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As the eggs decrease and chickens molt, you might be concerned about your birds and the weather. But did you know that chickens are better equipped for the cold? It’s summer heat they have more difficulty with. Regardless, below are tips on how to care for chickens in cold weather.
I’ve known that chickens are very hardy birds since having them for over 8 years. And I’m also aware that certain birds are better suited for cold weather, while others are suited for hot weather. What I didn’t know was that there’s really no minimum temperature for keeping chickens. That’s because chickens can acclimate to the weather conditions where they live.
How to Care for Chickens in Cold Weather
Water Responsibly
Since you want the coop to stay as dry as possible, don’t leave food or water in the coop. Plus, if it’s freezing outside, their water will freeze too. And then your birds will be cold. Not only is water essential to a chicken’s diet, it also helps with digestion. In fact, studies found that chickens down 1.5 to 2 times as much water as feed. In addition, if their water is frozen and they can’t drink, they will get dehydrated.
I would love to have electricity to my coop. It would help with many things, especially frozen water. Though, that’s just not feasible at this time. Here are options regarding managing your chickens’ wintry water. Some tips assume you have electricity in your coop, whereas others don’t.
Control Moisture in the Coop
Again, don’t leave water in the coop, especially overnight, because your birds will be sleeping anyway. Just keep the water in the run. And depending on the litter method you use, check your run and coop floor if your chickens are pasture raised. For instance, as it gets colder and there’s any sort of precipitation, your birds might track in mud or leaves. That will cause moisture in the coop.
Moreover, use dropping boards, which are shelves that collect chicken droppings. Then scrape them each morning and remove the poop from the coop. Since chicken waste contains ~75% moisture, the less poop in the coop, the less moisture. Further, ammonia is generated by bird droppings. Therefore, if allowed to get out of hand, it can create a health issue for you and your chickens.
Also, if you have windows in your coop and notice condensation on them in the mornings, you have a moisture and humidity problem. Even if you don’t have windows, inspect the walls and ceiling carefully for condensation. If you see any, it could be due to neglected bird waste, waterers in the coop, absolutely no ventilation, or unsatisfactory litter type. Just go through each of those items and eliminate their possibility.
Use Sand for Litter
Many chicken keepers have been using sand as a litter material as opposed to straw, hay, or pine shavings. Think of a giant cat litter box but for chickens. Without getting into too much detail, it is said to have better absorbency. So, the idea is it keeps the coop drier, which is vital to keeping your birds warm during winter.
After reading all of the literature out there on it, we definitely plan on changing over to sand.
Eliminate Drafts
First, examine the coop for any needed repairs, like holes or broken seals in doors and windows. Block any drafts in the coop, especially where your birds roost. Actually stand in there, if you can, and try to see if you can feel any drafts yourself. However, still make sure you have ventilation at the top of the coop for moisture and ammonia to escape. Don’t seal up the coop completely. Your birds will still make moisture: through respiration and their waste. Therefore, if it’s sealed completely, the moisture will just be trapped in the coop. And it will make the litter wet and condensation will build up, making your birds cold, and then sick.
Next, depending upon the snowfall amounts in your area, add a roof to your run and plastic sheeting to the sides. Or, if you can’t do a roof, cover your entire run with plastic sheeting to create wind breaks. Although, if you get a lot of high winds on your property, you might need something stronger, like a tarp.
Relieve Boredom
If your birds are going to be cooped up due to inclement weather, provide enrichment activities. Add roosts in the run. And fill a kiddie pool with potting soil to let your chooks dust bathe. Plus, if your run has a roof, hang a cabbage from the ceiling for them to eat. It’s a healthy treat while stimulating their foraging instincts.
Feed
Continue providing the appropriate commercial feed. And offer free-choice grit, since foraging may be hindered. Moreover, digestion of scratch grains produces heat. Usually I refer to scratch as crack cocaine, thus, I don’t recommend it. Although, if it keeps the chooks warm, let them have some in the evening during winter. But moderate amounts.
To Heat or not to Heat
Recall that I said, “chickens can acclimate to the weather conditions where they live.” If you add a heater, your birds will never acclimate to the cold. Besides, there are some issues with adding a heat source to a chicken coop.
First of all, heaters are a fire hazard. It’s just not worth the risk of setting fire to my coop or house, and losing everything. Secondly, having a power outage will kill chickens. If they haven’t acclimated to the weather, chickens can die from quick, severe drops in temperature.
There are very few instances where a chicken might need supplemental heat. But by and large, most do not. You’ll find those few cases further down. Regardless, monitor every bird for signs of weakness, inactivity, or frostbite. Some sites refer to cold stress as birds huddling together or standing with one foot up. However, some of my birds do that on days when it’s 40°F out. One of my roosters was crowing on one foot like a diva the other day.
Eggs
Collecting eggs frequently not only prevents egg-eating, but it also prevents the eggs from freezing. However, to further protect your eggs, line your nesting boxes with organic material in the event your hens peck test the bedding. And replace weekly as it becomes used, old and/or lacking. I don’t recommend blankets or similar, due to moisture retention. In addition, always inspect the eggs you collect. And throw out any with cracked shells to prevent food-related illness.
Snow or Ice
Chickens don’t like inclement weather. Most of my chickens, and all of my ducks, will go out when the snow starts melting. They’ll walk around and eat the snow. Though, if yours aren’t like mine, you may have to shovel a path for your birds. But don’t force them to go out in the snow. This is where a roof or tarp for your run comes in handy.
Frostbite
Be aware that when winter weather is bad and temperatures are below freezing, even cold hardy birds are at-risk for frostbite. But birds with single combs are at even greater risk. So a preventative measure is to spread Vaseline on their combs and wattles.
Additionally, if there’s condensation in your coop or you smell ammonia, your birds are in danger of frostbite. Low temperatures plus high humidity spells trouble.
Exceptions to these Cold Weather Tips
Smaller breeds, like Silkies, those that are molting or have large combs and wattles may need more care to stay warm, maintain body weight and remain healthy during extreme weather. Generally speaking any bird can get into trouble if left in the cold long enough. However, if your birds are healthy, you’re following the above tips and don’t leave your birds out in inclement weather, they should be fine.
The only precautions would be if you have smaller breeds, birds that have large, single combs or sick birds already. Then assuming you have a barn, put your at-risk birds in there, so they’ll be warmer. But if you have an ill bird, you want to quarantine them anyway. Therefore, maybe bring them inside the garage so they’ll be warm. Though, once they’re well, don’t suddenly bring them outside to severe temperatures to die. You have to get them acclimated to the weather again slowly. So, you might bring them back out when it’s sunny out.
Chicks and caring for chicks are completely different. They shouldn’t be outside, since they’re not feathered out yet. And without a heat source, chicks will die. See here for caring for chicks.
Have your chickens ever had issues during winter? What happened, and what did you do? Thanks for reading this. Please like, share, and if you don’t follow me already, you can do so now.
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Recently I wrote a post on how to tell if a chicken is sick. In the article I pointed out some of the most common chicken ailments I’ve seen. And one of the issues is sour crop. But just what is sour crop in birds? What are the symptoms? And is it the same as impacted or pendulous crop? I’ll cover these questions as we take a deep dive into sour crop.
My first experience with sour crop and impacted crop occurred after we hatched some chicks over a year ago. By this point they were already moved outside, in a section behind our big coop. When hand-raising chickens, if we lost any, which happens, it would happen early on. Like day 1 or 2 post hatch. Plus, we wouldn’t have multiple losses. But by the time the birds are fully feathered, they’re obviously more hardy. However, that doesn’t mean a predator couldn’t get one. Though, I never lost a young bird to something I felt could have been prevented. Until then.
We had 2 experiences back-to-back with those juveniles. And they were both pullets. With the first one, my husband brought me this juvenile hen that wasn’t eating, was fluffed out, and her crop was ballooned out. And when my youngest pushed on the crop, liquid just poured out, like she threw up. However, if you Google that, you’ll be told, chickens don’t throw up. Which I suppose is true, since the pullet didn’t regurgitate on her own. The 2nd pullet had the exact same symptoms. And I treated according to online recommendations. But instead of recovering, they got worse. The first one died in a matter of a few short days, while the 2nd one hung on a little longer. However, in the end, she developed an impacted crop.
First, What is a Crop in Birds
The crop is the primary organ for the brief storage of food prior to digestion. And chickens, including a lot of other birds, possess this unique pouch. This is different than the gizzard, which actually grinds up the food that’s eaten. Since chickens lack teeth, they need grit to help digest their food. Some birds actually store pebbles or stones in the gizzard to help digest seeds and nuts. Plus, a chicken’s crop is located around the front of their breast.
While a full crop in the evening is normal, a full crop in the morning is not. Assuming feed and water aren’t housed with the birds, you can check their crops in the morning. Therefore, take a healthy hen in the morning and gently massage her crop. It should feel flat. And it might even be difficult to locate, but not necessarily impossible. That’s normal. So when a chicken eats throughout the day and gets full, the crop will communicate to the chicken to stop eating. And if you examine your bird’s crop at that moment, it will feel firm but is somewhat pliable.
Conversely, if on occasion, you give your chickens treats, they’ll likely gorge themselves. Then the crops will immediately get full. Sometimes it will even appear a chicken is choking. That’s because they’re stuffing their crop so full like it’s their last meal on earth. In fact, all of my hens do that if there are treats. And I suppose that’s normal too.
What Causes Sour Crop in Birds
Because the primary symptom of sour crop is the sour smell emanating from the chicken’s beak, Candidiasis, a fungal infection, is the root cause of sour crop. Moreover, feeding chickens old or moldy feed has been associated with sour crop as well. Likewise, overfilling of the crop, as mentioned above with treats, can also contribute to sour crop in birds.
