Poultry Pests & Diseases
You will be pleased to see that this is a very concise section. The fact is we do not have a great deal of experience of poultry pests and diseases, so aren't qualified to provide much detailed information. We usually check the hens monthly for lice and if there is evidence of infestation, we pluck out any feathers with a heavy egg burden and dust every week for four weeks with a natural louse powder.
We worm twice a year with Flubenvet although we will be moving to Verm-X, an herbal wormer once our existing supply of Flubenvet runs out.
As a conscientious poultry keeper you must familiarise yourself with the signs of a healthy bird, get used to handling them and check them over regularly.
A healthy hen will have bright eyes, glossy plumage, red comb, and no discharges from any orifice. Remember, hens moult annually, usually in autumn. Some lose more feathers than others and can look quite off colour until the feathers start to grow back in.
Prevention is better than cure. When something does appear to be wrong with a hen seek advice as soon as possible - either through our forums or one of the many websites which are dedicated to poultry (see the Links page), from a book or magazine, from an experienced keeper or breeder, or from a vet. Bear in mind that the cost of employing a vet is likely to be more than your bird is worth in pure monetary terms. Only you can decide whether you are willing to pay that price.