Speckledhen's Ten Commandments of Good Flock Management

speckledhen said:

Not sure what the article is, but people may have different ideas. Some do just cull any bird they have that is not 100%, but I don't care for that approach unless you know it's contagious. I would definitely cull for contagious respiratory illness, but that symptom is not indicative of respiratory anything that I'm aware of. The only way to know is to do a culture and test the poop, I'd think. Ailing birds often have heavy urates in their poop, but ailing can mean internal reproductive issues, not contagious stuff. There is no way for me to know what you're dealing with and I can't say cull a bird with a mystery illness that is not respiratory. I have never had any contagious respiratory illness in my flocks but when I had more hatchery stock, I did encounter a lot of reproductive malfunctions and white and green poop with birds that were ill and/or dying from those.
@1muttsfan any ideas or input here, if you have time?

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gumpsgirl said:

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I also do not raise my birds for meat, but I do sell their eggs. You are right that not everyone here does and that every situation here is different. I also agree that we cannot diagnose someone else's flock over the internet, we can only help point someone in the right direction and offer support.

With that said, let me tell you my opinion here. As Cyn has already stated, there are many different illnesses that chickens can contract and remain carriers of for life. As someone who has dealt with a sick flock, I am in complete agreement with Cyn. I spent my whole summer and lots of $ treating my flock for Coryza this past summer alongside a poultry specialist. I had to cull many and I had to watch many die. It is something that I will NEVER do again. It took months to eradicate this illness from my flock and a whole lot of heartache to boot. When my flock was infected, I was still fairly new to the chicken world and did not know about the importance of quarantining new birds, even chicks. I brought home an infected chick from a swap that had no doubt contracted the illness from a carrier in the previous flock. Had there not been a carrier, the chick would not have gotten sick and my flock would never have gotten sick. I take part of the blame due to my ignorance and not quarantining. BUT, if the sick birds/flock that this chick had come from had been culled this would have never been passed on. If you have a flock that is ill, it is your responsibility as a chicken owner to take action. If you do not, there is no telling how many other birds you will pass that illness on to. You don't even have to be selling your birds to pass that illness along. You could even carry it with you to the feed store on your shoes.

Now with that being said, I completely support Cyn's 10 commandments of Good Flock Management. You need to educate yourself as much as possible. That way, if and when your flock does get sick you will know what type of action that needs to be taken. You will have familiarized yourself with diseases and such enough to know what to do.

With good flock management, a responsible chicken owner will be able to forego these types of incidences and the need to cull.

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luckycluk said:

I do not mean to sound dumb but what is the kindest way to cull a chicken. I am soft hearted but will do what should be done

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luckycluk said:

I do not mean to sound dumb but what is the kindest way to cull a chicken. I am soft hearted but will do what should be done

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Soonermagic254 said:

Snap it’s neck

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speckledhen said:

Provide fresh water, daily. Would you take a sip out of the waterer? If not, clean it.

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Dharmachick said:

I clean the waterers twice daily, the hens prefer to drink what spills on the ground. Silly hens.

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