Signs of Sour Crop in Birds
As I stated, sour crop is most easily determined by the sour smell coming from your chicken’s beak. Though, other typical signs your chicken has sour crop include
a full, squishy crop in the morning
liquid exiting the beak if you gently massage or push on their crop
your chicken is fluffed up, lethargic, and isolated from the flock
and lastly, she may not be eating or drinking
Interestingly,
Candidiasis is more common in young and growing chickens with undeveloped immune systems, although any age of chicken with a weakened immune system can fall victim to it.
Typically you can diagnose sour crop in your chickens based on symptoms alone. However, if you have a chicken vet, they may do a culture by swabbing the crop. Or they may do a microscopic exam of the crop tissue, plus blood tests and x-rays.
How is Sour Crop Treated
This is the mixed bluestone copper sulfate solution. I had to administer this to my juvenile hen with a dropper.
As with pretty much anything involving health, prevention is key. It’s easier to provide the correct feed, clean water, grit, etc than to try and fix a problem after it’s settled in. Because chickens stop eating with these issues, they’re no longer getting needed nutrients. Or they may eat for a little while, but the food can’t digest since the crop hasn’t emptied. And the result is still the same. Therefore, sour crop is an emergency. So if you have a bird or chicken veterinarian, seek treatment. I would prefer taking my birds to a knowledgeable vet than practice on them myself. On the other hand, due to the lack of bird vets in my area, sometimes that’s exactly what I’ve had to do. Either that or lose a valued pet.
To treat sour crop
Mix 1 tsp Epson salt and 1/2 cup of water. Then, using a syringe dropper, flush the bird’s crop with this mixture. Be careful not to get water down the chicken’s airway!
Next, treat the fungal infection: Most vet offices use Nystatin. However, I’ve also read of others using Monistat 7. You can purchase this over the counter. Then, with a syringe, administer 50cc orally to your bird once daily for 7 days.
Alternatively, if you have bluestone copper sulfate, mix 4 oz with 1/4 c apple cider vinegar and 32 oz of water. Then add 1 tbsp of this solution to each gallon of the ill chicken’s water. But do NOT put this solution in a metal waterer. Do NOT use this bluestone copper sulfate and Monistat together. It’s an either or, not both.
Also, withhold food during this time. However, you can provide some water. But the general idea is to get the crop to go down and food to empty.
What is Impacted and Pendulous Crop
Impacted crop is where the bird’s crop is nearly rock hard, since there’s something indigestible stuck in it. Again, the bird with an impacted crop won’t eat or drink. And this is definitely an emergency. Furthermore, an impacted crop can be caused by sour crop, as my 2nd juvenile hen’s case was. Though, sour crop and impacted crop are still 2 distinct issues.
Pendulous crop happens due to previously impacted crops. And they appear large and will flop from side to side as the bird moves. In addition, chickens can live years with pendulous crops. However, there are crop support bras available.
Well, the name in itself gives the definition of sour crop. Plus, it involves a bird’s crop, which is the first part of digestion. And if you’ve ever had a chicken with sour crop, the smell is unforgettable. Further, the cause of the sour smell, and hence, the issue, is candidiasis, a fungal infection. But what causes the infection in the first place? Old, moldy feed, and overfilling or overstuffing of the crop. However, a crop that hasn’t completely emptied before the bird continues to eat can also cause sour crop.
So, what caused my juvenile birds’ sour crops when I never saw it before? I was feeding the same type of feed. And no, it wasn’t old or moldy. Moreover, I wasn’t giving them any treats. But, in my gut, I was convinced their environment played a huge part, if not the only part. You see, the back part was added onto to the big coop. And the floor wasn’t really a floor. So, when it rained, it got muddy. Thus, the straw would get swallowed up by the mud. Besides we had some ducklings mixed in with the juveniles. And if you’ve ever raised ducks, you know what a mess ducks make with water.
When I release new chicks and ducklings into the group, I enclose them for a week, until the adults can see and acknowledge them. However, that’s not what my husband did. He was afraid they would get eaten by a predator or bullied by the adults. Therefore, he kept them locked up on the backside of the coop for weeks. After these 2 incidents, I pointed this out to him: that we can’t keep the juveniles locked up on that back side, unless he builds an actual floor, and we provide grit. We’ve never had to provide grit before, since our birds are all pasture-raised. They pick up stuff when they forage. But if he was going to keep the juveniles penned up till kingdom come, they would need grit. Do I have proof that I’m right? No, except we haven’t had sour crop since. My guess is it was the ducks befouling the water, even though we changed it. The area was just always muddy. And there was no grit. Plus, they were young. A perfect combination for trouble.
Have you ever experienced sour crop in any of your chickens? What did you do? Thanks for reading my post. Please like, share, and if you don’t already do so, you can follow me now.
Digital art on a picture of one of our hens, courtesy of Sarah Smith.
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For eons in the wild, animals have masked any sign of weakness to avoid being eaten. This is instinctual behavior to hide from predators. And backyard chickens are not immune to this tendency. Therefore, chickens are hardwired to lie low when sick. Or they might even pretend that all is well. So, how do you know if one of your birds is ill or hurt before it’s too late? Today I’ll go over how to tell if a chicken is sick. Moreover, I’ll address the best ways to prevent sickness. And then cover treating the most common chicken illnesses.
When you have backyard chickens for a certain length of time, you definitely get to know them. You know your birds’ personalities and tendencies. And you know what they’ll do first thing when you open the coop door in the morning. However, you can also get so busy that you overlook those same things. It happens. I know, because I’ve done it. It’s easy to get into the rhythm of busy life and slack off on observing them. I’m not going to insult anyone by assuming you don’t know your birds. But I know people are human, with human tendencies, just like me. And when we get busy, we forget, sometimes even fundamental information.
The illnesses I list below aren’t the big ones that wipe out entire flocks. In fact, they’re not even ones you hear about on the news. Though, if ignored long enough, they can certainly be deadly. Because sometimes it’s the little things that trip us up more. And, as I said, they are way more common if we let things go for just long enough.
Disclaimer: Consult with a veterinarian before using the information provided in this post. I am not a veterinarian and the info contained in this post should not be seen as professional veterinary advice. If you use or rely on the information in this blog post, you do so at your own risk.
When I think of the most common chicken ailments, I automatically think of the most common human illnesses, like the common cold. Although not fun, people don’t necessarily die from them, unless there’s an underlying condition or weakness. However, you still don’t want to ignore the symptoms, which is why we manage them. And it’s the same with chickens. Some of these aren’t necessarily deadly when chickens first have symptoms. But, the problem is, chickens are excellent at hiding symptoms. Consequently, once you become aware that something’s going on, they’re worse than you think. Therefore, the most basic afflictions chickens will encounter include
parasites, such as mites, including leg mites, lice, ticks, and worms
All of these parasites can cause listlessness, decreased egg production, and a pale comb. And you can visually see them upon inspection. Also, if one bird has a parasite issue, you can bet you have other birds with them as well.
respiratory issues
Nasal discharge, coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing are all symptoms of respiratory issues. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they have Bird flu. There are plenty of colds and viruses that go around for chickens just as they do for people. If you have a bird that presents with respiratory issues, examine the rest of the flock for similar issues. They may or may not have a communicable disease.
When we had our Wyandotte boss, Fives, it seemed like she inherently always had something she was dealing with. However, none of the other chickens caught anything she had. But we isolated her just in case and until she sounded and was doing better.
diarrhea
Runny poo or a dirty bottom indicate GI issues. Moreover, this can be a contagious illness that you might see in some of your other hens.
crop issues, like sour crop and/or impacted crop
Sour crop is smelly, and when you press on the crop, liquid pours from the hen’s beak. However, an impacted crop is where the crop is very hard and won’t empty, because something indigestible is stuck in the crop. Plus, it’s a serious issue if not dealt with immediately. With either issue, the bird won’t eat.
egg binding
Signs of egg binding includes distended abdomen, straining, decreased activity, swollen vent, restlessness, and frequent sitting. Plus, your hen will waddle like a penguin. And upon inspection of the oviduct, there should be an egg.
injury from predator or from rooster during mating
Not only do you have to watch for predators from the land and air, but you have to watch your rooster too. If your hens are a lot smaller than your roo, or he’s just ungainly during mating, he can injure them. And the hen will hide her injury and be less likely to compete for food. Thus, she’ll get weaker, and invite more trouble to herself. She may not have any visible injuries, other than limp or hold a wing a certain way.
Therefore, when you let your birds out each morning, just watch them for a few minutes. And mentally go through a quick checklist of the above symptoms. I’ll narrow them down for you. Ask yourself if any of them
appear tired
have pale combs and wattles
have any visible parasites
are coughing or sneezing
have watery or bubbly eyes
have abnormal droppings
are not eating
have full cropsin the AM
can stand on their own
have NOTlaid an egg recently
are injuredor holding a wing a certain way
or have any strange lesions on the comb or wattles
If you discover that you have birds that are indeed ill, then isolate any from the main flock. And call your vet if they see chickens. However, don’t worry if you don’t have a vet that sees chickens or you can’t find one. Unless you are a big operation and are seeing widespread illness in your flock, this is likely an isolated incident. Thus, with a little TLC, your bird or birds will be back to normal in no time.
Alternatively, if you rarely clean your chicken coop or waterers, or don’t regularly change the feed, then this might not be an isolated event. Therefore, the single most important thing you can do to prevent your chickens from getting sick is keeping your coop clean.
Since my husband medically retired 4 years ago, he no longer super duper cleans the cooponly twice a year. Now he has the cleaning scheduled every 2 weeks. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Although, he still empties out the boxes on a daily basis. Due to his efforts, our chickens have been parasite free with absolutely no need to treat. And keeping the coop clean seems to keep most germs away. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t prevent crop issues, an egg-bound or an injured hen. Still, the only issues we’ve had have been from predators or roosters.
