Health and wellbeing Archives

Can I feed my chicken scraps?

DEFRA regulations state that it is illegal to feed kitchen scraps and they advise against the feeding of wild bird treats.

How can I help my chicken gain weight?

If your chicken is looking a little thin, first rule out any possible causes of weight loss. Check that their digestive systems are working fine, by checking their faeces for changes in consistency. Take a faecal egg count sample and send it off to be tested to ensure that there are no worms within the flock.

When it comes to diet The Chicken Whisperer recommends keeping them on a regular diet of 96% layers pellets with healthy seeds and a few dark greens at the end of the day.
In addition to a good diet, regularly add Nettex Herbal Gut Conditioner or Nettex Poultry Apple Cider Vinegar to their drinking water to help support a healthy digestive system.

How can I help my chicken lose weight?

To ensure your chicken maintains a normal weight, keep them to a diet of 96% layers feed/pellets and just a few seeds and dark greens at the end of the day, plus whatever they can forage in your garden. Human processed, salty, sugary and fatty foods do not have any place in their diet- they are illegal to feed and can cause kidney disease.

How do chickens digest their food?

Chickens don’t have teeth, so they peck and swallow their food. The food moves to the crop – where it can remain for up to 12 hours, and from the crop into the stomach which is also known as the gizzard.

The gizzard is a muscular part of the stomach and uses grit to grind grains and fibre into smaller, more digestible, particles. From the gizzard, food passes into the small intestine, where nutrients are absorbed.

The residue then passes through the caeca, where bacteria help break down undigested food. From the caeca, food moves to the large intestine, which absorbs water and dries out indigestible foods. This remaining residue passes through the cloaca where the chicken’s urine (the white in chicken droppings) mixes with the waste. Both exit the chicken at the vent, the external opening of the cloaca. It is important to note also that 70% of a chickens immunity is in the gut so keeping it healthy and fully functioning is essential to having a happy healthy chicken and can in part explain why chickens expire quickly – if they are exhibiting any form of digestive upset their entire immune system is compromised.

Use of a prebiotic or microbiome supporting supplement such as Nettex Apple Cider Vinegar, Nettex Herbal Gut Conditioner or Nettex Egg and Shell Support Powder will help to support gut health and digestive function.

How do I clip my chicken’s wings?

Clipping your chicken’s wings is easy and does not hurt them. You only clip the wings on one side to make them uneven when they try to fly which means they cannot take off. Clare Taylor (The Chicken Whisperer) recommends that you clip the wings on the left hand side of the chicken as that is the side that has the one functioning ovary which makes them a little heavier on that side. Hold your chicken firmly or ask someone to hold the chicken for you and stretch out the left wing so all the feathers spread out. Using sharp scissors take 2.5-3″ off the primary flight feathers – these are the first 10/12 feathers on the wing. The wings will need re-clipping each time your chicken moults.

How do I conduct a health check?

Each morning it is recommended to ‘walk the flock’ when you let your chickens out – as you move slowly amongst them, watch how they move and check that they are all alert and feeding. You will quickly get to know what is normal for each chicken and what isn’t; that way you will spot any injuries or illness and be able to deal with it without delay.

Every couple of weeks you should get ‘hands-on’ and examine each bird. Hold your chicken firmly and get an idea if you think she may have gained or lost weight – there is no need to weigh each bird, just an idea is fine.

Examine the eyes: Start at the top and check both eyes are open, bright and have no bubbles.
Notice the nostrils: Both nostrils, at the top of the beak, should be clear with no snot or bubbles.
Monitor the mouth: Open the beak gently and check inside – the mouth should be clear and no white deposits caused by canker, and no unusual or unpleasant odour. .
Check the crop: The crop is found on the right hand side of the chest; this should be full in the evening and empty in the morning, you will usually feel a bit of feed in there. You should be concerned if the crop is very hard or your bird’s breath is smelly.
Fettle the feathers: Point of lay pullets (16-20 weeks of age) will have soft feathers and you will be able to feel new ones growing through underneath their plumage – they go through 5 changes of ‘clothes’ before getting their adult ‘wardrobe’. Check all birds for bald patches, signs of pecking or any obvious injuries.
Look at the legs: You should find that a young bird has closely scaled, smooth legs, warm to the touch and no obvious injuries to the legs or palms under the foot. An older bird will have much coarser scales.
View the vent: Now down to the business end. Tuck her head under your arm and get her tail up in the air, you will see a lot of fluff under her tail. Press the flats of your fingers against the fluff directly under her tail and you will be able to feel two pointy bones sticking out – these are her pelvic bones or pin bones. If they are about 2cm apart, she is still young and not yet ready to lay; about 4 to 5cm gap and she is probably already in lay or about to start.
Just above these bones you will see her vent deep in the fluff – it may be pulsing, this is normal. A small dry vent about 1cm across indicates that she is about a month away from laying eggs. A moist vent, about 3 to 4cm across means that she’s mature and ready to lay. Make sure the vent area is kept clean to prevent fly-strike.
Pesky Pests. Part all the fluff and check around the vent, right down to the skin to see if there are any lice or mites scurrying around at the base of the feathers. You are looking to have a healthy hen with no parasites and a nice clean vent.

