Lice and mites seek out lovely warm blooded bodies to make their new home. Nest sitting poultry become a favourite target, even more so for the broody mother hen sitting on her fertilised eggs for hatching.

The longer a birds sits, the chances of external pests increases significantly.

These pests can cause a wide range of problems for the hen such as discomfort and irritation, anemia, loss of body weight, decreased immune response (some mites can be responsible for introducing some diseases to the birds such as fowl pox and salmonella), and even death.

Body weight decreases significantly in nesting mother hens as their food intake is dramatically reduced.

Summer is mite season. Mite activity is reduced during winter.
​

​HOW TO IDENTIFY THE MITES
It may be difficult to identify mites on a hen as mites can be very illusive at the best of times. Her comb will be paler in colour due to her long broody hatching time, which is commonly associated with anemia. Some hens are more prone to abandoning their eggs in the nest to dust bathe more frequently to control the mites.

Depending on the type of mites, some are more visible such as crawling over the eggs.
​

AVOID
NO Malaban Wash or Maldisan 50
NO Pestene powder
These chemicals are too strong for chicks

​
PREVENTION

• Keep the nesting boxes clean (daily)
• Replace the nesting box material (seasonally)
• Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth (DE) or Pestene Pest Dust BENEATH the nesting materials*
• Clean the WHOLE shed (seasonally)
• Spray shed with Coopex
• PEST DUST THE POULTRY with Pestene (time it with worming, every 3 months)

NESTING BOX FOR HATCHING

• * Avoid using Pestene in nesting boxes that you intend to use for hatching with a broody hen.
  This is because Pestene and DE is considered harmful for chicks to breathe in.
• It is a little safer to pest dust the broody hen prior to her egg sitting to hatch.
• Sometimes, the nest that the hen chooses cannot be avoided and may already contain pest dust. Just ensure that the nesting materials are thick.

TREATING FOR MITES AFTER HATCHING
There is only one safe option to treat both mother hen and her chicks: IVERMECTIN.

• Ivermectin is a veterinary drug (but may be available through selected fodder stores)
• Application: Drops on the back of the neck (absorbed into the blood stream)
• Dosage for chicks may require the drug to be watered down (consult your vet for correct dosage according to weight)

Ivermectin has an egg withhold period, but mother hen will not be back to her normal laying until the chicks have gained maturity and have left mother hen's side.

Change the nesting material if you get a chance, as mother hen and chicks will get up to eat and drink occasionally.

Ivermectin treats all external parasites on poultry.

Nu-Stock is a topical cream for fast pain relief for many animals, which applied for skin, hair and fur conditions.

It does not contain any steroids, so can be used over a good length of time for treatment.

This product is used to treat bruises, deep wounds, skin disorders, cuts, swellings, soreness, hair loss, tender hooves and non-specific dermatose. It also claims to help healthy hair regrow and wounds to heal over well.

Nu-Stock recommends their product for: dogs, horses, cattle, sheep and alpacas.

Can be used on the nose, ears and legs.

Apply once every 3 days.

​
There is one other claim on the product - "Kills mites on contact"
It's this line that many poultry owners want to know if they can use it on their birds.

​There is nothing on the product to indicate that it would be dangerous to poultry, however, the aim of this product is not for birds.

Nu-Stock makes no claims that this is appropriate for poultry.

So let's look at this ingredients for better clarification:

Ingredients: Sulfur 73%, Pine oil 2%, Mineral oil 25%


If you intend to use this on one or more of your poultry as mite treatment, consider the fact that mites are hard to track down in amongst feathers, unlike fur.

Fur can be parted and skin patches with hair loss often indicate where the mites have burrowed.


THE ALTERNATIVE
The practicality of using the product may be the biggest hindrance, since if ONE bird has mites, so may many of the others in the flock. In that case, dunking them in a luke warm bath with Maldisan 50 may be more effective. Please do not wash their heads in this solution.

Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease that is a common illness in chicks that can lead to death if not treated.

Pronounced at ‘cok-sid-E-ow-sis’, also known as Cocci (‘cok-see’).

Coccidiosis comes from protozoa that occurs naturally within the chick’s intestines, multiplies too quickly. Protozoa are basically harmless little creatures in the gut, but if the balance is thrown out, some can cause serious illness. Those protozoa that cause the harm are called Coccidia.

This condition is not transferrable to humans from birds.
 

HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED?
Ground fed birds are likely to be exposed to coccidia throughout their lives. If their immune system is well supported, diet balanced, kept in a clean environment and the hens are not over-crowded, the incidents of coccidiosis are greatly reduced. Stress in the flock, especially through overcrowding is a strong contributor.

In the coccidia life cycle, for each egg that hatches in a bird’s intestines there are a million released through their droppings. Chicks are likely to pick up on coccidian eggs in droppings in their food, water and bedding. This is why food and water must be changed daily. A warm soapy wash of their feeders and drinkers is essential. Litter in the brooder or coop must be regularly changed.

Poultry can build up a natural immunity throughout their life; that is why Coccidiosis is the most common in the young pullets and chicks.

 
COCCIDIOSIS SYMPTOMS
Blood in the droppings is the most obvious sign of Coccidiosis.

In older hens, the bloody stool is most likely to occur in the morning droppings. So checking the coop’s overnight droppings when letting the hens out in the morning is a good habit to get into.
​

​AGE MOST SUSCPETIBLE
Newly hatched chicks are the LEAST likely to have Coccidiosis as the life cycle of coccidia is at least 5 days after it is contracted.

Usually the first signs around be at 10 days or older.

The most common time for Coccidiosis in chicks is around 3 to 6 weeks of age,
​with the worst cases occurring at 4 to 5 weeks of age.

If a condition arises within the first 5 days of life, it is most likely to be caused by a yolk sac infection which enters through a wet navel at hatching time. Or bacteria may have developed in the egg during incubation (transmitted through dirty hands or unclean incubator). This can be treated with antibiotics if caught quickly enough.
 

HOW TO TREAT COCCIDIOSIS
Medicated chick crumble (with coccidiostats) will not be enough to cure an infected chick. Usually, the chick will have a loss of appetite by this stage but will still keep drinking.

This disease is serious and needs to be treated with an anticoccidial in the drinking water.

• Amprolium 200
  Available from: Dine-A-Chick or Planet Poultry
• Baycox (farming grade)
  Available from: Vet-n-Pet Direct

​This medication is appropriate for both chicks and adult laying hens.
All of the flock should be treated together at the same time with the medicated water to prevent further outbreak.
There is an expiry date on these medications, please ensure they are within the date of use.
​

Both chicks and adult chickens and ducks can suffer from Wry Neck. Also known as Star Gazing or Crook Neck.

Adult poultry are more likely to only suffer Wry Neck due to a bad diet. This condition seems to be more common in chicks due to parents genetics and health.

Remember to isolate your affected bird/s immediately to prevent bullying from the other birds.


What is Wry Neck?
Poultry with the disorder cannot hold their heads up on their own and as it progressively gets worse, affected birds start to fall over or lie on their backs unable to walk freely on their own and appear to walk backwards. With an inability to bend their neck to access food and water, they are likely to starve and become dehydrated, so they need your help.

Wry Neck is a Vitamin E deficiency that can be corrected.

​Birds that do not show significant improvements after a period of treatment may need to be culled.


Causes of Wry Neck
Wry Neck can be caused by a number of factors,such as:

• Vitamin deficiency
• Genetics
• Poor nutrition during development in egg
• Head injury
• Botulism
• Ingesting of toxins

Diet is the most probable cause overall. Botulism can be transmitted by a food source that has become moldy after becoming wet. Other toxins may come through other food sources within the yard that are not good for poultry to eat.