How to Care for a Sick Chicken
So, what do you do for an unwell chicken? How do you take care of them? For starters, if you know a poultry vet, call them. But again, if not, it isn’t the end of the world. Many backyard chicken enthusiasts don’t have access to a poultry veterinarian but still keep chickens. Other steps to take include
quarantine ill birds ASAP
Even if they aren’t contagious, depending on the symptoms and recommended treatment, you may still want to isolate your sick bird(s). Recall that chickens are notorious for bullying if and when they sense weakness. Hence, another reason to separate sick birds from the flock is to protect them from bullying and possibly cannibalism. Being harassed would only further aggravate their issue.
hydrate your ill birds
Make sure your sick bird or birds are drinking even if you have to use a dropper. Additionally, adding some electrolytes can be very beneficial to an ill bird, particularly if they were dehydrated.
offer food
In the beginning of treatment it isn’t as necessary as water. That said, if your unwell hen will eat, by all means, offer some food.
How to Treat an Ill Bird
Digital art on a picture of our hen, courtesy of Sarah Smith.
If your sick bird is showing signs from the most basic chickenafflictions above, and other than parasites, no other birds are affected, then continue reading for specific instructions.
Parasites
If your ill bird is infested with mites or lice, the best treatment is to
clean the coop thoroughly.
and spray the coop and chickens with Elector PSP. There’s no egg withdrawal for this treatment.
But if your bird is infested with worms, then you need to
find out what kind of worms they’re infested with
Some are rare, while others are more common. Also, there are different types of de-wormers. With that in mind, avoid the natural de-wormers, because you’ll waste your time and your bird’s health. They don’t work whatever they promise. Trust me, you need something that really works. Not garlic, not apple cider vinegar, and no, not diatomaceous earth either. Check out The Chicken Chick for more info on specific worms and de-wormers. And once you’ve got your girls back to normal, follow the list below to keep them that way.
To prevent any more worm infestations, you need to
keep the coop clean
keep food in pest proof containers like a galvanized metal trash can
provide fresh, clean water daily, and clean waterers daily
don’t throw food or treats on the ground
and practice good biosecurity: don’t let wild birds in your yard
Respiratory Issues
Chickens with respiratory issues can be quite stressful for you, the chicken keeper. For one, you don’t know if it’s serious. And two, you’re not sure if it’s contagious, since you hear annual reports of contagious chicken diseases. But it’s essential you don’t freak out. The best things you can do for your bird with a respiratory issue are already listed for you under how to care for a sick bird above. Other than that, watch your remaining birds to see whether they start developing any similar symptoms. Plus, continue to monitor your ill bird for changing symptoms. Are they getting worse, improving, or do they have any sores or spots on their combs or wattles? How about bubbly eyes?
If yes to the spots or lesions on combs and wattles then it could be fowl pox. And you would need to keep your birds quarantined for 2 to 3 weeks. Plus, there are 2 types of fowl pox: wet pox or dry pox. Wet pox is more serious as it’s internal and can cause breathing issues. There’s no treatment for fowl pox. However, if they only have bubbly eyes and not respiratory problems, then it’s some type of eye infection. And you can try gently rinsing the eye with saline. Then apply Neosporin. Although, that might not do much, since chickens dust-bathe. So you might need a chicken vet after all. We struggled with this issue in a juvenile rooster.
There can be several reasons why a chicken would have loose, runny stools, such as
coccidiosis
Your chickens and my chickens have coccidiosis. However, they don’t suffer the effects, because they’ve built up an immunity to it. Though, if you don’t practice good biosecurity, then someone who also owns chickens can pass their chickens’ coccidia to your chickens. And vice versa. Other symptoms of severe coccidiosis is weight loss and blood in the stool. Go here for more info on how to treat or prevent diarrhea caused by coccidiosis.
Worms
Usually worms do not produce diarrhea. That is, until a high worm load irritates the gut. And then that can cause a secondary bacterial infection, according to Richard Jackson BVMs from Poultry Keeper.
Viruses (such as rotavirus and adenovirus)
Young birds are most susceptible to diarrhea caused by viruses. If your bird has a virus, the illness will have to run its course. However, sterilize and sanitize everything related to your chic kens. And keep your ill bird separated from the flock.
Bacterial diarrhea
This could occur due to coccidiosis, worms, or any time the gut is damaged. Think of it as the chicken’s gut bacteria is out of balance. Fix the culprit, and then offer probiotics.
And a feed too high in protein
If you don’t feed your chickens the appropriate commercial feed, the result can be too wet droppings. And that will cause the litter to be too wet, which can further cause issues. Or it can be a breeding ground for disease if the chicken is untreated.
Now if the bird is otherwise healthy, eating and drinking, then just offer supportive care, making sure they don’t get dehydrated. Plus, you can collect a stool sample. And send it to your veterinarian for a worm sample. See here for detailed pictures and descriptions in case you aren’t certain about your own birds and their diarrhea.
Crop Issues
Photo by Anastasia Lafazanidou Kwnstantinidou on Pexels.com
There are many different articles and thus, recommendations for these issues. And you’ll find that people use sour crop and impacted crop interchangeably. However, they are not the same at all. They are distinct conditions, requiring distinct treatments. If your bird has impacted crop, but you treat them with the advice for sour crop, you will delay the proper treatment. And your bird might die.
Therefore, if you notice a sour smell from your bird, and they leak liquid when you press on their full crop, they have sour crop. So, you want to
flush the crop with 1 tsp Epson salt and 1/2 c water. Use a syringe, careful not to get water in the bird’s airway.
and treat the fungus: mix 4 oz of powdered bluestone copper sulfate with 1/4 c ACV(apple cider vinegar) and 32 oz of water. Then to each gallon of the sick bird’s water, add 1 tbsp of this solution. Do NOT put the solution in metal.
An impacted crop is where the crop is almost rock hard, because something indigestible is stuck. Again, there are many suggestions. But I don’t know if the people who offered those suggestions actually had any real-world experience with a chicken suffering from impacted crop. They recommend to lubricate the crop with olive oil or similar. How is that supposed to help? I guess I can see in theory, but in practice? You can try those wonky methods if you want. But, as I said, impacted crop is a life and death situation. Time is not on your side.
Unfortunately, it was while I was trying all of the wonky methods, when I finally came to the conclusion that nothing was helping my bird. I had to take drastic measures. So, I found some videos on people performing surgery on their own chickens; the same exact one my bird needed. And I ordered the materials. Although, my bird didn’t make it. She died before my order ever arrived. Please don’t be me. If you don’t have a chicken vet, order supplies so you’ll have what you need in the event you have a bird with impacted crop. Check this site out for more info. There are plenty of sites out there from others, like me, who’ve actually had chickens with impacted crop. Surgery is the only answer, if you want to save your bird. But you have to know the difference between impacted, pendulous, and sour crop.
Egg Binding
If you have a hen walking like a penguin, the number one condition that comes up on the internet is egg binding. However, there definitely can be other things going on. That said, an egg-bound chicken is certainly an emergency, not to be taken lightly. Thus, if your ill bird has other signs of being egg-bound, you can
offer her electrolytes in her water. But, if she won’t drink on her own, help by using a dropper.
Next, submerge her lower body, including vent, in a warm bath for 10-20 minutes. Gently towel her dry to prevent the egg from breaking.
Then apply Vaseline or KY jelly just inside and around the vent. This is to help her pass the egg.
Next, put her in a dark, separate place away from the flock.
If she is truly egg-bound (you know there’s an egg), and she hasn’t passed it yet, then absent veterinary help, most sites recommend removing the egg manually. However, it is extremely dangerous and difficult. So, caution is also advised.
As long as your hen appears well and not in shock, gentlypalpate her abdomen to locate the egg.
Then carefully shift the egg, trying to move it, so the hen can hopefully pass it.
Should this prove to fail too, the last option would be aspiration, implosion, and then removing it manually.
Check out Tim Daniels from Poultry Keeper for his advice.
And the best way to prevent egg binding is to feed your birds the appropriate commercial feed. And provide oyster shell. Plus, limit the treats to keep your birds from getting obese.
In the event you have a chicken with all of the signs of egg binding, except the presence of an actual egg, what then? As I mentioned, something else could be going on. So, if you do NOT see an egg on examination of your bird, then you know for sure they aren’t egg-bound. On the other hand, they may have
Most of the above are as serious as an egg-bound hen. Further, some of the issues require antibiotics, hormones, or surgery. However, in the case of heart disease, other medications would also be involved.
Injury
This was Megs after being beaten up by Baby Nay.
Unfortunately this is the most prevalent issue we personally have to deal with on our acre. And mostly it’s due to dogs. Neighbors’ dogs. But we have our chicken first aid kit, which I highly recommend you start putting together. See here for instructions. So far we’ve not had to take any of our birds to the vet due to any predators. We have had to call once for an antibiotic. And that was due to a hawk attack. Thankfully, the hen lived, because of that antibiotic. Although, we have also lost one duck and one guinea when we went on vacation this past spring. Therefore, I want to encourage you that if you’re around and one of your birds gets attacked, your presence alone will likely save that bird. My husband and I usually work together on these issues. He’ll find the bird since he’s outside usually working. Then he’ll get me, and I’ll grab the kit. So, if you find an injured bird,
First, assess the injured bird.
They will be frightened and in pain. Though, hopefully, nothing will be broken, other than skin and feathers.
Next, clean the wound with Vetericyn wound care spray.
Then liberally apply Gentian violet .5% over the wound(s).
Gentian violet is an antiseptic dye used to treat fungal infections of the skin (such as ringworm & athlete’s foot). But it also has some antibacterial effects. For all of our birds who’ve been attacked, this is our first line of defense. And our birds don’t start going crazy, pecking the heck out of those birds with the purple stuff on their wounds. I believe Blu Kote is made of the same thing.
Depending on the injury, you may keep the injured bird isolated from the flock for a couple of days. Or not. It’s entirely up to you.
