Preventative Maintenance

[bacchus51]

Just wondering if anyone has done or seen a yearly calendar for administering medicines to prevent disease/parasites in poultry

[Marina]

I'm all for prevention as most medicines require an egg withholding period of 6 weeks and if I keep my own chooks I don't want eggs and meat that are laced with residues of whatever the commercials use.

The only parasite that requires some intervention is the poultry mite. I only treat when I notice them but I know where to look and what to look for. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is an excellent preventative with no withholding period. Once a mite infestation has taken hold it's not powerful enough, especially not the diluted stuff you can buy, usually in fancy containers.

Chooks kept in a dry run or free ranging with plenty of space, fed a natural diet which includes fresh greens and are not in crowded conditions should never require more than a dusting of DE on their back while roosting and a spoonfull at either end of their perch 2 or 3 times per year, preferrably in late spring, summer and early autumn. DE has no withholding period for eggs or meat.

If you use the search function you'll find plenty of info on how to keep your flock healthy naturally.

The people who have problems with adult chooks either have taken on rehomed cage hens who have not had an opportunity to acquire resistance to whatever is out there or they were unlucky enough to have a chook with a weak immune system. Aso when hens get older they are more likely to develop health problems.

[sewren]

Honestly, we just treat things as they come up, which to be honest is rarely. When we first got chooks I was worming them on a schedule but I've come to the opinion that giving my animals stuff they don't need is normally not necessary. I think the best 'preventative medicine' is a good varied diet, and enough space in the coop that air circulates well. I also think it is valuable to keep an eye on them so you notice any changes in behaviour that might be an indicator of sickness.