Healthy Hens

I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of good hygiene:

– Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and preferably an antibacterial solution after handling chickens or eggs.

– Wash out chicken houses regularly with a Jeyes Fluid solution as instructed on the can.

– Red mite are very active this year so use a spray or fumigation bomb as a deterrent and keep them away. This will save you the problem of having to exterminate them at a later date if they arrive unannounced!  Red mite can be detected either by physically noticing your hens scratching more than usual or running a piece of damp kitchen roll on the underside of their perches. You will see a red residue if the red mite is present.

– Lice however can also be a problem if not kept at bay and for these you will need to physically check under the perches and in every crack and crevice. Use a magnifying glass and mirror if necessary if for example your perches are fixed so you cannot remove them to check.  Once again preventing them coming in the first place may cost a small amount but it is a really good idea.

Also please remember to exclude the fowl from free ranging in areas that have been sprayed with weed killer or fertiliser, slug pellets etc.

Please phone me if you have any questions or need supplies of Mite treatments.

Jane at Chicken Essentials

Oak Cottage

Newbury Road

Kingsclere Berks RG20 4TA

Tel: 0777 5166 938