​Head injuries are most likely to occur due to hen pecking, a fight for the social order.


Does this affect some breeds more than others?
Polish and Silkies are the most prone to Wry Neck, but not exclusive to.
All chicken and duck breeds are susceptible.


Vitamin Deficiency
A lack of Vitamin E in the birds' diet can lead to Wry Neck. So correcting the imbalance immediately will help with recovery.

Vitamin E should be combined with Selenium to aid absorption.
Vitamin B1 is also recommended.

Yes, crushed vitamin tablets are also acceptable, mixed with water.

Supplement of Vitamin E needs to be given orally to the bird daily.

Do not expect immediate improvement as it takes quite some time to start to seem improvement, but just by a change of feed alone will NOT fix Wry Neck.

Most American poultry forums recommend Polyvisol, however in Australia we do not have access to that liquid vitamin.

Instead we can use Vitamin E liquid capsules combined with a soluble poultry vitamin that contains Selenium such as Fortex Poultry Vitamins (Happy Hens) or similar.

Any vitamin supplement product that lists Sodium Selenite contains Selenium.
If you are unable to locate Selenium in any product, feed the affected bird with cooked mashed up eggs (not seasoned).

Dosage varies from owner to owner. Mixing Vitamin E with a soluble poultry vitamin and a little honey seems to be the best answer.

Amount will depend on age and weight of the bird. Consult your vet for dosage requirements.
Remember only to use an eye dropper amount for newly hatched chicks.


Poultry Forum Confusion
Forums can contain confusing and conflicting information about how much should be administered and whether iron supplements should be withheld or not.

If Molasses is ever recommended, just remember that Molasses is high in Iron and can also cause a flushing out if given too much of. We do not want any vitamins being flushed out right now during treatment.

NEVER give chicks Molasses!
Molasses is ONLY for adult poultry.

Many people recommend omitting iron completely until the affected bird is recovered.

I would err on the side of caution and omit iron if possible.


Prevention is Better than Cure

• Ensure that the poultry have a well balanced diet from a reputable fodder company rather than feeding wheat alone or providing only a grazing diet. Pellets and crushed mixed grains contain all essential vitamin, protein and mineral needs.
• Keep all food sources clean, free of moisture and mold.
• Do not over crowd poultry as this can lead to boredom and bullying, which can lead to injury or being kept away from food sources.
• Provide more herbs in their diet.
• Breed only from birds that are healthy, in optimum condition on a well balanced diet.

Foods High in Vitamin E
These foods are only recommended for adult poultry, not for chicks or ducklings:

• Sunflower Seeds (black not supermarket variety)
• Olive Oil
• Dandelion
• Spinach
• Silverbeet
• Sweet potato
• Nettle
• Broccoli
• Tomato
• Kiwi Fruit
• Almonds (ground)
• Butternut Squash and seeds (ground)
• Alfalfa
• Sage
• Thyme
• Basil
• Parsley

Spices that contain both Vitamin E and Selenium include:

• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Cumin
• Caraway Seeds
• Cayenne Pepper
• Tumeric

Summary
You will need to assist the bird with eating and drinking, and by the administering of vitamin supplements by eye dropper or small syringe, daily.

A light massage and untwisting of the neck also needs to be performed daily with care to help the neck recover.

Recovery period will take quite some time, often a few weeks in badly affected birds (particularly older chickens).
​Chicks may recover quickly.

​Keep the affected bird/s isolated during treatment until fully recovered and able to eat and drink unassisted.

A diet varied in food treats from the lists above will help maintain their health.