Most sites would probably recommend isolating the injured bird. However, the only bird we’ve ever isolated was Megatron, when he got his tail feathers kicked by Baby Nay and would’ve died had I not intervened. All of our other injured birds, including Rex (hawk bait), were allowed with the flock. One was going broody anyway, so she secluded herself. We didn’t have to do anything.
Provide fresh feed and fresh, clean water daily. Check their wounds that they’re not getting septic or angry looking; that they’re indeed getting better.
You may need to re-apply the Gentian violet. And if you did isolate your bird, like I did with Megs, then let them back in with the flock. He was and is the boss, so I didn’t have to do anything special. But I let him back in with the flock after a week. Birds have phenomenal memory even with their pecking order. I don’t re-introduce my birds a special way once I’ve taken them out of the group; they know each other already. And they simply don’t care, except for the one who wants to rejoin the group.
In addition, we’ve had birds that have had only feathers out during an attack. But we’ve also had birds that have had skin missing. Though, we haven’t had to deal with bleeding with any of them or their wounds.
So, How do You Tell if a Chicken is Sick
Just like other prey animals that get sick or hurt, chickens will act like everything is ok. And they may hide when ill or in pain. Therefore, it’s vital that you know what your chickens are like, including their mannerisms. Thankfully, though, there are universal signs. Not eating, being tired, lethargic, losing weight, not congregating, coughing, and sneezing are all signs someone, including birds, aren’t feeling too well. And the best prevention for keeping chickens healthy is keeping the coop clean and practicing good biosecurity.
How would you say your birds fare when it comes to illness or health? If they’re pretty healthy, what do you attribute it to? Thank you for visiting. Please share, and if you don’t follow already, you may do so now.
Any time we hatch a new chick, duckling, or keet, or maybe get a new cat, fur and feathers get ruffled. No matter the steps and how long we take to introduce a new pet, some type of aggression ensues. And at times it feels like it won’t end. Further, the aggression that occurs at my home is typically intraspecies, which is the same species ganging up on each other. Though, I know others have interspecies aggression. So, I wanted to explore bullying in the animal kingdom.
According to Oxford dictionary, one definition of bully is a person who uses their strength or power to frighten or hurt weaker people. But the legal system doesn’t consider non-human animals as legal persons. Thus, according to the law, backyard birds, dogs, cats, etc are not people. Therefore, our pets can’t be regarded as bullies from these parameters, even though their behavior screams bullying to us.
Nevertheless, if you Google pet bullying, you’ll doubtless find endless examples of exactly this, no matter what the law may say. As a result, it’s apparently quite common among pet parents and animal behaviorists alike to see bullying activity. What is it exactly about these behaviors that look like bullying? Is it normal, and does it serve a purpose. How can we help inter and intraspecies relationships? And do we humans behave the same way?
Why Animals Bully Each Other
A couple of years ago I wrote an article on the chicken pecking order. Even if the term was originally in reference to chickens, most, if not all, animals observe some sort of dominance hierarchy. In biology, dominance hierarchy is basically a ranking system in animal groups. Some animals are more dominant, like the alpha, whereas others are more submissive. Consequently, dominance is one of the major reasons animals bully each other. The dominant animal is effectively trying to reinforce their class system or hierarchy.
For instance, if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you might know we have a new kitten named Pickles. Initially my cat, Itty, did NOT like Pickles. At all. And I know why. Pickles is ~ 4 months old, eats Itty’s food, goes into Itty’s room, chases Itty, gets on Itty’s bed, and sits on Itty’s chair. Basically Pickles does NOT respect the hierarchy.
On the other hand, when Itty first came to live with us at 5 weeks old, Cake and Meow Meow, our then resident cats, laid the law down for her. And Itty respected them and the law. Even though Meow is no longer with us, Itty still respects Cake, because she knows her place. However, at the same time, Itty knows she herself is a princess. Pickles is a bottom feeder and should be licking Itty’s paws. But Pickles doesn’t seem to know her kitty place. It appears she doesn’t care about hierarchy; she just does what she does. Moreover, she’s certainly not submissive, and it was annoying the hell out of my cat. So, on various occasions I’d hear noises that sounded like cats killing each other. Thankfully they weren’t actually killing each other. Although, it was Itty, cursing Pickles in meows and caterwauling.
Besides dominance, other reasons animals bully each other include
mating
Several examples of bullying-type behavior exist in the animal kingdom concerning females during mating. For example, male on female bullying during mating. Or it can happen with any other members of the same species just because it’s mating season. Ducks are a prime example of this. Our first drake killed a female due to his crazy hormones during mating season.
boredom
Some animals appear to pick on other animals if they’re stuck together for a bit of time. Think chickens cooped up during inclement weather for days upon days with nothing to occupy them. Alternatively, picture any smart, high energy dog with nothing to do, locked in a small room (or house) with a small, scared pet. An animal in either or both of these situations will pick on or bully another when they have nothing to do, or any way to expend their energy.
illness/injury
Chickens mercilessly abuse sick and injured birds. But there could be cases where an ill, injured, or hurting animal lashes out at other animals. For instance, dogs have been known to attack sick or hurt dogs. And they can also attack if they are sick or injured themselves.
resourceguarding
I’ve mentioned resource guarding before. And generally, bullying in regards to this could be for space, food, water, breeding, etc. An animal is just claiming all of the above as their own, thus, picking on anyone who transgresses.
inadequate early socialization
A lack of early socialization, at least for dogs and cats, can easily turn playtime into a fight.
space/territory
Many animals will attack and pick on other animals, including members of the same species, if there isn’t enough space for everyone.
and stress
Our pets are sensitive to us and their environments. And all of them seem to love routines. (Kinda like us.) Therefore, any changes to their routines can lead to aggression. Be it change in feed, living arrangements, friends, family, schedules, and/or adding or subtracting any other pets all have an effect on them. Not to mention possible life or death situations they may face themselves.
What Does Bullying Look Like in the Animal Kingdom
Now I’ll go through some of the pets I have, and find out what picking on each other might look like in dogs, cats, and chickens.
Signs of Dog Bullying
Being overly pushy with other dogsor with the cats. For example, a bullying dog pushes other dogs out of the way. Or, like at our house, your dog might push the cats or other pets out of the way when they want attention instead of letting anyone else have any.
Doesn’t follow commands once very excited
Playing rough or harassing non-consenting dogs and/or cats
Disrespecting boundaries of other dogs, people, and/or cats
Growling, nipping, biting, and pinning playmates to the ground
Steals food, treats, and/or toys
Ignores signals from other dogs and/or cats
Pesters dogs and/or cats who don’t want to play
“All in your face”
Puts paws on head or shoulders of other dogs most often
and Engages in mounting behavior
Symptoms Your Dog is Bullied
Tucking tail between their legs
Yawning or licking their lips
Hiding or avoiding other dogs
Rolling over in submissive manner
Barking while backing away from another dog
Urinating in inappropriate places/indoors
Your dog is always being chased by another dog but never the one doing the chasing
Always getting mounted
and Getting food, water, and toys stolen
Cat Bullying Signs
Pickles is on the right, just staring at Itty while she looks out the window.
Either passive or overt
Denies access to resources: food and water, litter box, toys, and owners
Blocks access to the best sun spots
Body language of bully: Never backing away, staring, stalking, and emitting low growl when other cat gets close
Lowers head while raising hind end as it approaches other cat
and Pinning the victim to the ground
By contrast, the bullied cat may spend most of the time hiding or away from the family. They also avoid eye contact with their bully and surrender resources to them. In addition, they might crouch in ambush, but then run off when their bully shows up. Furthermore, they’ll have a puffed out tail, flat ears, and hiss as well, especially if their bully gets too close. This is also how a cat reacts to their dog bully.
Chicken Bullying Evidence
This is a picture of Ratchet, a Salmon Faverolle we had around 4 years ago.
Chickens missing feathers
Other chickens pecking at the bullied chicken, removing feathers, and keeping that one from food
Scared chickensor scared ducks
Rooster mounting behaviortoward other species
and Injured chickens
With cats and dogs you might not be sure if they’re playing or being a bully. However, you’ll know in your gut whether or not they’re playing based on the reaction of the other pet. If your cat or dog is bullying, the victim will hide, act scared, or simply not want to be around your bullying pet. But, if it’s simply play, then everyone will enjoy the experience. And they’ll hang out and cuddle together. Trust me, you’ll just know. In addition, according to this article from Care.com, if one cat starts the aggressive act more, and there’s growling and hissing, then in all probability it’s fighting. Basically it’s similar to one dog always doing the chasing while the other is being chased.
On the other hand, chickens are different. No chicken enjoys being pecked or having aggressive acts directed at them. Those birds will either just walk away. Or, if they’re a victim of actual bullying, they will hide. Chickens peck each other, particularly those higher up in the hierarchy, though it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bullying. They’re just reenforcing their pecking order. And sometimes they’re constantly reenforcing it. Take, for example, the 4 different generations of roosters we have: we have the boss, Megatron, Ravage, the 2nd oldest, Mystogan, his younger brother, and now we have a juvenile roo. Megs runs a tight ship keeping all of those boys in their places. In similar manner, Ravage keeps Mystogan in his place while Mystogan pecks at and runs after the juvenile. And the juvenile roo harries all the other babies. It looks like bullying, but it isn’t really. Since none of the antagonists continue to harass the others, it’s just normal chicken pecking and enforcing of their hierarchy.
Now you may be scratching your head on theroostermounting behavior one. That’s what Ravage did when we had over 10 roos in our flock at one time. He mounted Squirt, the drake. At first I was wondering if he was actually trying to mate with the drake. But then I figured he didn’t have his spurs yet. So he had to be exerting some sort of dominance out of frustration for space issues and females. Well, after we slaughtered the extra roos, Ravage calmed down. Although, the drake still gives Ravage a wide berth. And the roo now has started mounting Bakugo, our Pekin. Though, I’m not sure if he’s trying to mate her due to stupidity, or if he’s still acting out of dominance.