Top Tip: If your chickens are not keen on being handled wait until after dark, when they are more relaxed, to complete the health check. When the birds have been roosting for about half an hour, gently remove them from the coop and then examine them. It’s also good to be happy handling chickens so that you feel confident enough to do a health check on any new birds before you buy them.

You can see Clare Taylor AKA The Chicken Whisperer perform a health check on our Eggspert Videos:

How do I help my chickens avoid heat stress?

Chickens are very susceptible to overheating. At 105 degrees, their body temperature is much higher than ours; they are unable to sweat and so have to cool themselves down by drinking, panting, fanning out their feathers and seeking shade. In hot weather, ensure your chickens have access to shade and provide plenty of fresh, cool water. You can also pop a frozen bottle of water into their drinker to keep the water cool. Throughout the summer, it is essential to support your flock with appropriate nutrition and supplementation to maintain optimum health, support the immune system and help prevent stress. Add Nettex Vit Boost Tonic to your chicken’s water, this contains essential vitamins and minerals to support health and vitality, plus biotin which helps support feather quality and growth.

How do I help prevent my chickens from getting Bumblefoot?

The first step to take when aiming to help prevent Bumblefoot amongst your chickens is to check that the bedding is clean and dry, as if chickens are standing on wet and soiled bedding this can predispose them to Bumblefoot (the ranging area should also be dry if the flock is confined to a pen). Ensure that there are no sharp objects in the coop or run, and that the perches are in good condition as these can easily cause injury to your hens feet if they are damaged. Owners should also pay close attention to the type of surface their flock stand on, and avoid surfaces made from gravel and other abrasive materials that again can cause injury to their feet.

How do I help prevent my chickens from getting crop impaction?

Prevention is as always much better than cure when it comes to our chicken’s health, therefore it is vital to ensure that the run or area in which the chickens are kept is free from foreign materials such as string or plastic and that the grass is kept short. It is also important that adequate grit is provided within your chickens diet to help them digest feed and grass. Nettex Poultry Egg and Shell Support Powder contains Oyster grit which not only supports egg and shell quality, as the name suggests, but this can also help support digestion.

How do I help prevent sour crop?

Preventative measures for Sour Crop include good housekeeping and hygiene practices, ensuring feed is not mouldy or spoilt, avoiding high starch or carbohydrate rich content human foods and keeping drinkers and feeders clean and free from stale feed. If you have chickens which are recovering from an infection, and are post treatment, using a prebiotic supplement to restore the crop and digestive tract microbiome such as Nettex Herbal Gut Conditioner, Nettex Poultry Apple Cider Vinegar and Nettex Egg and Shell Support Powder will help support recovery.

How do I know if my chicken has bumblefoot?

Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection, causing inflammation and swollen feet; this can be caused by a wound on the footpad. The first thing to do is to check that the bedding is clean and dry. If chickens are standing on wet and soiled bedding this can predispose them to Bumblefoot (the ranging area should also be dry if the flock is confined to a pen). Ensure that there are no sharp objectives in the coop or run, and that the perches are in good condition as these could cause injury to your hen’s feet if they are damaged. Bumblefoot can become quite serious so please seek advice from your vet if in any doubt as antibiotic treatment and bandaging may be required. If the wounds are small and do not appear deep or infected, soaking your chickens feet in warm water with a little antiseptic, then rinse, dry the foot and spray with Nettex Wound Care Spray. Any affected chickens should be kept in a clean and dry environment until the feet have fully healed.

How do I know if my chickens have an impacted crop?

