This warm weather has been a mixed blessing. If you were holidaying it was great, but warm, humid and sometimes wet weather, is great for parasites as well as garden weeds.
If you are rearing then controlling coccidia should be at the front of your mind. However, once the birds reach adulthood coccidia are usually more of an interesting finding than a cause for concern. However, worms and red mite are of concern to all of you. More thoughts on this later.
SYMPTOMS BUT NO DIAGNOSIS AS YET
This has been another busy month. One afternoon was spent with a Bristol Vet student trying to establish the cause of the illness of one of her mother’s hens. The hen had to be euthanased and determining the cause of her sickness did not prove to be easy. I had thought that Marek’s disease was going to be the likeliest reason but that was not the case. So at the moment, I am still mulling over the clinical signs, post-mortem findings and possible reasons for her sickness. Hopefully, by next month I will have that sorted. In the meantime, a reminder that signs that may be quite obvious and dramatic when alive such as apparent blindness and inability to stand, may not be necessarily be associated with dramatic post-mortem findings.
As ever, it comes down to how much are you prepared to spend to find out? Even after parting with hundreds of pounds you may be none the wiser. We will, of course, know what it is not!
MEET DAVID AND THE SALISBURY POULTRY CLUB
The New Forest & Hampshire County Show 25th, 26th and 27th July 2023 are planning a Farm Experience Zone within which will be a Show farm along with displays and poultry related items. Unfortunately, there will not be any live poultry present.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von The Country Smallholder.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von The Country Smallholder.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Miniature Jersey Cattle-the only two in the UK?
Sally Crozer hopes there will be more
You can help protect baby birds this breeding season
The RSBP says you can help all nesters but particularly watch out for ground nesting birds many of which are under threat
Smallholding profile: Pocket House Studio
Helen Babbs visits a thriving Hebridean croft and weaving studio
Grow Your Own refreshing brews
Mel Thomas says there are so many possibilities from your own back garden
Making the most of fresh eggs and summer fruit
Henrietta Balcon celebrates the season of abundance
How to deal with Pests the Natural Way
Lee Senior says create a healthy predator-prey balance in your garden
How to create a hen-friendly garden
The British Hen Welfare Trust share their top tips to strike a perfect balance.
Do chickens really experience empathy?
This month, Paul Donovan turns his attention to the psychological side of poultry behaviour, and investigates whether hens sense empathy – a trait indicative of mammals.
Care of the fleece begins at shearing time
Claire Boley gives a guide to sorting and storing a fleece so it’s in good condition for spinning
We're going on an alpaca walking experience
Cathy Darcey & Stuart Woolley share their journey with alpacas – and other animals – to make a business out of something they love doing