Stopping a Bully Dog at Home
If, after getting this far, you realize, like me, that your dog could be a bully, don’t worry, because there are solutions. Trust me, I know what you’re thinking. At first, you didn’t want to admit your dog might be mean and pick on anyone else. But then, the more you thought about it, the more you just couldn’t ignore the signs. Although, the first thing to do for your bullying dog is to spay or neuter them if they’re still intact, which Sophie most definitely is. (Her surgery is scheduled for September.) Aside from fixing your dog, you can
put the bully in time-out
With a negative marker before bullying gets too far, your dog will eventually make the connection between what they’re doing and why they’re in time-out. For instance, when you want your dog to do something else, use a word or sound, like the word no.
be picky about who your bully plays with
Choose dogs to hang out with your dog that can handle and actually enjoy your dog and their pushy behavior.
intervene as necessary
Using positive interrupters before any bullying occurs, this will replace time-outs when your dog is learning better behavior. A positive marker would be something like the word yes.
find a trainer with a really good, patient teaching dog
This type of dog can put up with your dog and effectively communicate with them.
teach impulse control in the house
For example, if you’re paying attention to one pet in your house, and your bully pushes in between, ignore the bully and move away. Don’t reinforce bullying behaviors with attention. Rather train your bully dog to sit and wait his turn. And do the same with treats. But reward your non-bully pet with treats first, assuming they’re not a resource guarder.
and make sure exercise and mental stimulation demands are met
I truly think that’s what’s going on with Sophie. She requires so much due to her breed, that she gets bored at times, especially if it’s been rainy or extremely hot that we forego our outside fun. But if she does get exercised, she really does do better with the cats.
Curbing the Cat Bully
Just as with dogs, the first and best way to put an end to the bullying cat is to spay and neuter the offender, if they’re still intact. However, if they’re already fixed, try the following:
Don’t assume cats will work it out
They won’t, because they’re not people. Cats will continue to fight if they perceive a threat to their resources. But don’t get in the middle of their fight either. You don’t want to get hurt. Rather, the best option is to make a loud noise to distract them.
Also, don’t separate the resources
Instead of separating all of the resources, see where the cats prefer to congregate. Then make sure there are plenty of resources for all of them. That way the bully has a choice and won’t feel threatened.
Make playtime the same time everyday
Because cats are so schedule-oriented, keep playtime on a schedule as well.
Play at least 15 minutes with each cat per day
Further, cats get bored easily, so be sure to cycle through the toys. And the more you can play with each cat, the better.
Get pheromone diffusers for every room the cats spend together in
I asked our vet about the issue the cats were having, and he recommended the diffusers.
If there’s still bullying, see the veterinarian
Your cat might have a health issue that the vet can rule out. Or they can refer you to a pet behaviorist to help out.
Re-introduce cats that need to be separate
If cats are at-risk of hurting each other, separating for short-term is a good idea. Flying fur, bloodshed, or urine are all signs a cat’s in danger. And if it’s occurring every time the cats see each other, they need to be separated. And then re-introduce them as if they never met. Jackson Galaxy recommends re-introducing fighting cats with food. You can find the article here.
Ending Chicken Bullying
This box serves as a time-out and broody box, depending on the situation.
Unlike cats and dogs, chickens don’t get spayed or neutered. Though, you can
make sure your chickens have enough space
Inside the coop, each chicken needs approximately 4 sq ft, while they need around 10 sq ft each in the run. But that’s assuming they stay cooped up all the time. If they get to go out, they can have 5-10 sq ft each in the run.
have the proper ratio of hens to roos
If you have roosters, be sure to have at least 10 hens per rooster. Otherwise, as I’ve pointed out elsewhere, the roosters will tear up the hens’ backs.
provide enough feed and water stations
I can’t tell you how many feed and watering areas I have. It seems like each bird wants her own, the prima donnas.
and if bullying continues, separate the bully for a couple of days
Since their pecking order is all important to them, you want to separate the bully from the flock for a few days. Once the bully is back with the group, sometimes they have to re-establish the pecking order. Thus, it’s better for the bullied hen or roo.
In order to have a comparison with the previous sections, the last animal I’m going to cover is the human child. Therefore, some signs a child is bullied include
bruises, cuts, and scratches
torn clothes
missing property
poor eating or sleeping
bed wetting
complaints of headaches or stomachaches
changes in the child’s mood: sad, anxious, upset, unhappy, or angry
spending time alone or doesn’t want to go out or to school
having trouble with schoolwork
and/or withdrawn
As you can see from the bullied human indicators, they reflect a combination of all of the bullied animal signs. However, reasons people bully aren’t exactly the same as animal bullying. According to a study by Ditch the Label, people are more likely to bully if they’ve suffered stress and trauma. To me that sounded like cats and chickens. If they perceive their resources are threatened, they’ll fight and generally have conflict. Additionally, according to the same study, 66% were male.
Compared to my pet household, which are mostly female, it doesn’t track. But, in the wild animal kingdom, bullying is more male dominant. Further, I didn’t include guineas in this post, which are true bullies in the yard. Every single male guinea is a bully for no reason that I can fathom, irrespective of species. Plus, it can’t have anything to do with the pecking order, given that chickens, ducks, and guineas aren’t the same species. And they don’t interact with each other, except when the male guinea attacks the other species.
In Summary
Maybe bullying serves a purpose in the animal kingdom, particularly in the wild. Nevertheless, living as we do with our pets, often in close proximity, we can’t afford to just let them be. Since allowing them to figure it out would be risking them injury. Regardless of our personal feelings toward animals, that would be costly at the very best, and inhumane at the worst. Consequently, it’s in everyone’s best interest to find out quickly why a pet is getting picked on and remedy it.
I’m happy to report that Itty and Pickles never had any bloodshed with their differences. They would both take turns chasing each other. Though there would be growling, screaming, and hissing. Itty would puff up so big to warn Pickles, who just ignored her signals. Moreover, they would both smack each other. However, their claws were evidently sheathed, since no one got injured. Regardless, currently they’re having less noisy days than before. They still chase each other, but it resembles play now more than ever. We got pheromone diffusers, gave equal attention to both of them, and rewarded play time.
Do you have any experiences where one pet bullies another one? How did you handle it?
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Over a year ago I wrote an article on incubating chicken eggs. And in that post, I explained how to know if an egg is fertilized during incubation. But how do you tell if a chicken egg is fertilized once cracked? And can you tell before the egg is cracked? I’ll answer these questions, and hopefully toss out some tales.
If I had a dollar each time someone asked me if store eggs were fertilized, I’d be rich. The answer is no for many reasons: pasteurization and refrigeration. Also, of course, most store bought eggs come from caged hens, which wouldn’t even have access to roosters. If by some miracle an egg was fertilized, pasteurization and refrigeration would quickly nullify any developing chick.
Eggs don’t have baby chicks in them even if they’re fertilized. Since the conditions are so specific for a chick to develop, a carton of fertilized eggs will never be more than eggs once refrigerated. It is only when the precise conditions for temperature and humidity are met that a chick embryo begins developing.
How do You Tell if a Chicken Egg is Fertilized: 1st Method
Cracking the Egg
Unfertilized egg
So, store bought eggs are NOT fertile. However, if you have a flock with a rooster or multiple roosters, chances are high the eggs are fertilized. Although, sometimes roos can have favorite hens. Therefore, in those cases, some hens might get neglected. We used to have a Rhode Island Red named Jango, and all the boys liked her. She was the lone redhead in a sea of black Ameraucana hens. But now she’s gone. Thus, the young boys are now going after the lighter colored ‘Caunas. In cases where you know the boys play favorites, check for fertility by cracking open some eggs.
Fertilized egg
Fertile and non-fertile eggs all look the same on the exterior. Though, on the interior, an unfertilized egg will have a tiny, white dot on the yolk called the germinal disc. If it never gets fertilized, it’s called a blastodisc, while a fertilized one will look like a bull’s eye, called a blastoderm. So, if you crack open some eggs and notice some fertility issues, but want to increase your flock size, you can add another rooster.
Caveats to Adding Another Roo for Fertility
You can see we have 4 of 8 eggs that were fertilized in this picture, while I have no idea about the busted one.
Just because you see evidence of low fertility in your flock doesn’t necessarily mean your rooster is the problem. It is estimated that hens eject ~ 80% of sperm from undesirable roosters. As you’ll recall, this is not unlike what ducks do with drakes. Therefore, getting another roo might help. But it might not. Your hens could very well be finicky creatures. And they might want to stay single the rest of their days. Who knows?
How do You Tell if a Chicken Egg is Fertilized: 2nd Method
Candling Eggs
This method of checking for egg fertilization only works once incubation has already started. Thus, this means, you either have a broody hen with a clutch of eggs under her. Or you have some eggs in an incubator. Though, in order to see anything via candling, it needs to be at least day 4 of incubation. This is the only way to determine fertilization without cracking the egg. Candling will not show you a blastoderm or germinal disc. Consequently, what candling reveals is a developing chick, albeit in a red, spidery blob by day 4. Or it may show you nothing, that indeed the egg is a dud and not fertilized at all. But, if the egg is fertilized, and you see a spidery blob, then, as time goes by, the spidery blob will get more distinct.
You candle an egg by first, having an egg that’s been incubated by a broody hen or incubator for at least 4 days. Next, go to a completely dark room with a very small diameter, but very bright flashlight. Then carefully place the egg over the light. And if it’s fertilized and viable, you’ll see spidery veining from the center of the egg. But, if not, there will be nothing except egg. Although, if you have a blue, green, or dark brown egg, you might not see anything. Those eggshells can be difficult to see through.
Yes, absolutely, you can eat fertilized eggs. And they are perfectly safe to eat as well, so long as you’ve cooked them properly.