​

Mary O'Brien from The Egg Farm website gives her tips here on what dosage she used in this video here:
Wry Neck in Baby Chick


Other BackYardChickens.com Forums worth reading:

A happy ending to a Wry Neck chick story

Wry Neck in 2 day old chick

Wry Neck in new chick
​
Chick with Wry Neck treated

1. Bellsouth Poultry Equipment
2. Brookfield Poultry Equipment
3. WA Poultry Equipment

In most of these stores you will find:

• Incubators
• Brooders/Heat Lamps
• Thermometers/Hygrometers
• Leg Rings
• Books & Posters on Breeds
• Drinkers/Feeders
• General medications
• Nesting Boxes & Roll Away Nesting Boxes (for egg eaters and crows that steal eggs)
• Poultry Processing equipment
• Egg Scales
• Traps and Tools

All post nationwide and are based in Australia.
​

If your yard is anything like mine, that it becomes a muddy mess in winter, then using materials like gravel, large stones and pavers seem like a good solution.

And those ARE good for drainage in those really boggy areas.

The problem is the TYPE of stone.
YES. Bumblefoot CAN be caused by certain gravel or stones.

For about a year or two, the cases of bumblefoot rose amongst my hens. It was quite exasperating as we thought we had taken care of the mud and garden design beautifully. We were blaming our chicken shed perches and altering only them.

We could not use pavers because they would not allow for the severe boggy areas to drain properly. So we chose blue stone, or blue metal. It was affordable in bulk and it complimented the colour of the retaining walls.

That stone was the cause. The amount of edges on each of those stones were just the right size to cause foot injury to our hens.

What is Bumblefoot?

Bumblefoot is the term for a swelling on the bottom of the foot on the pad or in between the toes.
It can be hard or soft.

The condition is very common in most backyards.

Most chickens may walk with a slight limp or refuse to perch at night. The foot will feel very hot to the touch. That is because of the body trying to fight the infection.

The cause of Bumblefoot is by a minor injury, such as bruising, a puncture wound or a scrape.

These types of injuries most often occur when the hen lands badly on a rough surface or onto an unforeseen object in the grass.

If left untreated, over time the wound will become a deep-seated abscess with scar tissue.

Bumblefoot can be exasperated over time by a series of repeated minor injuries to the foot. These include:

• Rough surfaces such as gravel, sticks and other objects in the yard
• Bruised foot from landing hard after jumping down from a perch
• Round, plastic or straight perches
• Over weight hens
• Poor nutrition, high in carbohydrates or deficient in Vitamin A
• Puncture wounds from splinters, nails, or other sharp objects in the yard or coop
• Wet bedding and cold weather

Its not just the first injury that will cause the problem. The ground on which they walk contains a series of bacterias that are looking for a way into an injury. That is why it is very important to keep the coop clean and dry.

The cold weather also slows down blood flow to the feet which can hinder healing an injured and inflamed foot.


Two Types of Bumblefoot

1. Hard
2. Soft

You can treat the soft, squishy Bumblefoot at home but the hard bumblefoot with the distinct black scab needs to be operated on by your avian vet.

Treating Soft:

• Betadine (Iodine Solution)
• Self-Adhesive Bandages
• Padding such as Melonite or Melolin - cut into 2cm x 2cm squares

Wet a square of padding with iodine.
Place on foot and lightly wrap the foot with the self-adhesive bandage. Add a little tape to the top to stop it being pecked off.
Change once a day.
This may help take out the swelling and help stop it turning into the hard Bumblefoot which would require surgery.

​Prevention is Better than Cure

Investigate your coop and yard thoroughly.

Check the following:

1. Remove sharp rocks, gravels and stones - opt for river stones that are round and slabs of stone as stepping stones.
2. Roosting rails - the more natural feeling, akin to being branch-like the better so that foot pressure can be altered.
3. Clean coop flooring - especially remove if wet and cold
4. Optimum nutrition - access to red, orange, yellow fruit & veg as well as leafy greens. Cut down on treats like bread, sunflower seeds and corn.
5. Clean up the yard - locate any rubbish, fruit stones or sticks that could cause injury if walked upon by your poultry.
6. Keep them out of the wettest part of the yard - open or new wounds will soon be infected if feet are constantly wet.

