Chickens are generally healthy, hardy, and happy animals that can also be very friendly with people and each other (and other animals). But unfortunately, a reality about chicken breeding it’s simply that chickens are very prone to illness, disease, and behavioral problems. It never seems to matter how careful chicken keepers are: health and behavior problems always seem to crop up, even with the best care and most careful assistance is paid for. Basically, the truth is that problems arise with chicken breeding.
Most chicken problems are very common and are usually quite benign. Some require minimal adjustments to resolve. Some of the common problems, no matter how careful you are, require an immediate and severe response in order not to lose the entire herd. Here are the most common problems you can expect with chickens, and how you can fix them.
-
Predation This is a very common and heartbreaking problem that every chicken keeper will probably have to deal with at least once in their life. It seems that everything wants to eat chickens, from common hawks and eagles that soar in the sky, to the neighbor’s dog. Raccoons, foxes, bobcats, bears, snakes, cats, owls, and many other animals are common problems. Securing your hen house properly or buying well-made products chicken coop kits it can help deter predators from taking chickens while they are in the coop (which is very common). While the chickens are out of the coop, having secured chicken runs that is covered will help discourage aerial predators and daytime predation. If you insist on freely raising your herd outside the confines of a fenced chicken coopprovide plenty of tree cover to quell attacks by hawks and eagles, and buy chicken breeds that do well and are highly intelligent with predators.
-
illness. Chickens are just as susceptible to viral, bacterial, parasitic, and congenital diseases as any other animal. Vaccines are available to immunize your birds against common but deadly diseases such as Merick’s disease. You should check with your local extension agent or veterinarian about whether or not these diseases are prevalent in your area before purchasing chicks, or if you have birds that are healthy but have not been vaccinated. Other illnesses, such as simple viral infections, can manifest themselves in chickens in many ways and are usually best left in isolation, just as you would a person. Practice the best sanitary care you can and don’t be afraid to use products like diatomaceous earth or bird powder. There are medications available for farm use that you can find in feed stores, but always check with a veterinarian first before medicating. Have a quarantine system ready to go at all times, clean and prepared. A kennel lined with old but clean towels is a good start. Any sick chicken should be isolated from the flock.
-
Assault. Roosters are the usual culprits, but sometimes hens can be aggressive towards people and other chickens in the flock. Aggressive chickens can be very troublesome if they attack people and other chickens. These chickens can do more harm than good within the flock and are often difficult to relocate and may need to be culled. Fortunately, aggressive chickens are rare. Multiple roosters in a small flock with hens will almost guarantee aggression of the roosters towards each other, towards the hens (with energetic and aggressive mating behavior) and towards people. If you want a rooster, keep a single rooster for every 6 to 10 hens to help quell aggressive forced mating behavior and decrease your need for competition. If your rooster is attacking people, this is usually a problem that cannot be solved by training or adding hens to breed and guard. Roosters that are aggressive towards humans must be rehoused or, in extreme cases, euthanized. Sometimes people report that they can retrain an aggressive rooster by capturing and holding it, which can work. And of course, not all roosters are aggressive towards people.
-
Behavior problems that are not necessarily related to aggression. Chickens can be neurotic. They do things like cannibalize each other out of sheer boredom. They will lay eggs, then turn around and eat the eggs they just laid. They will eat things like paper clips, screws, and pieces of plastic. Their pecking order can isolate a chicken and prevent it from eating. To avoid these types of behavior problems, make sure your chickens are fully involved at all times; This doesn’t mean you have to set up a 3-ring circus for your birds, but they do need to have plenty of room to roam and explore like they normally do. They need to be able to dust bathe and scratch the ground, explore under log stones. They need to be able to jump on things. They need a more varied diet than their formulated crumb (but scientifically formulated crumb is great for basic nutrition and will help prevent cravings for eggs and random junk). Offer simple and fun treats like a head of lettuce, a halved watermelon, or even a cooked winter squash. Suet cakes are excellent winter treats. Offer plenty of natural perches and rocks for them in their close run, or no hazards.
chicken breeding they can be a wonderful addition to the home garden and are essential on the farm. They offer immense enjoyment and seem to just “fit” with human life. They are funny, cute and beautiful. They offer much more in exchange for what you give them. Despite the trouble chicken owners will have to face, it’s so worth it!