Also, I have had people ask me about blood spots and the white stringy parts of the egg, thinking the eggs were fertilized. But neither indicate fertilization. A red spot is usually just a blood spot, indicating a hen ruptured a blood vessel. And the white stringy stuff are called chalazae. They hold the yolk in place. And the more prominent they are, the fresher the egg. Moreover, both are also entirely safe to eat.
Will the Eggs I Buy Turn into Chicks
This was our miracle chick, who ended up being a rooster. So, sadly, he’s no longer with us.
The eggs you buy at the store won’t develop into chicks. Even if you purchase eggs from a backyard chicken hobbyist, that isn’t likely, unless you keep your house abnormally warm. However, to allay any concerns, just refrigerate the eggs.
Nevertheless, for a backyard chicken egg to develop into a recognizable chick, or even embryo, would be an extremely rare event. Either you’d have to place the egg under an animal to keep the ideal temperature and humidity. Or you’d need to have an event similar to mine last year. Though, our miracle chick was in the coop with hens for the recommended 3 weeks. And he had 2 broody moms. Even though the dingbats neglected him post-hatch.
Our miracle chick occurred, but we knew there was a fertilized egg in the coop. And we were hoping to get a chick. That he hatched at all was the real miracle based on the mothers he had. If something similar were to happen on your counter, I would question how warm your kitchen was. I would love to find a percentage of how often this sort of thing actually happens, like what happened to us. However, I don’t have that kind of time. Suffice it to say, it’s probably rare. Baby making for any animal is a miracle.
This is all good and well when living in the US. Though, if you live in Europe, you might discover something different. There have been a few reports of people trying TikTok trends. And lo and behold, now they have ducks. What about that? I thought you said it wasn’t possible. Well, it isn’t likely here in the US, since factory farms pasteurize the eggs.
But Europe is a different matter entirely. European egg producers don’t wash their eggs, because they want to leave the bloom intact. However, to protect against Salmonella, they directly treat the chickens, whereas US egg producers pasteurize and clean the eggs. Both are treating the same issue, just in different ways. Therefore, for people living in Europe, eggs are not refrigerated. Rather, they are stored at room temperature, like bread. So, it is quite possible for chicks or ducklings to begin developing if the right circumstances are reached. The only stories I have heard about chick or duck development from store eggs originated in Europe, not the US. And the people that the developed birds happened to, wanted and incubated the eggs themselves. Thus, they weren’t some surprising events that occurred when those people decided to eat eggs.
Summary
Now you know grocery store eggs aren’t fertilized, unless you live outside the US. And if you buy farm eggs, it would still take a ton of effort to hatch any chicks. It just wouldn’t happen by chance. I hope this cleared up any misconceptions you might’ve had. Also, in case you want to know how eggs get fertilized, check this out. What was something you always heard about eggs that has been debunked?
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After caring for backyard chickens for several years, you see many strange behaviors. While some are funny, others are relatable. For example, if your coop is like ours, every bird has its own space. So, why do chickens huddle together?
Sometimes things like that, I mark off to them being weird. For example, hens notoriously prefer to all lay eggs in the same nest. As I said, weird. However, in the case of huddling, there are actual reasons for this behavior. Thus, keep reading below to find out why they huddle.
Reasons Why Chickens Huddle
Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith
Cold weather
Just as people huddle close to others when cold, chickens also do the same. It’s instinctual for self preservation.
Predator attacks
Another time your backyard birds will huddle together is when they’re under attack. Be it a dog that got loose, or an overhead aerial attack, they’ll likely flock to the coop and huddle together.
Roosting issues
Not having enough roosts will cause your chickens to huddle. Additionally, either having roosts that are too high or uncomfortable will also result in birds huddling together. But it won’t be because they want to; it’s due to having no other choice.
Chicks or juveniles
If you have chicks, and they’re huddling, it’s possibly due to low temperatures. And they are cold. Juvenile chickens will huddle in the coop if they can’t reach the roost yet. Although, they also could be cold.
and Illness and parasites
Furthermore, illness and parasites can cause chickens to huddle as well. For instance, coccidiosis is a protozoan parasite that can affect many animals. Though, in chickens, one of the signs is ruffled feathers or huddling. And Pullorum disease in chickens usually affects younger birds, ie chicks. But huddling is also one of the symptoms.
Can Chickens Suffocate
Both adults and chicks can suffocate if and when conditions are right: a lot of birds piling on top of each other. However, in chicks, disease and low temperatures still tend to be the number one reasons for early chick mortality, even if they aren’t piling on top of each other.
Below you’ll find advice for each chick and chicken huddling situation.
If it’s cold out, be sure to have the coop insulated. And use the deep litter method for natural heat in the coop. Also, provide plenty of feed. Plus, give your birds scratch grains to warm them from the inside as well.
Check on your chickens
Pasture-raised birds will huddle together in fear. Thus, if your biddies are in the coop huddling, then either a predator scared them. Or a flock member was attacked. So, examine your chickens. Plus, do a head count. If all are well and accounted for, then look for their source of fear. Again, it could be a neighbor’s dog, a hawk, or a snake. Those are the predators where I live. Where you live, they could be different.
Provide roosts
In case your chooks are huddling due to roosting problems, then supply enough perches for them. Additionally, make sure the perches are comfortable. For example, wood is the best material for a roost. However, material isn’t the only concern. Height is one as well. How high and low the roosts are also need to be considered. Check this site out for more details.
Adjust brooder temperature
When raising chicks, you can easily tell whether they are hot or cold. If they’re hot, they will pant and hold their wings out. And they’ll get as far from the heat source as they can. But if they’re cold, chicks will huddle together under the light for warmth. Thus, you can adjust the height and position of the light, depending on their needs.
For juvenile birds who can’t reach the perch, try lowering it.
Practice good biosecurity
Digital Sketch, Courtesy of Sarah Smith
So, if you have chicks that are sick and huddling due to the parasite coccidia, give them Corid. And as the chicks are exposed to the flock, by the time they reach maturity, they will have developed immunity. Though, if you aren’t practicing good biosecurity, you can bring coccidia from another flock to your own. Therefore, your birds can get sick and vice versa. Also, don’t leave food on the ground for your birds.
There is no known treatment for pullorum besides euthanasia. Thus, purchase chicks and birds from NPIP certified hatcheries to be on the safe side.
Why Chickens Huddle Together
We learned that chickens huddle together for several reasons. And none of them should we ignore. Or at the very least, we should check on our birds, to make sure they’re ok. Because a predator could’ve scared them. Or they could be cold. Although, they could also be dealing with a sickness as well. But, the main point is, huddling is definitely something to watch until you know the cause. Do your chickens huddle? What was the reason? And what did you do to help them?
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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post on factors, such as bird flu, affecting the cost of eggs. Even as egg prices have decreased slightly where I live, HPAI still abounds. What is it? How is it spread? And are people at risk? These are just some of the questions I’ll answer as we discuss bird flu and chickens.
While there are 4 types of influenza viruses (A-D), type A viruses are the main ones identified in causing worldwide flu epidemics. Further, whereas types B, C, and D have been detected in other species, including humans, only type A has been recognized to infect birds. Also, avian influenza, a subtype of type A, is labeled as either high or low pathogenicity in relation to genetic features. Thus, HPAI, or highly pathogenic avian influenza is a severely contagious illness caused by influenza type A virus.
According to the CDC, bird flu was first documented in 1878 in Northern Italy. Fowl plague, its moniker, was characterized by high mortality. And by 1901, it was concluded that fowl plague was caused by a filterable virus. But it wasn’t until 1955 that fowl plague was revealed to be a type A influenza virus. Moreover, in 1981, the term fowl plague was replaced by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at the First International Symposium on Avian Influenza.
Then, in 1996, HPAI H5N1 was first observed in domestic waterfowl in Southern China. Additionally, bird flu was subsequently detected in people in 1997, something previously not thought possible.
More recently, as of 2021-2022, a new H5N1 virus with a wild bird adapted gene popped up. Furthermore, it’s caused the biggest outbreak Europe and the US have seen to date.
How does Bird Flu Spread
Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith
Given that avian flu is so infectious, how does it spread? Well, based on the USDA website, bird flu spreads directly from bird to bird. However, it can also spread indirectly by coming into contact with something that’s infected. For instance, suppose someone tracks feces from a contaminated farm back to their own farm, and then their chickens walk and peck the ground where said person tracked contaminated feces, picking up the virus. That’s just one example of how bird flu can spread to birds.
Bird flu has caused over 200 million poultry deaths in a host of countries so far. Additionally, an unprecedented number of non-poultry birds, including wild birds, have died due to the disease. Plus, because of migration patterns of wild birds, they help the virus circulate. Thus, wild birds, rodents, and people are all possible sources of presenting the disease to domestic birds. But what about other vectors?
Over 2 decades ago my father-in-law was asked to assist veterinarians in Great Britain as they were dealing with foot and mouth disease. While he was there, he remarked on how there were a ton of flies on the dead and diseased cattle. He finally mentioned it to someone in charge, even asking what they were doing about the vectors. Unfortunately his observations were not well received, as he was told to keep his mouth shut.
I found this memory poignant, especially in light of all the affected birds from this latest outbreak of HPAI. What are we doing about other vectors? We’re aware of animal, human, and bird vectors that spread the disease. Though, I could only find a couple of examples online, in the US, that even hinted that flies might be vectors. However, this study done over a decade ago didn’t come right out and say that flies spread bird flu. It advised that the flies carried it in the study, so it was possible. But, more tests would be needed.
Though, in the event you want evidence that flies spread diseases, check this site out. It details HPAI outbreak in Japan during 2003-2004, and was linked to the blow fly, a relative of the common house fly. Also, according to the same study above, flies were listed as mechanical vectors. But what’s the difference between mechanical and biological vectors? And what are wild birds and mammals when they spread avian flu to chickens?
