This article on chicken health and poultry care was indite by seventh - grader Sedona O. , whose teacher suggested she endeavor to submit it somewhere !
I ’m just a country girlwho loves all breeds of chickens . I can spend all Clarence Day around my fluffy fledge flock . I thoroughly white and diligently like for them , and I also wager games , feed homemade treats and lovingly bear them in the large barnyard . Put another direction , it ’s not just all fun and games , this project call for consistent hard body of work to own and manage crybaby .
I joyfully watch my chickens survey at my heel , although at times I stumble to avoid tripping over them . This flock of mine needs extensive attention around my foot and in area relate safety issues , unyielding conditions and demanding chores . But in the end these things progress long - lasting character .
own crybaby teaches responsibleness because a healthy and glad flock requires careful preparation , dissimilar direction skills for every time of year and maintained cleanliness .
Read more : crack out these pourboire for free - ranging chicken through the time of year .
Providing Protection
design chicken safety begins with stop up the barnyard . for prevent predators from entering the premise and wreaking havoc , a rooster is helpful . Or , better still , a surround chicken run and a sturdy chicken coop are the right choices .
Above all , protection starts with a safe area that includes mellow volaille wire and netting over the top of the cage area . fence forbid the boo from vanish out . sack up over the top prevent hawks from attacking .
The ideal coop provides passable tax shelter and quad for the number of poultry house there . justificatory lineament on their menage include latched trapdoors and squiffy screens on windows to maintain a strain - free environment . This arrangement safeguards the peck .
Though they might not be glad about it , at least they are out of risk .
Seasonal Chores
However , with the alter seasons come various chore . alter climates contribute to dissimilar types of tutelage for chicken . Thus , hot atmospheric condition overheats bird , causes watery dope and weight loss . Frequently refreshed waters , juicy treat , such as watermelon , and the duck soup from fan keep the flock cool .
cold-blooded weather brings freezing water system and shivering poultry . That is why it ’s important to supply water heaters and well - isolate hencoop to aid hens solidly live the stale month . volaille worry that accommodate modification builds direction skills each season .
Of great significance , cleanliness matters for chicken health , and if ignored , fatal matter get to occur .
disease from flies landing onuncleaned poopy vents and mites or lice breeding in unaltered egg boxwood bedding are both very deadly . In other words , a nasty coop attracts unwanted fly that can spread tent flap strike . The transmission is do when fly lay their orchis on the poulet ’s outlet . The newly hatched maggots speedily eat the domestic fowl from the interior out .
Mites and lice expand in moist laying boxes and circulate quickly between bird , causing skin irritations . The pests seize with teeth the bird ’s hide do the fowls to peck themselves therefore losing plume . Additionally , they burrow under leg scales and make the hen ’ legs flushed .
Uncontrolled , these epenthetic insects will kill them . Without a dubiousness , maintaining a white coop and healthy wimp save their lives .
Most importantly , chicken care leads to personal answerability . Protecting poultry , adjust to contend with weather alteration and preventing diseases all play very important part for healthy birds . Although these tasks are difficult , fun and games still fit in the docket .
“ The work never goes away , ” my ma always reminds me . I still have tasks to do when my insistent chickens perch on my subdivision want to toy . Though it pains me to say “ no , ” I still recount them : “ Toiling comes before romp . ”
Even though precious chickens are useful animals , they command a lot of care . People around the world prize chickens for their eggs , society , and lessons that teach province .
This lector - submitted article on chicken health in the beginning appeared in the September / October 2022 issue ofChickensmagazine .