Special Note on Perches

Roosting rails should be the right size for your poultry's size.
Bantams 1" (2.5 cm) diameter rail
All other larger breeds 2" (5 cm) diameter rail

X Too often I see dowel railing used for perches, especially for Isa Browns. Please choose a larger piece of wood and rough it up, followed by a light sanding to reduce any splintering. They need a larger perch size to prevent Bumblefoot AND the desire to perch at night.


Change the Stones

Changing your choice of stones, pebbles or gravel can make a big difference.

We reduced the amount of the blue stone/blue metal gravel in our yard by getting large slabs of flat stones. We still kept some of the gravel which we used in between the stone slabs. The hens' feet do not come into direct contact with the gravel now, and the drainage still works wonderfully well.

Choose stones that rounder and slightly larger too.

Small gravel also gets scratched around by the hens so it ends up everywhere you don't want it. That's why larger stones are the best.

Gravel mixes like the the Barossa Gravel would be too small even though its nice and rounded,

This was our fix and we are so pleased with it. It has definitely reduced the incidents of Bumblefoot amongst our girls.

Giving poultry necessary antibiotics when bacterial infections arise always comes with a veterinary warning to withhold eating or selling eggs for a period of time.

This article could actually be re-titled "How I poisoned myself by one egg in July" because that is precisely what I did even though I am a strong advocate for egg withhold. AND I am highly allergic to Penicillin based antibiotics.

Egg withhold from antibiotics is recommended to between 14 to 45 days.
Longer is better especially for people who are very sensitive to the drug, like me.

That is because the antibiotics are transmitted into the reproductive area of the poultry. While the yolks are actively growing in the body before the shell is added, they are directly exposed to the medication.

The meat of the bird is also directly exposed to the medication and also cannot be consumed within this withhold period.

Different medications may have a longer or shorter withhold, but this must always be discussed with your vet for clarification.

Worming medications that contain the active ingredient of Levimasole do not have any withhold period. It is quite safe to eat eggs during that medication. However, there are some other types that may include egg withhold.

Please read instructions carefully and consult your vet for clear directions.


How I Poisoned Myself By One Egg in July

Hi, my name is Janine. I'm a chicken owner who had a sick Orpington hen. And I did bad egg withhold practice. I am also terribly allergic to penicillin.

To be honest, July is winter and often my hens stop laying or lay more infrequently during the cold months and I really did not think that my sick hen was going to lay. In fact, my husband even rolled his eyes at me when I suggested that we get the outside quarantine shed ready for her, as she had been kept inside and warm while she was receiving her five days of antibiotic treatment by injection.

To set up that yard in heavy rain was looking really unappealing and we hadn't noticed her lay an egg throughout the whole time we had her inside in a pet tent.

The purpose of quarantining her outside after the medication is to help prevent spread of her illness and to not confuse her eggs with the other healthy hens. Since it was bacterial and not viral it cut out one of the reasons to keep in quarantine. Combined with the no eggs, why keep her locked up on her own, at all?

The perfect storm was brewing.

We let her go...and she laid an egg.

And I knew which one was her egg.
That's the beauty of owning different breeds, their egg colour can be very useful to tell who is laying.

I have previously eaten an egg 14 days after the last antibiotics were given to one of my hens a couple of years ago, and I did not feel very good in my stomach. But it passed and I got better again by the next day.

But I had never consumed an egg from a treated hen so soon after the last injection was given.
Could I handle it?

Well, by this point you are probably thinking I planned to do this.
No, you would be wrong.

In fact, I accidentally ate that egg. And it was only a little later in the day that I realised my error!


Allergy Signs of a Penicillin Sensitive Person

These signs are based on my personal experience only.

If I had taken a penicillin based antibiotic directly into my body by tablet or injection I would be taken to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. My condition would have been much more severe. Mental confusion, migraines, vomiting and pains are the result from wrongfully prescribing that type of medication to someone like me.

