Whatever your motivation for raising chickens, the health and welfare of your flock is of the utmost priority. Watching their playful antics and listening to their sweet clucks is enjoyable for every farmer or backyard homesteading enthusiast. Sometimes, however, things can go wrong. In this blog post, we help you troubleshoot some common poultry health concerns, giving you a generalized look at your treatment options.
(Please note: this blog post is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions regarding the health of your specific chickens, we recommend speaking to a trained veterinarian.)
Egg-Bound Hens
If an egg becomes stuck in your hen’s oviduct, typically between the uterus and the cloaca, it is known as being an egg-bound hen. There are a number of different reasons that your hen can become egg-bound, including nutritional deficiencies (particularly calcium deficiencies), an overly large egg, or weakness due to age or disease. Symptoms of being egg-bound include hens being overly restless in the nesting boxes, moving in and out of the nesting boxes repeatedly, looking listless, walking with their legs apart, disinterest in food or water, or a large bump in the pelvis (sometimes you can even observe the egg).
Being egg-bound is a life-threatening condition, which can cause the hen to perish in as quickly as 24-48 hours. Depending on the size of the egg and the status of your hen’s health, you may be able to assist the chicken, or the hen may require immediate veterinary intervention. If the egg is on the smaller side and you are able to observe it, giving the hen a warm bath for 15-20 minutes, supplementing her with electrolytes and calcium, and gently massaging her vent may relax the muscles enough for her to pass the egg. If this is not effective, your veterinarian can surgically remove the egg and the shell from her oviduct in a minimally invasive procedure.
Prolapsed Vent
When your hen has to strain to lay her eggs, either because of weakness, age, obesity, oversized eggs, or nutritional deficiency, the interior aspect of her oviduct may exit her vent and become visible to the naked eye. This is referred to as a prolapsed vent.
Early intervention is critical if your hen is suffering from prolapse. If the other members of the flock notice the bare and painful flesh, they may peck at it, which will most likely cause the tissue to hemorrhage. If you observe a prolapse in your hen, isolate her immediately. The oviduct will then need to be cleaned, guided back into place, and treated with an antibacterial ointment, such as Manna Pro Theracyn Wound & Skin Care Spray for Poultry. Many times this is done under the watchful eye of a veterinarian, but some experienced chicken keepers do it themselves. It is essential that you continue to monitor your hen after this as she will remain more susceptible to prolapse after an initial event.
As a chicken keeper, the most important thing you can do is to get to know your chickens’ individual personalities and tendencies so that you will know if something is amiss. By having a firm grasp of your chickens’ daily habits, you can address any issues as soon as they arise.
Impacted Crop
As birds, chickens have unique pieces of their digestive anatomy that many other animals do not. The crop (located on the upper chest area of your birds) holds the ingested food, while the gizzard grinds the food into smaller, more digestible pieces. If long pieces of grass or hay enter the crop, they can become stuck. The contents of the crop then begin to ferment, which is painful and potentially fatal for your bird. The best way to prevent an impacted crop is to feed your chickens shorter pieces of grass and foodstuffs that will pass easily through their system; in the case of free-range chickens, it is best to mow your grass regularly to prevent it from becoming too long.
Typically, the crop can be felt immediately after eating, but cannot be felt in the morning before the chicken has begun eating for the day. If the crop feels hard, even if the chicken has not eaten for several hours, it may be impacted. Additionally, an empty crop signals your chicken to eat and elicits the hunger response, so chickens may stop eating if their crop is affected or sour.
If your chicken is suffering from an impacted crop, surgery offers the best chance of recovery. The veterinarian will use a small slit to empty the crop of the old and fermenting foodstuffs. After this minor surgery, you will need to keep the incision site clean and infection-free.
Bullying and Cannibalism
If a member of your flock begins pulling the feathers of one of your chickens, or worse yet, aggressively pecking at them, it is time to take immediate action. Cannibalism is an extremely serious behavioral issue that affects both backyard chicken keepers and commercial chicken-raising operations.
Typically, cannibalism in poultry is in response to stress. There are a number of different stressors for chickens which may result in cannibalism, including overcrowding, nutritional deficiencies, poor ventilation, high humidity, external parasites, and insufficient food or water. Unfortunately, cannibalism is a learned behavior and can be difficult to treat, so prevention is the best course of action. Try to keep your flock in low-stress conditions with adequate space, lighting, and ventilation. For more information about building the best environment for your chickens, we encourage you to read our blog post, Home Sweet Home: Choosing the Best Chicken Coop for Your Flock.
If you do have a chicken with this behavioral condition, it is best to quarantine them from the flock as soon as possible. If not addressed quickly, cannibalism can become deadly for the other members of your flock. Separate the chicken and try to alleviate the health and wellness issues that are plaguing your chicken to see if it will modify the behavior. If the cannibalism continues, your options are minimal, with treatment plans including culling the chicken or clipping their beak.
Mites
These external parasites are highly contagious and can be devastating for your entire flock. In fact, a mite infestation can cause anemia in your birds or even death. Some of the telltale signs of mites are dirty or ragged feathers, the rapid loss of weight, drop in egg production, and pulling of feathers. If you suspect that your chicken(s) have mites, inspect your flock closely; typically, you will be able to observe mites and/or their eggs on the feather shaft or near the vent. Many successful chicken keepers perform bi-monthly mite checks on their flock to catch the parasites quickly. It is important to know that broody hens are more susceptible to mites because they do not use dust baths as frequently.
If you observe mites on a member of your flock, you will need to keep a well-rounded approach to eradicate them. First, quarantine your flock and thoroughly clean the coop and run, with fresh bedding and dust bath supplies. Then, it is time to give your chickens each an individual dust bath to kill the eggs and adult mites. Products such as ProZap Garden And Poultry Dust remove the parasites from your chickens’ feathers and skin, without harming your birds. Make sure that you follow the directions regarding application and egg- or meat-withdrawal to keep both you and your birds healthy. Many products state the eggs and meat are not safe for human consumption immediately after the application, refer to the product packaging to determine when the chemicals have left your chicken’s system.
At The Cheshire Horse, we understand how vital the health of your flock is which is why we carry a full selection of poultry health care products. If you have any questions regarding chicken health concerns or would like assistance choosing the best health care supplies for your chickens, we invite you to speak with a member of our friendly and highly trained sales staff, many of whom are chicken enthusiasts themselves!
