How do you know your chickens are healthy?

[BDutch]

Make sure you check out how long you have to toss your eggs if you use Aquasol. I can't remember but I know that I read that on here a while back.

Deworming medicines are only recommended to use with serious infestations by the organic farming institute in my country (Louis Bolk). A chicken can handle the common worms as long as she is not sick. Deworming medicines are not good for a chickens health unless you really need to bc of a severe infestation. After deworming the worms always return if they have established themselves in the coop/run/environment.

I have chickens for 10 years now and after an unlucky start with sick chicks, I only had two hens that died of somekind of illness. One got a waterbelly after laying soft shell eggs, and the other died suddenly during the night (possible heart attack or a stroke). I had chicks that got some kind of cold, but they all cured without medicines after several weeks.

Many wild birds like sparrows come into the run and my chickens free range several hours on most days. It makes them happy and healthy. I did have red mites in the coop last year, but I managed to battle them.

All in all, I believe you have to learn to accept that things can go wrong. Chickens just don’t live forever. Giving a good space, fresh air, clean water and healthy food is most important imho. I never went to a vet with my chickens and don’t plan to do so for as long as possible. I also prefer to buy hatchery eggs over chicks to lower the risk of transmitting diseases.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Deworming medicines are not good for a chickens health unless you really need to bc of a severe infestation.

Agree! Precisely why I wouldn't know about Aqua whatever it or anything else. 20years of chickens and I do not worm them.

 

[CloneFly]

I'd use it on a chicken if I needed to. I always wonder if disease and worm build up is indicative of not enough space, chickens confined in small runs, no free-range...

Surprisingly, I've never had an issue with worms outside a nasty case of cocci a year ago. We keep the girls in a 20ft×8ft run with a 7ft×5ft coop that they never use except to lay lol. They're free ranged several times a week under supervision as we have hawks and coyotes in our area. We also give them lots of veggies and greens from our garden.

Like what? I have Corid incase a batch of babies needs it and that's it. I do have Vetricyn and Blu Kote but thats because of a dog hot spot. I'd use it on a chicken if I needed to.

Corid is very good to keep on hand, and so is Vetrycin and BluKote. I've used the latter on my dogs, quail and duck as well. Sometime last year before the state made impossible to purchase livestock meds without a prescription, we bought Oxytetracycline, Tylan50, amoxicillin, enrofloxacin, B12 and so on... These are used under the direction of a veterinarian when they are needed, and have saved us quite the pretty penny. I also purchased a basic suturing kit on Amazon as well as some packing straps, beatadine, gauze and bandage wraps which, unfortunately, have also come in handy way too many times.

As I said, some of us do all we can and still stuff happens, so having these items on hand are a big source of relief. Do I need all of them? Probably not, but my family is the exact opposite of rich and we love our animals dearly, so we end up having to do a lot of DIY treatments and have even helped others who couldn't reach or afford a vet... it's a good thing we've been in the animal rescue field for over 20yrs! But not everyone has that advantage.

Having Amoxicillin, Corid and B12 on hand is a good idea, and so is having a basic "surgical" kit and wound dressing supplies. Nutri drench, bluekote, blood stop powder/cornstarch, vetrycin and colloidal silver should all be included in any chicken first aid kit, in my opinion. All of these items are fairly inexpensive and could possibly save a lot of heartache or money. If you never need to use them, that's great! But after being played too many unlucky cards, I've learned to live by "better safe than sorry".

 

[ChasingChooks]

Basically, as long as they look happy and bright-eyed, and behave normally, then I don't worry. If they run for treats or 'wag' their tail feathers, then they must be okay!

 

[Somshine]

It's a really valid question because if you're on BYC you're reading about quite the plethora of issues and if you're me you're thinking, how am I never dealing with this stuff, shouldn't I be? Shouldn't my chickens be sick from all sorts of issues? Well it's really just that alot of people are here seeking solutions to problems and a whole lot more are either not on here because all is well or they're on here doing other stuff because all is well. I've had chickens for 20 years. I've had a grand total of 2 health issues in 20 years (Cocci, bumblefoot.) Chances are really good that your chickens are healthy and will stay that way. I've never ever dealt with the majority if issues I see on here. Like what is Vent gleet, um water belly? other things I've seen and I don't even know what it is.... hasn't happened to me.....

I know! But then you worry about selling fertile eggs or chicks. My first six I got from a hatchery so I imagine they were vaccinated. The rest I hatched myself or got from a farm a county over. She hatches her own but has gotten several specific breeds by having eggs mailed. This leaves endless possibilities. Seems no way to guarantee your chickens are healthy unless you have them all tested and keep them in separate bubbles immediately afterwards so that if the results are good they'll stay that way.

 

[Somshine]

I remember a few years back catching a little red house Finch near our bird feeder, pretty easily cuz he couldn't seem to see, and I took him to our wildlife center. Appeared to be some sort of respiratory issue. I washed and bleached the bird feeder. But I'm thinking what if one like that landed on top of one of my runs and stayed there for a couple hours pooping in my run?! But then also, never saw another sick wild bird after that. You read about that stuff spreading like wildfire but it doesn't seem to in nature.

 

[Somshine]

I

I Think the only way to help minimize issues is biosecurity. Things happens, and not everything is foolproof, but the better biosecurity the safer they are. But then there are issues that present that have no baring on vaccines or wild birds.

Very true. And then I wonder if vaccinations are counterproductive if they don't actually prevent them from getting it. Seems a herd immunity of sorts would be easier achieved without them...

 

[Somshine]

I think I'll stick with the no vaccinations. I'd rather know they have it for one, and I guess let the ones go that are more fragile.

 

[Somshine]

I know what you mean. I add apple cider vinegar to the water every few water changes & I use aquasol in the water once or twice a year to ensure they are wormed. Especially if you see dirty bums.

I love Bragg's! Also the Nzymes products! Awesome holistic products for immune strength and development! Haven't heard of aquasol I'll have to check that out!

 

[Acre4Me]

@Somshine -what exactly are you worried about? Specifically? And, what illness is present in the eggs?