So my ladies are getting close to a year old and Rachel was kind enough to give me a name of a doctor for check ups. After reading many forum post about chickens simply dying and not really knowing, I have prepared myself for the fact that one day they may indeed pass away. However, I love them and still want to take care of them to the best of my ability.
So, my question is, how much do you spend on the health of your chickens? I got a bloody egg yesterday (see attached picture) from Maya who isn't looking well so I am taking her to the doctor. Would you spend what it takes to make your chicken healthy or is there a limit for you?
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Hi,
I have seen bloody eggs before, but usually in young birds learning to lay. How did the dr. go?
Er, the vet, that is.
I am a bad one to say how much I would spend. I had 2 roosters decrowed at around $350 each. Vet visit for bumble foot, which the vet said was GOUT. Ha. Waste of money. I had a friend who spent $1300 to have a chicken's broken leg surgically pinned.
I finally learned that it just doesn't make sense. I use the Chicken Health Handbook, and treat myself. If I can't figure it out and it gets really bad, I learned how to put them down gently, as well.
It still broke my heart. "Other" people don't understand. You probably do!
Ouch! That's a lot of money!
I think most of us understand how sad death is. That's what make us totally appreciate the animals that give their lives for our sustenance. Experience helps us recover more quickly, because we realize that death is a fact of life and we've been through the process of weighing all options in the past & have come to terms with it. But it's still sad.
I have a wonderful book, and have used it a LOT.
The Chicken Health Handbook. Very specific information, symptoms, treatment.
I usually find books on Amazon, used for good prices, also Bookfinder.
Padded coops: that gave a nice smile.
I'm right there with Laura. We actually have a "price" on all of our animal's based on the cost of replacement, the age of the animal, and the value of its product. It sounds cold, but it's a reality process that keeps us from spending thousands on an animal with diabetes, for example, when (if I had the money to begin with) I could donate that money to a human in desperate need of diabetic meds.
We don't take our poultry to the vet for the reasons Laura mentioned: there is a lot of knowledge in the forums and, as a chicken owner, I feel I have the responsibility to learn as much as possible. Chickens are easy to replace; far easier than dogs, goats, or cattle. Chickens also have a relatively short life.
Keep in mind, in addition to there being a lot of information available about managing chicken injuries and illnesses, there's also a lot of information on how to avoid injuries and illnesses. That's the best thing you can do -- to get as knowledgeable as you can about the threats to your birds, and take measures to prevent problems. That doesn't mean being paranoid or putting your chickens in padded coops, but it does mean taking reasonable precautions, knowing that accidents do happen. :)
This makes a lot of sense. Thanks Sheri! It's nice to feel from you all that over the years it seems to get easier as I become more knowledge. My husband pokes fun because I'm been "living" on chicken forums for the past year.
Ernie brought the subject back to the bloody egg. Likewise, we have seen bloody eggs primarily in new layers. But on a rare occasion, I've seen that from an older hen. If it was a one-time thing, don't worry about it. If it happens regularly, it means she probably has scar tissue that is re-tearing when she lays. In that case, I'd probably put some vaseline up her canal to see if that helps. It should heal better once she gets a few day's break from laying, which is likely to happen in this heat.
Has it continued? What did the Dr. say?
Just let him know you're saving the family hundreds of dollars in vet bills. LOL!
Hi Ashley,
that's a good question. I think it depends on the role the chickens play in your life. Some see them as livestock and others consider them pets, similar to their cats/dogs. For me, my chickens are somewhere in the middle.
We've had chickens for almost 3 years and some of them have died (mostly due to the heat, unfortunately) but all have had some sort of infection or issue during these years. My opinion is to educate yourself on the most common issues and find remedies to care for them at home.
Here's a website that I've find useful in the diagnosing and treatment of my birds: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/Diseases_Of_Poultry
Good luck with your birds!
Laura
Thanks Laura. With your years of knowledge, I assume you try to work out your problems from home vs see a vet? My ladies are also between livestock and pets. Thanks for another useful website for me to add to my arsenal. :)
Yes, I've never taken the birds to a vet (but I've been tempted). I just can't see myself spending the money on it.