SICK CHICKEN SYMPTOMS AND PREVENTION

  These are guide to Sick Chicken Symptoms and how to prevent it.

When we talk about chicken illnesses,  it’s good to know what a sick chicken looks like, so we can try to help our to make them feel better quickly. We are all uncertain at times, but there are certain criteria you can use to detect if your bird has sick chicken symptoms. First, let’s explore what a healthy chicken looks and acts like.

How Does the Chicken Look and Act?
A healthy chicken is a busy chicken. It is aware of what the other chickens are doing. The healthy chicken is pecking the ground, scratching the dirt, and chasing others away from a tasty morsel. When you first open the coop in the morning, the chickens should eagerly exit the building, raring to start a new day. They should be happy to see food added to the bowls or feeders and start eating. Any chickens who stay on the roost, or worse, are hiding in a dark corner should be immediately and gently checked over.

When you look at a healthy chicken it looks – healthy!  Feathers are glossy and in place, the comb and wattles are waxy looking and full of color, and the eyes are bright and clear.

Healthy Chickens are Communicating
Chickens talk to each other during the day and some chickens talk a lot! When you spend time with your chickens you will start to recognize certain sounds that are made repeatedly. While my chickens are free ranging, I am often doing cleaning chores around the barnyard. But, sometimes I hear a certain sound coming from my chickens and I just know it is an alarm of some sort. Whether they saw a predator, noticed a hawk in the sky, or were injured by another flock member, the sound is unmistakably alarming. It differs greatly from the regular clucking and squawking that they make. Another alarming sound is any respiratory sound. Coughing, heavy breathing sounds and raspy sounds are signs of serious illness and should be evaluated quickly. With the current wave of avian influenza sweeping the country, it would be good to familiarize yourself with avian influenza symptoms. Always isolate the bird with sick chicken symptoms and reduce the chances of any contagious disease spreading through the flock.

Healthy Chickens have Healthy Droppings
Some may feel this goes a bit too far but notice the chicken’s droppings. There are two basic types of droppings that are excreted daily. One type is often seen first thing in the morning. It is firmer and capped with white urine salts.  Less frequently, the chicken will expel a runnier brown or green, fecal dropping. While both of these droppings will have a slight odor, you should note if the odor is extremely bad or if the appearance is really out of the normal range for your flock. Keep in mind that certain vegetables, such as beet greens may turn the droppings a different color temporarily, without the chicken appearing ill.

Healthy Chickens Have Healthy Appetites
Chickens who are unwell do not eat much. Sometimes they stop eating completely. This is another reason it is good to observe your flock when you are feeding. If a chicken does not come for food, stays off to itself, and is not pecking at the ground for insects or morsels, something could definitely be wrong. What follows next is weight loss, another sign of illness. Young chickens are continually growing and maturing. A young chicken who does not eat enough will not gain weight like the others in the flock. The young birds continue to fill out in size for the first 6 months. Even after egg laying begins, some growth and weight gain can still be occurring. Older hens and roosters should be able to maintain their weight.  The older hen that begins to look scrawny and small, may be suffering from an undetected illness. Some of my chickens prefer to eat from the feeder and some prefer to free range while I am supervising.  Knowing what is normal for them is also a good indication of how they are doing health wise.

Healthy Young Hens are Laying Eggs
Many factors can influence egg laying, including age, molt, weather, stressful environment, and placement of nesting boxes. If you reliably get an egg a day from a good laying hen, and then she stops laying, you may wonder why have my chickens stopped laying? The quality of the eggshell can also be a sign of problems. Thin, weak shells can be caused by inadequate nutrition or inadequate mineral absorption. Knowing what to feed chickens will help you avoid any illnesses due to inadequate nutrition.

Chicken diseases and illness can be caused by a number of things. Viruses, bacteria, molds, fungus, and parasites are the infectious type of illness. Often, if one of these occur, more than one bird will be affected. Some sick chicken symptoms are mild, leading to a day or two of not feeling up to par and exhibiting a low appetite. Other diseases, such as avian influenza can and will wipe out the flock in a matter of days. My recommendation is to not panic when sick chicken symptoms are observed. Assess the bird’s overall health, using the sick chicken symptoms listed here. First, isolate the sick chicken, to help prevent the spread of any possible contagious illness.