So great was my mental confusion that I cannot accurately describe my experiences, but I do know that I was given morphine to help with the severe pains.

Ingesting an antibiotic through egg or meat has a slightly different effect.

DAY 1 - Tummy upset, slight mental confusion begins, generally not feeling very well, need to lay down.
(In the shower I attempted to shave my armpits with my toothbrush, type of confusion)

DAY 2 - Feeling very unwell, kidney and liver pains, stomach upset. Increased discomfort with the unsure feeling of which end everything will come out of.

DAY 3 to 5 - Inability to leave the house or be too far from a toilet. Mouth ulcers begin to appear. Antibiotics also kill off all the good bacteria so they need to be replaced with Probiotics during this time. The pain from kidneys and liver causes fever and shakes. This is controlled by anti-inflammatory medication every 6 hours.

DAY 6 - Pains decrease significantly. Able to work and eat again without incident. Feeling of illness begins to lift.

It was HORRIBLE!


Please learn from my mistake and obey the egg withhold instructions.
14 to 45 days.

Eggs must be placed in the bin.

Not fed back to the chickens, sold/given away in a carton or placed in the compost.
Bin them.

Even if you do not have an antibiotic allergy, ingesting egg or meat that has been treated will be absorbed by your body to some degree. Long term use of antibiotics can have a detrimental effect for future medical use and can lead to a future intolerance.


Has this ever happened to you?
​Let us know in the comments below.

I have received so many enquiries about where to buy VetRX from in Australia that I need to update everyone.

It can be VERY DIFFICULT to source VetRX in Australia.

On my investigations, I found many who import this product can only get it in small batches at a time from the USA, so when they get it in it often sells out fast.

There are various places that do stock it. Mostly the more rural the fodder/farm store is the more likely they might have it, ironically. The city seems to be the worst place to look in South Australia.


STOCKISTS

Hills Farm Supplies at Mount Barker have had it in stock.

Michelle Worrell of Australian Rural & Veterinary Supplies on Facebook.
Many people email me to tell me she no longer stocks it, but she does get it back again throughout the year.
I frequently let you know via my Facebook page when it is listed.

Green Mums Perma-Poultry from QLD also are stockists.
They post Australia-wide.

​
If you know of any other sellers, please let me know.

​All chickens have some worms in their guts at all times. Its a fact of life for a forager. As chicken owners, our job is to ensure that the balance in their gut does not get out of control and turn into a full infestation.

Whenever poultry scratch and peck through their yard there is always the potential for them to ingest worm eggs. This can come directly from the soil or in the bugs that they eat. Even cockroaches and earth worms can harbour worms in their gut.

Most importantly, keeping their water sources covered and the pigeons and other native birds out of their food and water areas is really important. Visiting birds can leave new worms infestations via their droppings.

If your visiting population of pigeons to your yard has increased since introducing chickens to your backyard, then change the type of feeders and water containers you use. Opt for treadle feeders (e.g. Grandpa's Feeder) and PVC pipe drinkers with a cup (e.g. Royal Rooster) or a nipple drinking system. Keeping these sources secure from the "rats of the air" will soon discourage their visits and reduce the potential of more worms in your flock.

​​How often should they be wormed?

Every 3 months your poultry should be wormed to break the worm life cycle. We need to interrupt it at crucial points to prevent ongoing problems.

START on the first day of a new season to keep track of when your next worming and pest dusting should occur.

Some people like to follow up with a second worming within 14 days to make sure that a particularly nasty outbreak is dealt a reasonable blow.

Some owners only worm every 6 months. While this is not ideal, if your yard is relatively free of native birds invading the chicken coop and foraging is limited to their built in run, then 6 months seems to work reasonably well.


What is the most important active ingredient?

Levamisole is a broad-spectrum worming ingredient.

There are different levels of Levamisole amongst brands. This can be helpful if the type of worm infecting your flock is highly persistent.

