Unsecure chicken perches

[Duncan08]

After almost a year of chicken keeping I am enjoying the girls so much and have a good little routine going.

Sometimes too much information isn't always a good thing and ends up confusing.

I have a few little things that I do and just wanted to know if anyone thinks I may over doing or under doing anything.

 

Once a month the girls get wormed over 3 days with VermX, mixed into some porridge oats and pro-biotic yoghurt to make sure they eat it all.

They also get a shake of lice powder under their wings and around their vents. Their easibed run gets a shake of Diatom

 

Once a week, they get their layers pellets laced with poultry spice powder and garlic powder. They also get their water with some cider vinegar and a small squirt of citridal. They also get their ball filled up with raw green leafy veg, (that doesnt last a week, lasts about 3 seconds).

 

Each day, they get either porridge oats with warm water when it is cold or probiotic yoghurt with grapes and raisins, or they get a bowl of leftovers, veg fruit etc. They also get a handful of mealworms mid morning and a handful of corn in the afternoon. My mum might take them some grapes, blueberries or strawberries sometimes.

 

My reason for asking is: VermX doesnt seem to be the most popular wormer on the forum, it suits me and I havent had any problems, but that doesn't mean it is working, it might not have had to work yet!

And supplements, I know when people have poorly girls the recommendation is often to give them a tonic, poultry spice, citridal etc, if I am using these every week am I weakening the effect that they might have should one of the girls become unwell.

 

I am not overly concerned, the girls are doing very well, laying almost every day as they should be and being very chickeny, but just wondered what others routines were like.

[Uma]

Hi there,

 

Personally I wouldn't trust verm-x and I use flubenvet three times a year. Although mine free range extensively over an acre so have more chance of encountering something.

 

I have also heard that yogurt isn't great for them as they can't digest a certain milk protein. Its ok to use if the hen is very poorly (i.e its better than them passing away...) or at least this was what my vet told me. Also grapes and raisons are meant to be toxic to chickens, although I know a number of people feed them seemingly without bother.

 

Hope this is useful!

Uma

[jackian]

My girls get grapes ..They love them , sweetcorn and of course meal worms ( usually as a lure)

We have 2 allotments so in the season they have all the green veg they can get.

Worming about every 3 months .Their run (now runs ) get raked over and sprinkled with sanotising powder every week end.Coup vaguely cleaned mid week and proper clean usually sunday morning.

I don't give mine yoghurt but do give them cod liver oil and tonic.

 

Now we have the new girls of course twice the work I have an idea getting 2 new ones it was a bit adventurous ,I think if only I could have had 1 but perhaps it is just me having the colly wobbles today .

[Tweety]

My view is that you shouldn't rely on Verm X to worm them, and would recommend that you use Flubenvet every 3 or 4 months to be sure.

I don't give my girls much other than layers pellets and water, and they have treats of mixed corn, Garvo Alfamix or green veg most days, but only a small handful each. I put Lifeguard in their water every day during the winter, and when they are moulting, but otherwise hold back on the supplements unless they need them. They should get everything they need from a good quality layers feed, so I would perhaps cut back on the extras

[Plum]

Bet you wish you hadn't asked we all do different. My comment would be that porridge oats aren't the best thing to fill the girls up with and I think you'd be better giving them porridge made from pellets and water.

 

and I wouldn't give them raisins every day when cold. I do give them the odd couple very occasionally but chop them up so they don't sit in the crop and ferment, likewise with grapes a very occasional treat and chopped up.

 

Your vermX is probably keeping them worm free but some worms seem to be resistant and people have found worms after using it. If their weights ok and no loose droppings or visible signs I wouldn't fret too much and carry on .

[laurmurf]

i'm another one for Flubenvet instead of verm-x; as one kills worms and the other, in theory, prevents them.

Different types of worms can afflict a chook and some are extremely small and hairlike and will do more damage than the bigger ones.

 

See the Chicken Vet website for more details (and pictures) of what you are seeking to treat

http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/general-health-and-common-diseases/parasites/index.aspx

[Redwing]

I'd echo Plum on the porridge oats

 

You can give them pellet porridge but in all honesty the thing that will keep them warm in winter is not hot food but a little grain (mixed corn/wheat) a short while before bedtime, digesting these is harder than pellets and will keep them warm at night

 

Poultry spice - I would not use this unless they are under the weather but if you do then give it a few days in a row once a month not a single day once a week

 

I personally will not feed rasins or grapes to my chooks, these can ferment in the crop if the crop isnt working 100%

[ohcarolina]

I used to use Verm-X and was advised that I might as well not bother buying it and chuck my money in the bin. Extreme I know but thats what they said.

 

Anyway. I wormed them before Chrismas using Marriages pellets with Flubenvet and ......errrr........it worked. Gross . So although it was disgusting (and it takes a lot to gross me out) I'm going to stick with the Flubenvet as it works.

[Duncan08]

Thank you all so much for your really helpful comments.

I will definitely get the flubenvet, I need to do the two new girls before any close intros so will do them all together.

Grapes and raisins are chopped up but will stop the raisins I think, the grapes are their favourite, more than mealworms but will cut these down to a very occasional treat, ( and tell grandma to cut back too!)

 

They love their porridge, I did try making it up with mash but they didn't touch it, but I think again will save it for very special treats. (they started on it as our boxer has colitis, so he has it with the probiotic and my son eats fields worth of it, they just got added to the line up.

 

Mealworms are on offer in home and bargain, 100g for 99p. So have stocked up on those.

 

And will get some lifeguard and cut back on the poultry spice, I already had cut back to once a week, they were getting it every day, oops.

What about the citridal? I got this in the winter health pack from omlet but wasnt really too sure what to do with it.

 

Thanks again everyone, all so helpful as always, ( and thanks for the chicken vet link, that is really good)

Sue

[Redwing]

Citricidal is for winter sniffles, something to try before resorting to going to the vets

[Duncan08]

Thank you Redwing, I will move this to the first aid box then with the poultry spice!