Sick Chicken Symptoms

Is the bird active or listless?
Is the bird grooming or is it unkempt with ruffled feathers?
Is the bird interested in eating?
Is the bird coughing or expelling fluid?
Is the bird able to stand on its own?
Is the hen still laying eggs?
Is the bird excreting normal or abnormal droppings?
Preventing Illness
As is the case with all types of animals, prevention and a healthy life will go a long way to preventing serious illness. Feeding an appropriate healthy diet, supplementing with herbs, and treating the chickens with probiotic-rich foods will help them ward off many minor illnesses. Fermented feed, apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons in a gallon of water) and garlic powder added to the feed (sprinkled on top) will all help build a strong immune system in your flock. Clean and sanitary conditions are also important. Removing droppings that attract flies, keeping their coop dry and well ventilated and replacing soiled wet beddind immediately will all help the the chicken to stay healthy.
Whenever suspect any of the above symptoms in your chicken please try and give them appropriate drugs or call on vet doctor for proper treatment.

WHEN WILL YOUR CHICKEN START LAYING EGGS ?

If raising a backyard chicken was a business, the ultimate prize would be a hen’s first egg.
To extend this feeling of exhilaration and help hens produce wholesome, nutritious eggs long-term, care for the flock differently as they begin laying.
 
The transition from pullet to egg-laying hen often occurs at 4-5 months of age, subject to breed, environment and nutrition. Laying breed pullets will begin laying at about 18 to 20 weeks of age. A rooster is not necessary for egg production.
 
The first eggs a hen lays may be irregular – possibly small in size, with soft shells, no yolks or double yolks – but, after a week or so, egg production should become more consistent, with peak performance at about 30 weeks of age.
 
High-producing hens can lay up to 300 eggs per year; however, first year hens may lay fewer: about 200-250 eggs apiece. Because it takes approximately 25 hours for a hen to produce one egg, six eggs per week is an ideal goal.
 
To help hens reach this target – and stay happy and healthy, consider the following housing and nutrition tips.
Chicken Housing
After moving chicks from the brooder, introduce them directly to the coop that will become their forever home. This helps birds adjust to the coop well in advance of their first lay. Make sure the coop has comfortable nesting boxes that provide privacy to individual hens.
 
Once a hen begins laying, it’s her tendency to lay in the same spot moving forward. Create several comfortable, clean and cozy nesting areas to prevent hens from becoming competitive in the coop.
 
A general rule is to provide one 1-foot square nest box for every four or five hens because the flock will take turns using the boxes. Line each nest box with a thick layer of straw or other bedding to cushion the eggs and keep them clean and unbroken. Keep the nests up off the floor in the darkest corner of the coop.

Be sure all the nest areas have a uniform environment. If the hens decide one nest is preferable to the others, they may all try to use that nest, causing themselves stress, which can lead to egg breakage or egg eating. On our farm, we built the nests into the coops. Outdoor access to the nests allows us to collect eggs without disrupting the flock.
 
When pullets are nearing their first lay, their behavior changes. They may begin spending more time with the rooster, crouching for breeding or investigating the nesting area. At this time, keep hens in the coop for short periods of time. Place golf balls or decoy eggs in the nesting boxes to help the hens understand the use of the nesting boxes.
Chicken Nutrition
Once the first egg appears, the hen’s diet should also be adjusted.


Different nutrients are required to produce eggs as compared to what the pullet needs for growth. Young chicks and pullets need high protein levels as their body and feathers grow. At laying, switching to a complete feed with calcium and omega-3 fatty acids can help hens produce strong shells and nutritious eggs.

Calcium: Calcium is essential to form strong egg shells. If the bird does not secure enough calcium from her feed, she may pull the nutrient from her bones, which could eventually lead to a weak skeletal structure. Since egg shells are developed at night, when birds are not eating, a consistent source of slow-release calcium in the diet is important.