Aristopet: 8.48g/L
Big L: 14g/L
Nilverm: 16g/L


​How to administer the Worming Medication

​Remove ALL water sources from the yard.

Start the process first thing in the morning. This can begin when you put the chickens to bed so that their first drink for the morning will be the worming medicine.

Replace their water source with only 1 Litre of the medicated water.
This ratio will be according to the bottle's instructions.
e.g. Aristopet: 8ml of wormer to 100ml of water = 80ml of wormer to 1 Litre of water

Mix the correct ratio of medication to water and ADD a small amount of sugar to the mix (1 tsp to 1 Tbsp). Adding a little sugar is more likely to encourage the hens to drink the mix.

I also recommend using a 5ml pull-back syringe.
Take up 5ml of the mix and administer to each hen the amount, 1ml at a time.
Allow them to swallow a mil and then give the next mil, until the 5ml is consumed.

The worming medication needs to stay in their yard for 24 hours.

Giving them their worming medication without a syringe is fine. It only helps to tell us that we know that they have taken some of their medication at least. It is not essential.

If you do not think that they have touched their water at all in 24 hours, repeat for another one to two days. Throw out the old medicated water and replace with a fresh batch every 24 hours. Chickens cannot go without drinking past 2 days, so persistence will pay off.

Worming medications do not smell or taste very nice, so we can't blame our chookies for trying to get out of taking their wormer. Just be persistent.

What are the signs of an unwormed chicken?

A dirty bottom.
That's the first and most common reason why a chicken will have an untidy rear end. Worms cause chickens to have a dirty bottom.

A reduction in egg production or a change in behaviour or personality are the other main traits that indicate that worms might be at play.

Keeping an eye on their dropping, especially first thing in the morning under their roosting rails will help to diagnose the situation.

If you are not already obsessed with chicken poo, then I hope you will be now, because their droppings tell us an enormous amount about what is going on inside our poultry.

Some worms are very evident in the hens' droppings. Other times, tell tale eggs will be noticeable.


Type of worms that commonly affect poultry

Roundworm
Cecal worms
Eyeworm
Gapeworm
Tapeworm

For more information, check out dummies.com
There is also a Chicken Health for Dummies book available in all good book stores and online stores.

​What worming medications are appropriate?

I highly recommend purchasing the large bottles rather than the smaller ones especially if you have more than one chicken shed or a severe outbreak that needs a follow-up worming. They cost the same in volume.

1. Artistopet - Wormer for Poultry
2. Sykes Big L
3. Nilverm
4. Kilverm

​Other Facts

Chickens cannot be wormed with medications designed for cats and dogs as their gut and genetic make-up is very different. You will, however, find that many medications for poultry are also suitable for pigs.

There is NO Egg Withhold on any worming products. You can safely eat their eggs during their worming.

Worms are NOT the same as lice and mites which live on the outside of the poultry. Worming medication will NOT rid your birds of these.

Earth Worms are not the bad worms, but they can be carriers of other bad worms, and so can slugs and snails. The good news is that chickens are not particularly fond of slugs and snails, but ducks adore them.

Meal Worms are usually cultivated within a clean environment inside in isolation containers. As they are not exposed to outside contaminated sources, they are usually free of internal worms. Warning: Meal Worms are considered CANDY to chickens, and your girls will adore you for such a treat.

I've had quite a number of people ask me more about VetRX which is very hard to come by in Australia. So I have began trialing my own version of natural oils to test on my hens. Could I make my own VetRX?

My aim was to come close to the ingredients of VetRX as much as possible that was affordable, because when you source quality essential oils they can be quite expensive.

My first step was to write out the list of ingredients from the product.

Since I was only making my version for respiratory relief I could omit Canadian Balsam and Camphor. After so much investigating into these couple of ingredients I was almost ready just to get the Vick's Vapor Rub out instead. As an applicator these two ingredients would be necessary, but not necessary for inhalation. The application method has its value too, but not for this experiment.

