A Family Guide To Keeping Chickens (51 page)

•
If you suspect Newcastle disease or avian influenza contact the vet immediately (DEFRA must be notified of an outbreak of either disease)

•
Chickens can carry salmonella, which causes diarrhoea and vomiting in humans

•
A purple comb indicates circulatory problems and chickens can suffer heart attacks

•
Air is pushed around the chicken’s body through a series of air-sacs

•
Soup crop is a yeast infection causing bad-smelling breath and listlessness

•
The crop may become blocked (impacted) by long grass or foreign objects

•
An egg-bound hen is unable to push out her egg

•
A prolapse is when the oviduct protrudes from the vent

•
Egg peritonitis occurs when a yolk goes into the abdomen and is usually fatal

•
Bumble foot is a pus-filled swelling on the base of the foot

•
Chickens moult annually

•
Poor nutrition, boredom, overcrowding or parasites can cause feather pecking

•
Take sensible precautions to safeguard your own health when keeping chickens

How much do you know about keeping your chickens healthy?

Question One

What’s the first thing you should you do if you think a chicken is ill?

(a) Leave her in the henhouse to rest for a while

(b) Separate her from the other chickens

(c) Put her in another coop with a couple of her friends for company

Question Two

Which of these statements is wrong?

(a) Chickens cope well with stress

(b) Keeping the henhouse clean helps prevent disease

(c) Chicken diseases can be carried on human boots and clothing

Question Three

Where do red mite usually live?

(a) On the chickens

(b) In the chicken house

(c) Under the ground

Question Four

What is the crop?

(a) The pouch at the base of the neck where food is stored after being swallowed

(b) The muscular stomach where food is ground

(c) Another name for the chicken’s intestines

Question Five

When chickens moult will they:

(a) Start laying eggs for the first time?

(b) Carry on laying as usual?

(c) Stop laying eggs?

Answers

One (b); Two (a); Three (b); Four (a); Five (c)

Well done if you knew all the answers!

‘You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs’: This saying suggests that it may be necessary to cause some damage in order to accomplish a result. For example: ‘Emily was in trouble for having wet clothes after she had scrubbed the henhouse, but she got rid of all the red mite – she told her mum that you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs’.

What did the hen say when she laid a square egg?

‘Ouch!’

What was wrong with the sick chicken?

She had people-pox!

Look at your chickens every day. Watch them carefully and notice how they behave. If you know how they look when they are well, you will quickly notice when something is not quite right. Spotting a problem early gives you the best chance of helping the chicken to get better.

If you have neighbours, keeping a cockerel is very likely to cause problems. All cockerels crow – even little ones can produce a piercing squeak.

Keeping the chickens shut in until a reasonable hour in the morning will help. A solid henhouse muffles the noise and the cockerel may not crow if the house is dark.

Another tactic is to shut the cockerel in a box at night and put him where he can’t be heard. The box should be well ventilated and large enough for him to perch comfortably.

Cockerels don’t just crow at dawn (which comes early in summer when bedroom windows are likely to be open). Some cockerels crow at night, especially if they are disturbed. Throughout the day, cockerels will shout a challenge to other males, announce they have done their duty with a hen, sound the all clear or simply crow because they enjoy it. Neighbours working night shifts are unlikely to be amused.

Even rural poultry keepers have experienced protests about cockerels, and the Environmental Health Department is obliged to investigate every complaint.

Aggression in Cockerels

Some cockerels are protective of their hens or feed and become aggressive towards people. Don’t underestimate a hostile cockerel – spurs can shred jeans, even wellies, and may also cause a nasty infection.

Even little cockerels can be feisty and are often good flyers, bringing them dangerously close to face level.

Obviously such birds must be kept well away from children and are unlikely to be a successful addition to the garden.

Although some breeds are more likely to be aggressive, it isn’t possible to guarantee that any cockerel will be placid. Some change temperament with maturity or during the breeding season – tame cockerels can be particularly difficult as they have no fear of humans.

Various remedies have been suggested for cockerels that play dirty but their long-term effectiveness is debatable. I’ve found a large water pistol quite handy, but bearing arms isn’t always practical. A dustbin lid also makes a good shield but really there is only one solution to a troublesome cockerel – which is probably why they invented Coq-au-Vin.