Oyster shells are the most common and reliable source of slow-release calcium. For strong shells and healthy hens, feed a complete layer feed with 16 percent protein and 3.25-4.5 percent calcium, like Purina® Layena® Premium Poultry Feed or Purina® Organic Layer Pellets or Crumbles. If your layer feed does not include Oyster Strong™ System, supplement the diet with free-choice oyster shells to add slow-release calcium.

Omega-3: For even more nutritious eggs, offer laying hens a complete feed that includes flaxseed as a source of Omega-3. For example, when a diet of Purina® Layena® Plus Omega-3 was fed for at least three weeks, those hens produced large eggs (56 g) that contained 250 mg of Omega-3 per egg. 1 

For comparison, a typical store-bought egg contains 50 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids per large egg (USDA: National Nutrient Base).  Results may vary with factors such as total diet and hen health.  
 
1When fed a diet of Purina® Layena® Plus Omega-3 exclusively for at least 3 weeks. Based on large egg (56 g). Results may vary with factors such as total diet and hen health. A typical store-bought egg contains 50 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids per large egg (USDA: National Nutrient Base).
  If you can follow these prescription you hen will lay at when due and the egg production will also high.

16 HOMEMADE CHICKEN AND TURKEY TREATS RECIPES

Do you know are some homemade recipes can make your chickens and turkey healthy and productive ? However, a lot of unhealthy treats can hurt your birds. That is why it is important to be sure to feed our chickens healthy snack alternatives. Now, I know what you are thinking. Healthy snack usually equates to a hefty price tag. Which is why we are bringing you over 16 different healthy hen treats that you can make at home.

They are :

1. Frozen Scrambled Egg Pops.

Would you think that chickens wouldn’t like their own eggs? Well, if you thought that, that would be incorrect. Chickens eat pretty much anything and these treats are no different. They are great at giving the chickens protein they need. Plus, when hot weather heads your way, these pops are a great way at keeping them cool too. So if you’d like easy and inexpensive treats for your chickens, then give these cool pops a quick peak. Make these chicken treats.

2. The Frozen Strawberry Treat .

I found this hidden treasure within our last post. I love The Chicken Chick. She is so knowledgeable about all things chickens. Which is why it should be no surprise that you find a second treat for your hens tucked away in the article you were reading about chicken treats. So basically, she takes frozen strawberries, mint leaves, and ice cubes for her chickens to eat when dealing with hot weather. This encourages them to stay in the shade while also giving them nutrients that they love and need. Make these chicken treats.

3. The Chicken Frozen Fruit Smoothie

This is a really great idea to share with your chickens on a hot day. You basically take most fruits that they love and mix it with mint leaves and water. You’ll blend it up like you would any smoothies. Then you’ll place it inside a fruit ring to freeze it. Finally, you’ll give the frozen delicious beverage to your chickens that will really appreciate it during sweltering heat. Make these chicken treats.

4. Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits.

I love fruit and yogurt parfaits. Well, guess what? So will your chickens. They are able to eat many fruits and vegetables without facing adverse effects of them and dairy is very similar. So you can take fruits and vegetables and mix them with yogurt or cottage cheese, and your hens will be very happy. It is also very healthy for them too as it gives them necessary vitamins plus calcium which is key to egg development. Make these chicken treats.

5. Left Overs.

Not everything we eat is always healthy. However, if you eat a healthy meal around your table and have some left then go ahead and toss it to your chickens. Plus, whatever they won’t eat they’ll grind it around and turn it into a wonderful composts. So almost any fresh vegetables and fruits that you feed your family for good health will give good health to your chickens too.

6. Meal Worms.

Meal worms are a great snack that is packed with protein for your chickens.  They are also a very budget friendly snack considering you can raise them yourself. So if you like the idea of giving your hens healthy treats while not breaking the bank, then you should consider this healthy snack idea. Raise these chicken treats.

7.Watermelon .

Chickens love fruits especially watermelon. I think it is where the fruit is mainly made up of water so it keeps them hydrated with the extreme juiciness of it. But I have always noticed anytime I put a watermelon in their chicken yard, my birds go bananas for it. So keep these fruits in mind at chicken treats when planting your garden.