Mechanical vectors, such as flies, pick up an infectious agent and physically transmit it in a passive way. And a biological vector is one in whose body the pathogen develops and multiplies before passing on to another host. Mosquitos are biological vectors for West Nile virus.
Honestly I couldn’t find what wild birds were, whether biological or mechanical. However, since we’re told that birds spread the disease from bird to bird, it would seem they are also mechanical. Although, we’re told as well that wild aquatic birds are natural reservoirs for the virus. Plus, in the intervening years we don’t see the disease before it resurfaces, and it’s mutated, indicates a biological vector is at work. Interestingly enough, birds are reservoir hosts for West Nile virus.
Wildlife, especially mammals, are reservoirs for an enormous diversity of viruses.
1Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia 2Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia 3CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Private Bag 24, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia John S Mackenzie: ua.ude.nitruc@eiznekcaM.J 4Address: 20A Silver Street, Malvern, Vic 3144, Australia.
And according to the CDC, aquatic birds, including shore birds and wild waterfowl like ducks are considered reservoirs, or natural hosts, for bird flu viruses.
Symptoms of H5N1 HPAI in Poultry
Birds infected with the virus may show one or more of the following:
sudden death
lack of energy
reduction in egg production
soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
swelling around head, neck, and eyes
purple discoloration on head and legs
gasping for air (difficulty breathing)
nasal discharge, coughing, and sneezing
incoordination (stumbling or falling down)
twisting of the head or neck
and/or diarrhea
What You Can Do
Biosecurity is currently the best policy if you have backyard birds. Read below for recommendations:
Disinfectclothes, shoes, egg trays, vehicles, crates, etc.
Don’t exposecleaned and disinfectedtools and equipment to wild birds.
Wash hands and shoes before and after entering chicken yard (area).
Buy birds from reputable sources; and isolate for at least 30 days to observe for any signs of illness before mixing with the rest of your flock.
Restrict visitors on and off of your property, especially from having contact with your flock.
Don’t visit other poultry farms, and avoid visitors that have poultry.
Keep wild birds and rodents out of the coop and poultry areas.
Don’t let your birds have contact with migratory waterfowl or other wild birds.
Secure feed and water to guard against contamination.
And have a written biosecurity plan.
Finally, if you’re working around sick birds, wear PPE; and visit the CDC site for more info.
In the past, simply culling birds and the heat from summer seemed to keep the virus in check. However, with this latest outbreak, it hung around. And now, some countries are even considering poultry vaccines for H5N1. It’s a measure of desperation. Costs and the need to have a vaccine for all of the strains are just a couple of reasons vaccines haven’t been used before.
Poultry and wild birds aren’t the only animals being affected by avian flu since 2021. Thus far, several mammals in both Europe and the US have been infected by H5N1. Red fox, opossum, raccoons, a coyote, striped skunks, harbor and grey seals, a bottlenose dolphin, a fisher, 3 types of bears, a mountain lion, a bobcat, an Amur tiger and an Amur leopard all have been found positive for the H5N1 virus in the US.
Likewise, seals in Scotland, sea lions in Peru, and lastly, mink in Spain have also been identified with the virus. Given that mink seemed to pass the virus between themselves gave virologists concern. Furthermore, past studies have revealed mink to be vulnerable to avian and human influenza A viruses.
The high seroprevalence of combined avian and human influenza viruses suggests a strong likelihood of co-infections and thus farmed mink could serve as “mixing vessels”….
aKey Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China bDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA cChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Center for Influenza Research and Early-Warning (CASCIRE), Institute of Microbiology, Beijing, People’s Republic of China dSchool of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China eSchool of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK CONTACT Jinhua Liu nc.ude.uac@hjl *Honglei Sun and Fangtao Li contributed equally to this work.
Nevertheless, the CDC advised that humans lack the type of cell receptor in the upper respiratory tract that H5N1 viruses use to cause the disease. Plus, according to WHO, this current strain of H5N1 has caused less than 10 infections worldwide. And only 1 was in the US. In addition, it mainly affects those who have close contact with sick birds. Moreover, there have been no known human-to-human transmissions of the H5N1 virus that’s presently spreading globally among birds.
In Summary
Photo by u5e7bu5f71u591au5a92u4f53 3D on Pexels.com
Bird flu has been around a long time. And each time it returns, it’s changed a little bit more. Further, there are a number of ways bird flu can spread to poultry. Additionally, even though it’s been identified in some mammals, the threat to humans is still considered low.
However, if you see any of the symptoms listed above in your birds, you are encouraged to contact your agricultural extension office/agent, local veterinarian, local animal health diagnostic laboratory, or the State veterinarian; or call USDA toll free at 1-866-536-7593.
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Many people continue to be concerned over the exorbitant cost of eggs since November 2022. And everyone wants to know when it’s going to get better. According to the CPI, retail egg prices increased 11.1% ~ 2 months ago. In addition, prices rose 59.9% this past December compared to December 2021. Therefore, from a chicken farmer’s perspective, I’ll explain why eggs have gotten so expensive.
Every so often I’ll glance at egg prices to make sure we’re getting paid what’s fair. To be sure we give away far more eggs than we actually sell. But feed is never given away. Where I live, the cost has doubled since 2020. Anyway, it’s been months since I last saw the price for a dozen pasture raised eggs. Thus, out of curiosity I checked prices the other day. While pasture raised eggs are only ~ $1 more here, store-brand eggs are practically the same price as pasture raised! That’s quite a hike.
But what’s driving the increase? Is it really what we’re being told? Or is there something sinister going on? Stay tuned for the reasons eggs are more expensive.
Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith
Reasons Eggs are More Expensive
H5N1 (Avian Influenza), and HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza), which spells Bird Flu
Firstly, bird flu is an illness that can affect both birds and people. However, HPAI is considerably more contagious. Although, it mainly affects poultry and wild birds. Whereas the human strain of bird flu is treatable, the bird strain is not currently.
Therefore, the only thing to be done is to cull flocks wherever it’s found. Additionally, all farms within a 6 mile radius of confirmed cases are tested. Then those flocks with verified bird flu are also eradicated. Consequently, to date per the USDA and CDC, 58 million birds, including ~ 43 million egg layers “have been affected,” involving 47 states. Which indicates some died as a direct result of the disease. Nevertheless, the majority were euthanized.
Given that most eggs sold on store shelves are from production farms, they would have to start completely over. And it takes anywhere from 4-6 months before new hens start laying. So you take 43 million layers out of production around the holidays, and well, there you have it.
Inflation
Since mid-2021, world economies have been experiencing a globalrise in inflation. From 2020 and 2021, the IRS sent out Economic Impact Payments, or stimulus checks totaling $803 billion. And the US wasn’t the only country that dumped money into the economy. Then, not only did we face supply and labor shortages, but there were price increases in the construction sector.
And then there’s too much demand, and not enough supply. According to IMF, the comeback in demand we experienced in the US strained supply chains and also caused inflation to rise abruptly.
All of these could realistically be the fallout from Covid-19. However, the war in Ukraine is a different matter entirely. But one that affects inflation as well. For instance, due to sanctions, commodities like metals, food, oil and gas have not only been disrupted, but likewise have been more expensive. And basically all of these things taken together affect egg producers with their overhead: feed, housing, employees, water, vet bills, etc.
Molting occurs predominantly in the Fall, and it lasts about 3 months. I have ~40 birds, 20 of whom molted due to their age. And while I have ducks and young roos that don’t count, I only had 9 chicken egg layers up till recently. But thankfully, our egg production is back up.
So molting is that time of year when chickens lose their feathers and basically have a 3 month long vacation. For established layers, they require that break from all the hard work we put them through. And for new layers, they don’t get one until they’re about a year old. Thus, unless egg producers have new and mature hens, the established, older hens would have been molting and resting up till now. And that would affect egg production and prices.
Lastly, What about Price Gouging or Poisoned Feed?
According to Farm Action, a non-profit that fights corporate monopolies, price gouging is exactly what’s going on with egg prices.
While consumers have become increasingly cash-strapped since the pandemic, corporations have enjoyed their most profitable two years since 1950 as their profits jumped 35 percent.
Written and edited by: Jessica Cusworth, Dee Laninga, Angela Huffman, Joe Maxwell, and Basel Musharbash
And the egg producer with the fattest wallet is none other than Cal-Maine. Further, as reported by Farm Action, Cal-Maine’s gross profits rose five-fold.
However, according to Cal-Maine Foods, they don’t sell their eggs directly to the consumer, but to retail customers, like grocery stores, etc. On their website, they go on to say
Cal-Maine Foods sells its eggs at prices negotiated with each customer. In many cases, the Company, and it believes its customers, look to independent, third-party market quotes published by Urner Barry, the leading provider of protein market news and information for the food industry. Urner Barry’s pricing methodologies and processes received third-party assurance that they are aligned with the International Organization of Securities Commission (IOSCO) Principles for Price Reporting Agencies.
Cal-Maine Foods Contact: Max P. Bowman, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (601) 948-6813
The poisoned or RNA feed theory isn’t even worth my time, because it’s so ludicrous. Chickens ALWAYS stop laying for ~ 3 months during the fall. And sometimes in the spring. In fact, people who’ve had chickens for more than a year should also be aware of this fact. See molting above!! Or check out my post on molting.
Factors like China’s strict Covid policy, and recent relaxing of that policy has and will affect worldwide economies and thus inflation. Likewise the war in Ukraine will proceed to affect economies as well.
Though, at some point the Federal Reserve wants to return the inflation rate to 2%. Plus, according to the International Monetary Fund, so far overall measures of inflation were decreasing. But core inflation was still high.
Regardless, as of this post, prices have either stayed the same or were a little lower on the USDA site. Although, due to demand, likely egg prices will be high for the Easter season. Besides, until HPAI is no longer active and therefore a threat to poultry, the prices will continue to remain uncertain.
