Healthy Practices for Backyard Poultry

Healthy Practices for Backyard Poultry Timothy McDermott DVM Ag/NR Hocking Co.

What is your purpose? Meat Production Egg Production Dual Purpose Show breeds

Considerations: Rules and Regulations • Franklin Co. website Where to get your bird(s)? • Hatch, chick, adult Housing Food Water Health

Where to Find Chicks • Day-old chicks from hatchery (NPIP) • Most require ordering minimum amount • For example, Meyer Hatchery, Polk, OH • 15 minimum January-March • 3 minimum April-December • What will you do with remainder? • Can order sexed large fowl, but straight run bantams • Need brooder and heat source • 90-95 degrees first 2 weeks then reduce by 5 degrees every week until 1 month old.

Incubate Your Own OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION • Learning experience for family • Eggs from hatchery or breeder • Can get fewer from breeder • Could end up with all cockerels • Percent hatch varies • 85% considered good hatch • Need to find homes for remainder • Need to brood chicks 2-week old Salmon Faverolles

Do you need a Rooster? Not needed for egg production Only if you want to hatch chicks Can be aggressive Can be noisy May not be allowed Request hens, not “straight run”

Terminology Chickens • Hen and Rooster • Baby chicken is a chick • A pullet is an immature female chicken • A cockerel is an immature male chicken Turkeys • Males are Toms • Females are Hens • Babies are poults

What do Chickens Need? Food Water Shelter

Feed and Feeding Store feed in rodent proof container Types of feeders • Cleanable, safe, sturdy Commercially available feeds: • Primarily corn and soybeans • Vitamins and minerals added for nutritional balance • Formulations vary based on age and purpose • Starter • Grower • Layer

Starter Feed Higher in protein 18-20% Feed for at least 5 weeks DO NOT feed to layer hens • Not enough Calcium Medicated • Amprolium – coccidiostat • Not needed in older chickens usually

Feed until sexual maturity OK to supplement rations up to 20% • Table scraps, etc…. Grower Feed

Layer Feed Lower in Protein, Higher in Calcium 4% DO NOT feed to growing birds • Will result in Phosphorus deficiency RICKETTS • Pulls Calcium from bones if no supplement • Bones are set when older, less critical to supplement MIXED FLOCKS? • Can supplement Grower feed with oyster shells to layers

Egg Colors and Sizes • White hens can lay white or brown eggs • Some breeds can lay blue/green eggs • Hens lay about one egg per day • Leghorns – bred for high egg numbers – Commercial breed • DO NOT wash eggs, they have pores

Water and Waterers Fresh water every day (65 degrees) • Twice per day maybe, might be out by midday Keep manure out of water Keep from tipping over Chickens cool off like dogs Needs change with age and weather

Housing Where to place it? Ventilation – dry and draft free What kind of litter to use? Predator proof Cleanable Heatable? Size? (How many birds) • Avg. 2 sq. ft. per bird

Housing Lighting • Year round eggs? • 60w bulb every 40’(13w CFL) • 14 to 16 hours Nest Boxes • 1 for every 4 or 5 hens • Need to be easy to clean • Egg access Perches • Chickens like them – safe place • 6-8 linear inches per hen, 2-3” diameter round • Not right above nests or get manure in nests, make perches part of your cleaning plan • Domestic chickens originally from SA jungle fowl

Things Chickens Want Temperature Regulation • 65-75 degrees is ideal The ability to do their thing Freedom from fear and stress Friends

Other Considerations Manure Molting Diseases Biosecurity

Manure Management Compost? • Need hot or long compost for pathogens Bag and throw away • Keep out of food, water and nest boxes • Clean everyday, keeps it off eggs Do not let build up • Bugs • Disease • Smell • Moisture

Molting Losing old feathers and growing new feathers Egg production usually stops at this time Can be variable when this happens Hens will lose weight during this process Can be brought on by stress Can be brought on by nutrition

Common Chicken Diseases Respiratory Parasites • Internal • External Gastrointestinal BIOSECURITY Good husbandry will minimize illness

Biosecurity Practices Aimed to Prevent Indirect Transmission of Disease OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION • Domestic Animals • Don’t bring pets or allow them access to your birds • Cats carriers of diseases to birds more so than dogs • Wild Animals • Must house birds in animal-proof/bird-proof houses VS HUMANS??!!

Many thanks!! Jean Sander DVM, MAM DACPV • Dean , Center of Vet Health Sciences, Okie St. Lucinda Miller OSUE Specialist 4-H

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Healthy Practices for Backyard Poultry