8. Peep’s Pumpkin Pie .

This is another great recipe by The Chicken Chick. This is a great way to use up any left over pumpkins this fall. Not to mention, your chickens will thank you for it. This pie allows them to get the benefits of pumpkin with a little variation in flavor.

9  Egg Shells .

Egg shells are actually a treat to chickens. The reason is they love the calcium they get from them. Which makes this treat very easy and affordable. So when you crack an egg that your chicken laid, simply grind it up and feed it to them. They will adore the treat for the nutrients that they value so much. Make this chicken treat.

10.Flock Block

This recipe is great and seems to be fairly inexpensive to make. The best part about this block is that it is super healthy for your hens and also appears to be a way to keep them from being bored. So follow the recipe, make your own flock block, and then hang it from your coop somewhere where the chickens can peck at it until their hearts are content.

11. Pumpkin Seed Treat

This pumpkin treat is very simple. You will cut a pumpkin into chunks. Then you’ll need to put the chunks into the food processor. When that is complete and well pureed, then you’ll mix a little of their feed in with it and give the pumpkin seed puree to your birds. Hopefully they’ll be as pleased with it as your budget will be.

12. The Cucumber

Tetherball Do you remember the game tetherball? I really enjoyed that game as a kid. The fun part is, so will your chickens. So instead of just throwing a cucumber to them, make it fun. You’ll need to run a string through the cucumber and hang it up so the chickens can spend hours pecking away at it.

13. Apple Garland

This apple garland idea is really cute and one that your chickens are sure to love. She just slices and cores the apples. Then she strings them with popcorn and runs them as a garland. I can only imagine the fun chickens would have trying to get the food from the garland.

14. Scrambled Eggs

I mentioned scrambled egg pops earlier in this post to help cool your chickens down during a hot day. But if you don’t feel like taking that extra step on a regular day with normal temps, then you don’t have to. Actually, feeding chickens scrambled eggs is one of the best protein sources you can give them during the fall when many chickens are going through molt. So keep this protein packed treat in mind when you are considering healthy chicken treats.

14. Homemade Suet Cakes

Homemade suet cakes are made out of very natural ingredients that are easily accessible. In fact, you probably have most of them on hand.

15. Poultry Protein Platter

This poultry protein platter is another great treat idea for the chicken in molt. It is not difficult and is very healthy for your birds.

16. Ginger

Ginger is considered a super food. It is highly recommended that you feed your chickens ginger because of the benefits that can be passed on to you through their eggs. So if you’d like the benefits of ginger without consuming it yourself, then give it to your chickens. They’ll love it and hopefully you’ll still reap quite a few of the benefits of ginger through your bird.

HOW TO GET THE MOST EGG PRODUCTION FROM YOUR LAYING HENS.

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The gain of all poultry farmers and backyard chicken owners is to get more eggs from their hens. Most flock owners keep hens as either pets, or for their eggs, the latter being the highest priority. Often flock owners ask why their hens are not laying as they expected, not laying often, or stopped laying completely. There are number of things that affect a hen’s ability to lay more eggs or not laying atall, such as her age, genetics and breed make up, feed and nutrition demands, stress and comfort, and daylight hours. In the best egg laying breeds, a hen in her prime productive period will lay around 90%, or near daily, only taking a day "off" now and then. The conditions need to be right for her to be able to do so though. I have discussed the reasons hens do not lay in this article. Now let's look now at what you can do to get the most out of your layers. These are what you should look out for

1. Breeds and Genetics

We have a lot of different chicken breeds, each with their own unique make up of good characteristics. Some are excellent layers, some are better for meat production, some are "dual purpose", others are lawn ornaments that lay the odd egg and are kept mainly as pets or for exhibition purposes. If you wish to start a flock with good egg production as the goal, it's recommended that you carefully research the different breeds' characteristics and egg laying abilities before buying any hens. Once you have an established flock and are permitted to keep a rooster, you may hatch your own eggs and then breed selectively for better egg production. Raising your own replacements will also allow you to breed for the best disease resistance and overall health of your flock. Raising your own may not work for everyone, but if you have the time and space and of course a rooster, you may find it a great option. Remember though that hatches will produce a percentage of roosters, who will need to be rehomed, or processed for the table, if you feel you can or want to do so. Many people, myself included, find it hard to eat our flock members.