Chickens that you suspect may have an impacted crop can seem depressed with little or no appetite, and have a firm, enlarged crop. If the chicken has an enlarged crop it is important to ensure it has not recently eaten as, after feeding, chickens often have an enlarged crop which shrinks back down as the food is digested. To check whether the chicken has a crop impaction versus a normally enlarged, post feeding crop, owners should remove access to food and monitor the size of the crop over several hours to establish if it is impacted.

The best time to check the crop is early in the morning, when the chickens are let out into their run and before they are fed as the crop should be empty at this time. If the crop is firm at this time, then you should suspect an impaction but always seek advice from your vet as this will need their intervention and treatment.

How do I know if my chickens have sour crop?

Typical symptoms of sour crop are bad or sour smelling breath, with general lethargy, lack of appetite and an enlarged crop (may feel gassy or fluid filled). It may be possible to observe lesions in the mouth and oesophagus, but these are typically more prevalent in the crop and so are not normally visible to owners. Young chicks and growers are more susceptible, but it can also affect mature hens. If you suspect your chicken has sour crop please seek advice as this should be managed by your vet.

How do I know my chickens are healthy?

Examine the eyes: Start at the top and check both eyes are open, bright and have no bubbles.
Notice the nostrils: Both nostrils, at the top of the beak, should be clear with no snot or bubbles.
Monitor the mouth: Open the beak gently and check inside – the mouth should be clear and no white deposits caused by canker, and no unusual or unpleasant odour. .
Check the crop: The crop is found on the right hand side of the chest; this should be full in the evening and empty in the morning, you will usually feel a bit of feed in there. You should be concerned if the crop is very hard or your bird’s breath is smelly.
Fettle the feathers: Point of lay pullets (16-20 weeks of age) will have soft feathers and you will be able to feel new ones growing through underneath their plumage – they go through 5 changes of ‘clothes’ before getting their adult ‘wardrobe’. Check all birds for bald patches, signs of pecking or any obvious injuries.
Look at the legs: You should find that a young bird has closely scaled, smooth legs, warm to the touch and no obvious injuries to the legs or palms under the foot. An older bird will have much coarser scales.
View the vent: Now down to the business end. Tuck her head under your arm and get her tail up in the air, you will see a lot of fluff under her tail. Press the flats of your fingers against the fluff directly under her tail and you will be able to feel two pointy bones sticking out – these are her pelvic bones or pin bones. If they are about 2cm apart, she is still young and not yet ready to lay; about 4 to 5cm gap and she is probably already in lay or about to start.
Just above these bones you will see her vent deep in the fluff – it may be pulsing, this is normal. A small dry vent about 1cm across indicates that she is about a month away from laying eggs. A moist vent, about 3 to 4cm across means that she’s mature and ready to lay. Make sure the vent area is kept clean to prevent fly-strike.
Pesky Pests. Part all the fluff and check around the vent, right down to the skin to see if there are any lice or mites scurrying around at the base of the feathers. You are looking to have a healthy hen with no parasites and a nice clean vent.

You can see Clare Taylor AKA The Chicken Whisperer perform a health check on our Eggspert Videos:

How do I treat Bumblefoot in my chickens?

Bumblefoot can become quite serious so please seek advice from your vet if in any doubt as antibiotic treatment and bandaging may be required. If the wounds are small and do not appear deep or infected, clean and dry the foot then spray with Nettex Wound Care Spray. Any affected chickens should be kept in a clean and dry environment until the feet have fully healed.

How do I treat fowl pox in my chickens?

There is no treatment for fowl pox, however, there is a vaccine for prevention and most young hybrid chickens will have been vaccinated. The good news is that most chickens will recover, but It is advised that you should consult your vet for advice if you concerned your chickens might have fowl pox. When your chickens are under the weather give them Poultry Power Drops for up to 5 days to support their immune systems and energy levels during periods of illness.

How do I treat sour crop in my chickens?

If you suspect your chicken has sour crop please seek advice as this should be managed by your vet.

My chicken appears to have a prolapse what should I do?

Prolapses can occur secondary to a number of diseases. Exposed tissues are susceptible to trauma and infection so we recommend seeing a vet unless it’s very minor and not persistent. Before visiting the vet it is important to keep the tissues clean and moist. Cannibalistic tendencies of other chickens can lead to pecking of the exposed tissue, so separating her from the flock is important.

My chicken has diarrhoea what should I do?

