and what we see on this section are INDIVIDUAL CASES from thousands of people scattered all over N. American and elsewhere. That is a different case.

So good reader, what has been your experience? Has it been a nightmare? Are your birds regularly getting resp. illnesses for example?

Do you disagree with the statement "chickens are so disease-prone?"

Why am i asking this?

BECAUSE i got out of chickens over two years ago, because of what seemed to be respiratory disease issues and what i perceived as the frailty of chickens. I went to ducks.

BUT, now i am coming back to chickens only since, in spite of it all, they will be more cost effective and less labor intensive that the awesome ducks.

But i feel a little bit nervous as i contemplate the 'Laryngo.........CRD..........Coryza' Specter looming before me.

My decision is made either way.

Can you put me at ease or confirm my fears? thanks alot!

 

[dawg53]

I've raised chickens for many years and mine have never had a disease. I disagree that chickens are disease prone...no more than any other animal or human for that matter. I've noticed in this forum that there are many more accidents/injuries with chickens rather than diseases.

 

[madimorg]

I don’t think that they are disease prone. The Emergencies/Diseases/Injuries section is for just that. You aren't going to read about everyone's healthy chicken or "happy" stories here. This is where we come when we do have that one chicken or issue that comes along. I've only had chickens since July... started with 24 one day old chicks... then added more to the flock later. Never lost a chick and all were very healthy. In the last week I have had one death that was a random death and have had a crop impacted chicken; this site has been of great help for both issues. I've posted questions more then once regarding concerns or problems but never have I posted the positives of how healthy 98% of them are and how happy they seem and how much enjoyment they have brought to my family. So I think the answer to your question is that they aren't that disease prone... you are just reading a section of BYC that focuses on that as a means to help each other. I for one am very glad I have my chickens and very glad I have found this site of so many knowledgeable like minded people.

 

[ARose4Heaven]

OK. I am going to say this...even though I KNOW that most folks on BYC are gonna think bad of it.

Dead Happens.

All creatures great and small get sick. Some survive, some don't. We do what we can to protect and cure them, then move on.

I have lost a few, kept a lot. If I were to refuse to keep chickens because they might get sick, I would miss something wonderful! I say all of life is a gamble. But in the end, we tried. Go for it. Chickens are a lot of fun and well worth the effort.

A well cared for chicken is no more disease prone than any other animal...including humans.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I have had chickens for 3 years, I've never had a disease or anything

 

[woodmort]

I'm one that hasn't seen disease and pests in 25+ years of keeping. Like all animal, cats, dogs, and humans for that matter, chickens are prone to some problems if they aren't cared for carefully--that means not only the daily care but good bio-security. Also the up close and personal thing with a small flock of chickens has people seeing things that aren't there or aren't real problems as being a major epidemics. I'm sure there is as much over reaction with these birds as anything. Also, given that chickens are not all that long-lived to begin with combined with the inline breeding that takes place it is not surprising that there are a lot of weak birds out there.

BTW, I usually avoid this section except when I see something on the opening page. It might be a good idea if most starting in chickens did it as well, all it does is scare the bejeepers out of them.

 

[kla37]

I have to say, before I got chickens I was a little freaked out when I read all the stuff in the "Emergencies/Diseases/Injuries" forum! It did make me think twice about it. But, I got them anyway, and I just figured if I had them vaccinated, fed them well, housed them properly, kept their living quarters clean, and practiced preventative maintenance (dusting, worming, etc), then that might be enough to ease my fears. It's only been 8-9 months, but I've loved having them, and I really hope it keeps going well. It's nice to know that when I have a problem I can come here!

 

[DelawareSilkie]

I would say that chickens are more prone to showing dislease like symptoms. None of my chickens have died from diseases, but they exhibit symptoms that would keep me up at night. Chickens are hardy animals, and the rewards far outweigh the risk of keeping them.

By the way, which ducks are you raising?

 

[NonnasBabies]

I think people HAVE to find a reason why their bird died whether it was showing sign of illness or not. Even though it might only be something as simple as heat stress, etc....

 

[jmc]

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