A hen’s egg production is at its peak from approximately 6 to 18 months of age, though some breeds start sooner and some may start laying actively later. Somewhere around the age of 18 months to 2 years, most chickens will start molting and lose a lot of feathers, before growing new ones. During this period, which lasts a few weeks, a hen will lay few eggs, if at all. Once she gets back into production she may lay fewer, larger eggs and after each subsequent year, hens will lay fewer and fewer eggs. For this reason commercial egg producing farms and factory farms replace their hens once they have passed their prime egg laying age. Flock owners are generally more laid back and keep their hens for longer periods, some until they pass on from old age, which can be at more than 10 years!
Many homesteaders choose to cull and make stock of their older hens instead. It is a personal choice and either option is good.

In order to produce good quality eggs on a regular basis, layers need a good quality layer feed to give them the necessary nutrients and calories and equally, if not more importantly, access to clean, fresh drinking water all day. Free ranging or pastured hens will find a lot of their nutritional requirements by foraging for food, but they will still need layer feed to keep them in top production. Free ranging hens generally produce a nicer quality egg than cooped up or battery hens, but it is important to make sure they get what they need, in addition to what they find themselves.
Many of us like spoiling our hens a bit with treats such as table scraps and scratch grains. This is fine, if fed in moderation and should at maximum not make up more than 10% of the hen's daily food intake. Too many treats will reduce the nutrients the hens need for body maintenance and egg production and can also make them fat. Fat hens cannot lay well and it is unhealthy for them too.

2. Daylight and egg laying

Chickens naturally lay more eggs during the spring and summer when the days are long. Their instincts tell them that this is the best time to raise their young. You can encourage them to lay eggs year round by setting up a light on a timer in their coop, extending their light hours to around 14 hours daily. Some flock owners feel that hens should get a break over the winter months and lay naturally and when they feel like it.
Some breeds and younger hens, in their prime, are more likely to produce well in climates with cold winters and very short day, so again do research and choose breeds according to your climate and conditions. Make sure you collect eggs several times a day during very cold weather, or they may freeze and crack in the nest boxes.

3. The hens' health

Healthy, happy hens who have what they need and feel comfortable in their environment will reward us with more eggs. Stressed, unhealthy, or parasite laden hens will not and cannot produce eggs at an optimum. If there are things stressing them, like kids or dogs bothering and chasing them, constant changes in the coop, etc, they will feel it's unsafe to produce eggs and raise young, which is why hens lay, for reproduction. Many flock owners found that after a traumatic, or stressful event such as a predator attack, or a move to a new home or coop, their hens will cease production, sometimes for weeks. What hens want is a safe, comfortable, dry area (the coop), with a designated area designed for them to lay eggs in (nest boxes), as well as shelter from adverse weather conditions and possible predators. Make sure the coop is spacious enough for the number of hens you are housing (at least 4 sq feet per hen, more if possible) and that they have adequate space to roam outside. If not allowed to free range, provide at least 12 sq feet of space per hen in the run, more if possible. More is always, always better when it comes to space and chickens. Also make sure you have a nest box for every 3-4 hens, though you may find that they'll pick a "favourite" box to lay in and ignore the others.
Unhealthy or parasite laden hens cannot produce good quality eggs at a regular basis. It is important to do regular checks on your hens, make sure they are treated as a preventive for intestinal worms, mites and lice, etc. Spend a bit of time regularly observing the flock and take note of any usual behaviour, changes in their appearance etc. As you get more familiar with your flock, even small changes will become more noticeable in time and enable you to catch and take care of any illnesses, or issues as early as possible.
If all mentioned in this post is follow and take to practice, your hens will lay more eggs .

TWO THINGS YOU NEED TO FEED YOUR CHICKEN TO MAKE THEM HEALTHY

Healthy flocks is the happiness of all chicken owner, the healthy your chicken is the more your profits.
Raising chickens naturally has been my goal since my first flock. I’ve learned  that you can improve the health of your chickens with these important things:

GARLIC AND APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.

These two thing can help in healthy and improved health in your chicken.
This is simple and inexpensive way to keep your flock healthy and it will be discuss on how to go about it.