I broke it down to two main essential oils in the ingredients which are Rosemary and Oregano.
I then added one extra oil to that, Thyme.

Three Essential Oils

Rosemary
Rosemary is said to stimulate hair growth, boost mental activity, immune system booster, relieve respiratory problems and aid in pain relief. Rosemary oil also has antiseptic qualities. Proven effective for respiratory infections. The oil is antispasmodic and is therefore used in some case of bronchial asthma.

Oregano
Oregano helps fight infections and great as a digestive aid. Commonly used for infections of the urinary tract, yeast, respiratory, fungal and parasites. High in zinc, magnesium and vitamins C and E.

Thyme
Helps to aid recovery from chest infections and coughs. Antispasmodic, antiseptic, antibacterial, and stimulates the circulation, digestion, nervous system, hormones thus aiding the whole metabolism.


How To Administer

When I have sick chicken I isolate her from the other poultry in a quarantine coop or inside the house or shed in a pop-up pet tent. Respiratory relief is then administered by a diffuser in that confined space to maximum effect - free of draught.

I used the Uniwide 1.3L Ultrasonic LED Air Humidifier & Duffuser which has a small oil compartment tray on which I placed three (3) drops each of each of the essential oils. Make sure not to over fill the water container or it will not diffuse.

If I have a hen in a pet tent I lay a sheet or blanket over the top to keep the vapor surrounding the sick hen.

I let it diffuse for approximately half an hour which completely eased the hens wheezing and coughing.

Medical Advice

Using essential oils or VetRX alone is not enough to help a chicken recover from a bronchial infection. This method only aids to soothe and speed up recovery. Please contact your local vet as soon as you discover any of your poultry with a respiratory issue. Look for signs of nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing and the sound of a chest infection.

My hens were treated with a five day course of Alamycin La injections once a day in conjunction with the essential oil treatment.

If symptoms persist after medication and essential oil diffuser, investigate the quarantine enclosure for signs of mold particularly under the flooring materials or in walls. I did find mold growing in one quarantine coop, cleaned it out thoroughly and no more respiratory issues were heard afterwards.
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A lot of people have been asking if anyone knows where they can buy some Vetericyn wound spray. It can be a little tricky to find in Australia. So here is quick run down on whether it is worthwhile adding to your poultry first aid kit.

Vetericyn Spray is a safe wound spray for animals and poultry for injuries that are exposed. This might be due to a an eye infection, feather picking, predator or pecking order attack, operation, mating injuries, post-op, flying into a fence, etc.

There is no egg withhold with Vetericyn Wound Spray like there can be with the 'purple' or 'blue' sprays such as Blu Kote.

And that is because of the ingredients which effectively is just a salt water solution.
Yes, just salt water.

It is not a product that would be the best for bumblefoot as an antibiotic spray or cream would be of greater benefit to that type of wound.

Retailing in Australia at around $42 for 118ml (4 oz), it is a lot to pay for salt water. 

Here's a quick run down to see the active ingredients according to the panel.

H2O = water (electrolyzed or not, it will still be water)
NaCl = salt (table salt)
NaOCl = bleach (for water purification)


You CAN make it - Home Recipe

You may have made it before especially if you or an infant have ever had an eye infection.
Use cooled boiled tap water from the kettle and regular salt. (Non-iodised)

Ratio: 1 teaspoon of salt per 500ml of water

- Mix well and pour into a clean spray bottle.
- Alternatively use a small Chux cloth wipe cut into small squares to moisten with the salt water solution for areas on your pet that need to wiped rather than sprayed. Discard used cloth after use.

Important note: Salt water solution should be made up daily, so only make your solution on the day you need to use it and discard any remaining solution after 24 hours.

You can use Vetericyn at $42 per bottle if you want, but dollar for dollar my money is on the good old home remedy.