Guide To Happy Healthy Hens

Guide To Happy Healthy Hens

PROVIDE THE CORRECT FEED

chickens must be fed properly to perform and be healthy. even though our great grand parents may have fed their flocks potatoes peels and cracked corn, advances in science and poultry nutritionists have proved that backyard chickens need much more nutrition to live a longer healthier life and to produce nutritious eggs. Chickens at different stages of life need different types of feed.

Day old chicks through to 8 weeks of age should be feed on a chick starter crumble.
from eight to sixteen weeks they should be on Chick Grow pallets.
From point of lay  forward they should be fed Peak Layer Pallets.
Layer pallets contain calcium that laying hens need for egg shell production.

LIMIT TREATS

The ingredients in quality prepared chicken feed are carefully created by poultry nutritionist's to ensure that the correct balance of a chickens daily nutrient requirements are met.

Treats/Snacks - (even healthy foods) replace a portion of those essential dietary requirements to some degree. Excessive treats , even healthy ones, can cause the following:
Obesity, reduced egg production, malformed eggs, vent prolapse, protein deficiencies, feather picking , fatty liver syndrome, increased risk of heat stroke and heart problems.

Treats should not compromise more than 5% of a flocks daily diet intake.
Meal Worms Make for a great small treat to give your chooks and will love you for it! no more than a small handful per bird per day.

CLEAN WATER

Providing clean , fresh water is a must at all times. this sounds like common sense but most backyard chickens drink from waterers containing their own fecal matter , bacteria and other organisms that can make them sick.

The solution to dirty water is Nipple Drinkers.
Nipple drinkers have been used successfully across the globe on billions of chickens. the professional farmers across the world have made nipple drinkers the standard for all chickens...the disease reduction is so impressive that there is clearly no doubt which system is better. 

CLEAN DRY COOP

A clean dry coop is a healthy coop!
chickens have sensitive respiratory systems that are easily irritated by mold and ammonia from accumulated poop. clean coops are less likely to house mites and lice. Never keep food or water inside the chicken coop.

DRY FLOOR COVERING

A wet environment created by piled up poop or spilled water , provides a breeding ground for coccidia and other harmful organisms to flourish. Coccidiosis is an internal disease that can rapidly kill chickens if it goes undetected or untreated.
ways to Ensure a clean coop: removing droppings regularly, never keep food or water inside the coop, using wood shavings or sand as ground cover in the run, keeping water foul and chickens separately.

OBSERVE YOUR CHICKENS POOP

yes, you read that correctly.The first sign of potential health problems will often be found in the chickens poop. knowing which poop is normal and which is abnormal is an extremely useful tool in assessing chickens health. putting a dropping board under the roost provides a way to regularly check abnormalities unobscured by shavings or other bed material. 

BOOST CALCIUM LEVELS

Creating a smart home has been one of the biggest home design trends of the past decade, and your chicken coop should be no different!

Chickens like to be up at the rooster's crow. But waking up that early to let them out of their coop can be a little painful, especially on weekends when you're craving a sleep in. The solution? An automatic door opener and closer.

ChickenGuard is a gadget that uses timers and light sensors to open and close the henhouse doors in the morning and evening. Because chooks can't see in the dark, they have a strong urge to return home.

Chickens can sense whether it is light or dark through the pineal gland.  As the day draws to a close, and it starts to get dark, the hens already sense that it is time to go home to the warmth and safety of the coop.

CHECK YOUR HENS REGULARY 

Take the time to look closely at your hens on a regular basis to check their wellbeing.

• Feathers – If a chicken is missing more than a few feathers, this could be a sign that the hen is being bullied by other members of the flock)
• Gait - ensure that chickens are walking normally and not limping to one side or showing signs of lethargy
• Eyes - A healthy chook will have clear eyes that are free from discharge
• Crop - The crop is an organ that sits just inside the chest of a chicken. If you feel a large, squishy mass, it could be a sign that it is impacted and is suffering from a fungal infection known as 'sour crop.'
• Comb - The comb should be firm.
• Legs and feet - Ensure that the feet and legs are smooth and free from scales.

Regularly checking, handling and interacting with your chickens will enable you to establish a good relationship with them, and they will learn over time that you are not a predator.