So you might be wondering if there is anything you can do to help your individual situation. Or do you just grin and bear it? Well first, you don’t want to
Smuggle eggs
Per Border Report, between October 1 to the end of last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a 108% increase in confiscated egg products and poultry at ports of entry. Don’t do it, because it’s illegal. And it’ll cost you, the eggs and a possible fine.
Get your own chickens
Not only has egg production been affected by bird flu, but obviously chicks and chickens have been too. And again it takes a chick 4-6 months to mature enough to lay an egg. Plus, there are many upfront and continuous costs involved: the coop, feeders, waterers, and feed. Then you have to think about predators, illnesses, and accidents.
However, you should ask yourself whether you’re committed to seeing it through. For example, after the heyday of Pandemic chickens, when things started to feel normal, hundreds of US chickens were surrendered to sanctuaries. And many of those organizations are still at max capacity. If you aren’t going to have time for chickens when they get inconvenient, messy, sick, etc, or the economy improves, then don’t get chickens.
On the other hand, there are some things you can do, such as
Buy eggs from local farmers
Supposing you live somewhere not hit by bird flu, reach out to people who already have backyard birds, and support them!! I’ve looked on my Facebook groups too and checked prices for eggs. And like me, my fellow chicken farmers are way below store prices. It’s obvious none of us make a profit. If I could at least cover the cost of feed, that would be great, but I doubt that even happens.
Therefore, get on FB and check out some chicken groups, if you don’t know any backyard chicken farmers. There’s gotta be one near you. And start shopping for eggs.
Purchase alternative eggs
Even if you can’t get backyard chicken eggs, you could still find backyard duck, quail, or guinea eggs. They each have distinct flavors. And some are better for certain dishes than others. However, you could also try JUST Egg, which are plant based eggs.
Furthermore, there are other egg substitutes for baking. For instance, buttermilk, applesauce, yogurt, pumpkin puree, and banana are just a few options.
Aspects such as the war in Ukraine, inflation since Covid, highly pathogenic bird flu, and molting have affected egg production and prices. But with China easing its draconian Covid policy, global economies have improved. And inflation has started to wane. However, with Easter coming up soon, and bird flu still hanging around, it may be awhile before egg prices drop to previous levels.
Though, there are options you can take to avoid the high cost of eggs. You can purchase from local backyard groups. Or you can try alternatives such as duck or guinea eggs. And there are even plant based options available.
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Up until very recently, we haven’t had a lot of rain. And we’ve had triple digit heat. Some people have lost livestock, while some have lost other animals to the heat. But we actually gained one single chick from the extreme temperatures. So let’s explore hatching chicks outside without a broody hen.
No, I’m not talking about incubating chicks outside, at least not with an electric incubator. Although the conditions started out with a broody hen, those two particular hens aren’t the brightest out there. Why any hen would want to sit in a coop in 108° weather for weeks is beyond me. Though I’ve stopped trying to figure those two out.
Yes, I’ve used the broody breaker box, trying to break their brood, because, as I said, they’re not very intelligent. Some chickens have bigger brains than the rest. Those two weren’t so gifted. Every spring it seems we have 1, then 3, then 5 or 6 hens that all want to have chicks at the same time. However only 1 or 2 are actually good broody mother hens. But those 2 just persisted, no matter how long we left them in the broody box.
One in a Million Chick
We had to get Lil’ Bit some friends.
And they kept getting off their eggs, trying to switch things up. Thus, we took all their eggs away, except someone gave one of them only 1 egg and dated it. Then just a few days ago my husband found a chick in the middle of the coop all alone. And the two hens rejected it. Of course they rejected it, because they never actually did any of the sitting.
So my theory is that the temperature and humidity in the coop was perfect. And that the other hens, going into the coop to lay eggs, was just enough movement for the fertilized egg to rotate it and keep it viable and bring it to hatch. In other words, we have a miracle chick. Miraculous that no one stepped on it. And miraculous in that the temperature and humidity was just right. No other time would have been right out there for that to happen.
Don’t Try this at Home
Generally this isn’t the recommended way to incubate chicks. We certainly weren’t expecting a chick to hatch all on its own without one of the broody hens to claim it. (Although I did p0int out the two in the coop now are on the slow side.) But if you’re planning on raising chicks, it’s best to have a good broody hen that knows what she’s doing. Or to just incubate inside. For more information on incubating chicks, click here.
In Conclusion
Heat can kill, as the heat wave we’ve all been experiencing has done with livestock, marine animals, and some pets. But miraculously, it can also bring life, if the conditions are just right. Do you have any stories about animal miracles? Your comments are appreciated.
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I’ve been an animal lover for 4 decades. But it wasn’t until 2015, or since chickens, that we started collecting what would be considered animal first aid items. If you have backyard birds long enough, sooner later, something will pop up, requiring you to have a few essentials. Thus, I thought it would be helpful to share some basic chicken first aid kit contents.
From the moment we’ve had dogs and cats, we’ve never had to perform any type of first aid on them. On the other hand, our fur babies have a veterinarian, whereas our feather babies do not. And unfortunately a lot of the advice online can be contradictory. Plus, some issues necessitate quick action. Therefore, we’ve had to learn how to take care of our birds ourselves. In addition, when we started out, we had a small flock. So, little by little, we began adding items to what became our chicken first aid kit.
Chicken First Aid Kit: The Container
When we first started making our kit, little did we know that’s what we were doing. Hence, ours was in our medicine cabinet, until one day it was gigantic and no longer fit. Now we have everything in a tackle box that’s easy to locate and move. So get a caboodle, makeup box, or a tackle box. But make sure it’s
Portable
Within easy reach
And easy to carry
Chicken First Aid Kit: Chicken Hospital
Since most injuries and illnesses require separating the chicken from the flock, this is where you will house them until they are well enough to mingle back with the flock. Ideally you need
A pet crate or carrier
If possible, make sure the chicken hospital is big enough for the patient to be comfortable during their stay.
And old towels
Towels you no longer use are to help make the patient comfortable.
Some injuries aren’t serious enough to warrant total isolation from the flock. For example, if you have a hen with sores on her back from an overeager rooster, then she can stay in the the safety of the crate while still in the coop. That way she won’t worry about pecking order issues.
But more concerning problems of contagious illnesses demand the chicken be separated to prevent spreading the illness. Further, urgent medical issues require the bird to be isolated to help calm them down.
Online discrepancies abound, regarding whether to leave the chicken patient in the coop or isolate them. And both have valid reasons for their points. Personally, I’ve done both, depending on the nature and/or seriousness of the issue. But all the times I’ve kept my chicken patients away from the flock, they’ve been calm, and they didn’t seem lonely. In addition, my reasons were justified for keeping them isolated.
Chicken First Aid Kit: Disposables
When I made this list, I really wasn’t sure how to itemize it. As you’ll notice, some of these things can go in multiple categories. Plus, you potentially have some materials in your house now, which can also be taken from your own first aid kit; just be sure to replace anything you swipe from your personal kit. However, for the disposables, you need
Chicken First Aid Kit: Dealing with beaks, nails, and spurs
Rather than putting these few items in their prospective categories, I just made their own section. Further, they all use the same supplies, such as
Dremel tool or other battery-powered tool
Superglue
And styptic powder or alum
Chicken First Aid Kit: Tools or Instruments
Once again, some of these you should have in your medicine cabinet. Although, with the rest of these items, we collected from various trips to the emergency room for sutures. And since hospitals just throw suture kits away after using them, we asked if we could keep ours. The rest I ordered. Therefore, in your kit you should have
With the exception of rubbing alcohol, I had to order all of the items in this section, at one time or another. So make sure you have
Rubbing alcohol (to sanitize instruments)
Gentian violet .5%
Iodine
Sterile saline (for washing wounds)
and Vetericyn
Chicken First Aid Kit: Anti-inflammatories and Salves
From having a hen who’s egg-bound to having one with sour crop to having another one with vent prolapse, the following is what you’ll need in your chicken first aid kit.
Salve or Vaseline (for mites or frostbite in the winter)
Fishbiotics (which is amoxil 500mg, for surgical procedures like impacted crop)
**And topical anesthetic spray, like hospital formula benzocaine (also for the above mentioned surgery)
**There is some mis-information, and thus confusion on multiple sites as to whether you can give any anesthetic to chickens. For example, multiple sites claim you can’t give anything to chickens if it has caine on or in it. And that’s not true. In fact, I watched a Dr perform a surgery on a chicken, after he injected it with anesthetic. And as far as I know, all anesthetics contain caines. Further, the chicken did not die; she survived the surgery and the anesthetic.
However, the real issue is epinephrine, which is added to local anesthetics to prolong local anesthesia and prevent additional blood loss. Thus, in someone who might have heart issues, or a small animal, it could present problems. But because benzocaine is only a topical, it is clearly the better option for backyard chickens. You can read more about it here.
The items you see in bold are some of the first, and only, items we used while first involved with chickens. Though now it has definitely grown and evolved. You too may also already have some things you use on and for your birds. So the materials in bold are a suggestion only, to have on-hand what you will eventually need.
My last bit of advice is when Googling your bird problems, read at least 3 other suggestions, and not necessarily the top 3. They might not be right. And after you’ve received 3 suggestions from Google, cross reference them. For instance, if I read that something won’t work or is harmful, I Google why that something won’t work, like what will happen, especially if there isn’t a link to the original article. You’ll be surprised by how many answers you get that will contradict what you were just advised.
Lastly, taking care of injured or sick chickens is just like anything else: it isn’t cookie cutter perfect. Nobody knows your birds better than you. You will have to adjust and use your intuition based on your understanding of your flock. These are all suggestions according to my experience with my flock. And it has worked for us. But I Google several sources, and not the most popular ones either, and adjust the care instructions to gear them toward my flock.
Have you made a chicken first aid kit? Or have you had to use first aid on a chicken? Your comments are appreciated.
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Maurice Pitesky
Chicken Girl 