To improve the health of your chickens naturally let’s start with garlic.

Did you know that garlic is a natural antibiotic? I use garlic to keep my family healthy, as well as keeping my chickens naturally healthy. Studies have shown that raw garlic can improve heart health, lower blood pressure, fight colds and much more (source). My grandmother made a cough syrup from garlic and honey that I use to this day! Chickens can benefit from garlic too…and most of them love it!


IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF CHICKENS NATURALLY – FEED GARLIC 

Why? Just like garlic improves our health, it can improve the health of chickens naturally. Garlic can strengthen their immune system, boost the respiratory system, help to ward off lice and mites as well as act as a natural wormer.


How? So how do you give your chickens garlic? There are several ways. My best method is to simply crush bulbs and mince it; offer this as a treat all by itself or mixed with other treats. You can also add mashed whole cloves to water (3-4 cloves per gallon). Do not add to water if you use a galvanized steel water dispenser; this can leach chemicals into the water. If you do add it to your water make sure you only leave the garlic in for 2 – 3 days. If you don’t want to use fresh garlic you can add powdered garlic to feed, although I do not think this is as powerful as the fresh raw garlic.


When? You really only need to feed your chickens fresh garlic once or twice a month; too much of a good thing can be unhealthy for them. You can do the garlic in the water weekly because it is not as potent.

IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF CHICKENS NATURALLY – FEED APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (ACV) 

Why? Raw apple cider vinegar, like Braggs, can help your chickens naturally maintain optimum digestive health. It is also an immunity booster, rid a chicken of sour crop and generally improve their health.


How? The best way to feed ACV to your chickens is to add one tablespoon to every gallon of fresh water. Remember, this too, should not be add to metal water dispensers. You can give them a plastic water dispenser when you’re offering them the apple cider vinegar.

When? To give them the best of the ACV benefits you should plan to offer them the apple cider vinegar water 1 to 2 times a week. I have heard that some flock owners will do an entire week just once a month.

There you have it. How to improve the health of your chickens naturally with garlic and apple cider vinegar.
Given your chicken these two things will help in making them healthy and productive.

NATURAL WAYS TO TREATS CHICKEN LICE.

One of the common problem in raising backyard chicken is chicken's lice. Chicken lice is problem for chickens and also to the owners.
In this article, w will discuss and analyzed natural Chicken Lice Treatment.

What you’ll need for natural chicken lice treatment.

1. A shallow box or bin
2. A Dust Mask
3. Safety Goggles
4. Lice infested chickens
5. can wood ash.
6. Diatomeceuos earth

The wood ash can be sourced from a fire pit or wood stove. Any wood ash will work, as long as it hasn’t gotten wet and is completely cooled. It’s okay if it still has a few chunks of charcoal in it, there’s no need to be too picky.

The safety goggles and dust mask are for your protection. There will be dust flying everywhere, and believe me, you don’t want to inhale it or get it in your eyes. Please be careful when conducting this natural chicken lice treatment!

Step 1

Start off in a well ventilated area close to the chicken coop. We like to dust the chickens in the chicken run, because there’s plenty of fresh air and it’s fenced in, so there’s no risk of chickens escaping.

Carefully pour the diatomaceous earth and wood ash into your bin or box. You need these to go into the box in equal parts but there’s no need to measure, this isn’t exactly rocket science!

Stir the wood ash and DE to combine, being careful not to disturb it too much or it will go airborne.

Step 2
This step is much easier with a partner. Chickens magically develop super strength when they’re stressed out, and this step absolutely will stress them out. It’s tough to hold the chicken and dust her at the same time, if you can find some poor sucker who’s willing to help with this step, do so!

Gather one chicken at a time and bring them to the dusty bin. Hold the chicken’s wings against her body and put her head under your arm. Putting the hen’s head under your arm will make her feel calmer and you’ll be less likely to get frantic flapping chicken wings in your face.

Starting with the vent, dust the chicken generously with the DE/wood ash mixture. Hold the chicken over the box while you do this, so any excess dust falls back into the box. The hen does not need to be in the box, and it’s probably better if she isn’t because if her feet touch solid ground she’ll no doubt use that against you to try to escape.

Next dust under the chicken’s wings, along her abdomen, and across her back. There’s no need to get the dust all up her neck or around her face, you want to keep as much as this out of her lungs as possible so focus mostly on the body. While dusting make sure to ruffle the feathers so the dust gets on the chicken’s skin as much as possible.

Step 3

The previous step helped to kill the lice that were already on your hens, but guess what? Before you killed them, those lice laid eggs, and those eggs are going to hatch into new lice. If you look carefully at your chickens feathers you may see the eggs, they’ll appear as a white cluster around the feather shaft. Unfortunately there’s no easy way to kill chicken lice eggs, so you’ll have to wait until they hatch and then wreak havoc on them.

Repeat step 2 once every week until there are no more signs of lice on your chickens. This usually takes 2-3 weeks of treatments. I know it’s an disgusting job and no one wants to do it, but if you don’t keep up with treatments every week the lice will never die.

To prevent future outbreaks of chicken lice, you’ll need to help your chickens do what they do best, take dust baths! Set up a dust bin/box in the chicken run with equal parts wood ash, Diatomaceous Earth and soil or sand. Cover the dust bathing area to protect it from rain, wood ash and rain don’t mix well! Having a dust bathing area available will encourage your chickens to bathe more often, which will help keep lice from ever becoming a problem again.
Please comment below if you have use this natural cure before or you can drop and you have use that is working for you.

A-Z ABOUT BACKYARD CHICKEN FARMING

What are backyard chickens or Free range chickens

Free-range chickens are birds that are provided regular access to the outdoor, with an abundance of sunshine, fresh vegetation, and room to maneuver.Federal ordinances forbid the use of hormones in raising pork and poultry. The animal’s organic forage cannot contain animal by-products, antibiotics or genetically engineered cereals. Also, the food must not be grown using tenacious pesticides or chemical fertilizers. It solely means that the chickens are permitted to wander freely and devour food that is native to their diet. Farming of such chickens is known as free-range chicken farming.

Young chickens experience fresh pasture and are not bound in any way.

Eggs laid by free-range chickens

The eggs produced by free range chickens have a much greater nutritional content than the eggs bought from stores. Free-range eggs carry double the amount of Vitamin E and six times the amount of vitamin A. They also contain limited saturated fat and four times the omega-3 fatty acids. The cholesterol content is half as much as eggs laid by hens raised in factories and shelters. If you consume the meat of free-range chickens, it considered much more nutritious than the meat of factory raised chickens.

Why free range chicken farming over traditional chicken farming?

There are several reasons why people go for free range chicken farming these days.

1. Supply of high-quality food

Free range chickens give you an unlimited quantity of high-grade food. Since these chickens are raised in a natural environment and not fed unwanted chemicals, the eggs laid by them are rich in nutrition, and their meat is also very healthy.

2. Little space requirement

Since these chickens wander in the open during most of the day, they do not require large spaces for living. An individual living in an apartment can also purchase a portable chicken coop and raise free-range chickens. All you need to do is take them out in the open for food, water, and the sunshine.

3. Low cost maintenance

Free-range chickens depend on natural vegetation for food and hence their maintenance cost is low. No chemicals or chicken food is required to raise them, resulting in limited spending.

4. Reduced transmission of diseases

Since the chickens are not caged together or held in a coop, there are minimal chances of them getting a contagious disease.

  Helpful tips for free range chicken farming

If you are planning to take the free range chicken farming route, here are some helpful tips for you:

1. Make sure you buy high-quality chickens from a certified farm or  dealer

The first and the most important step in free-range poultry farming is purchasing chickens from a certified dealer. Carefully examine the breed you want to raise and ensure that it is free of any disease.

2. Take good care of the chickens until they are mature.

Keep the chicks inside a brooder till they have reached a grown period where they are ready to be brought out into the open.

3. Build a protective fence around their roaming area

Design a fenced area where the chickens may wander freely. Ensure that you keep it reasonably high to prevent the entrance of domestic hunters like cats. It does not have to be big space, but make sure that it is sufficient for the numbers of chicks that you are raising.