If your chicken has diarrhoea it could be down to something they ate, or possibly a heavy worm burden in their gut. Initial advice would be to remove all treats from their diet and feed only pellets and add Nettex Herbal Gut Conditioner to their drinking water to help restore a healthy gut flora balance. You should also take a faecal worm egg count to see if your chicken needs worming, and treat appropriately if so.

If all of the above fails and the diarrhoea persists, consult a veterinary professional for further advice.

My chicken has lost its appetite what can I do?

If your chicken has lost their appetite first you need to find the cause remembering that stress can be a factor in loss of appetite. If you are concerned, conduct a health check (link to video) on your chicken to see if there’s any obvious reason for the appetite loss, such as a mites or lice infestation or illness. If there is no obvious reason for the loss of appetite you can add Nettex Egg & Shell Support Powder to their feed as the Aniseed l in this mineral based product will help to stimulate their appetite.

If you cannot find the source of the issue and your chicken’s appetite does not seem to improve after supplementation then speak to a veterinary professional for further advice.

My chicken is lame – what should I do?

There can be many reasons why your chicken may be lame. These can include Scaly Leg Mite infestation, worms, untrimmed nails, injury which can lead to Bumblefoot, or Mycoplasma Synoviae. Before consulting your vet, give your chicken a quick check to try and look for signs of any of the above causes.

Firstly look for any long nails which could be causing your chicken to look uncomfortable when walking, usually nails will naturally wear down, however this is not always the case and you should trim any that appear to be too long.

If you find your chicken has a Scaly Leg infestation you can easily tackle this issue with products from your local retailer such as Nettex Scaly Leg Spray. This easy to use 3in1 spray soothes, softens and cleanses legs affected by Scaly Leg Mites. Nettex Scaly Leg spray also helps to provide your chickens with relief by suffocating mites and eliminating the source of discomfort, whilst leaving a protective barrier which helps to deter further mites.

If your chicken is showing signs of a worm burden such as loss of weight, poor digestion, diarrhoea or physical worms sighted in their faeces, then send off a faecal egg count and, if it is confirmed that your chicken has worms, treat quickly and appropriately with a licenced wormer such as Flubenvet.

Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection which affects the pad of your chicken’s foot. This can be a nasty and painful infection and it will most definitely cause them to walk a little funny. If you suspect that your chicken has Bumblefoot and if the wounds are small and do not appear deep or infected, clean and dry the foot then spray with Nettex Wound Care Spray. Any affected chickens should be kept in a clean and dry environment until the feet have fully healed. Always speak to your vet as a course of antibiotics may be needed.

Lastly if your chicken’s legs feel hot or inflamed and there are no signs of Bumblefoot or mites then it could be that your chicken is suffering from Mycoplasma Synoviae, a chronic respiratory infection which can cause lameness. This should be taken very seriously and veterinary advice should be sought immediately.

My chicken is struggling to breath, what might this be?

We recommend getting advice for any breathing issues as chickens will often show no signs of illness until they are very sick. There are a number of different pathogens that can cause a chicken to breathe abnormally including viruses, bacterial infections and parasites. If you notice this in one of your chickens it would be worthwhile to isolate her in a quiet and relaxing place before seeing the vet, in case it is a contagious condition.

My chickens have bad breath, what does this mean?

If your chickens have foul breath this could mean that they are experiencing an illness called sour crop. Sour crop is when the crop becomes impacted. One way to check for signs of sour crop is to open your chicken’s mouth and look for signs of canker. You can also feel the crop externally; this should be squishy not hard. If you suspect that your chicken has sour crop speak to your vets it will need to be treated.

My chickens wattles and combs look black why is this?

This could be their natural colouring; hens such as a Bluebel tend to have a darker comb and wattles. However, it could be due to a lack of oxygen in their blood stream, which might indicate a possible respiratory infection, heart or lung problem. If the comb and wattles are usually red, and they have changed colour it is recommended that you take your chicken to see a veterinary professional.

My chickens wattles and combs look pale what does this mean?

Pale wattles could either mean that you have a young chicken, with small, undeveloped comb and wattles or it could be that they are anaemic due to a parasite infestation of lice, mites, or worms. Check for Lice and Mites by parting the fluff around the vent area to see if you can spot any little critters crawling around on your chicken.

Northern Fowl mites are black and about 1mm in length, and Lice are slightly larger – 1-3mm, brown and fast moving. Also check the cracks and crevices of their housing for any sign of Red Mites. You can also check eggs for any tiny blood spots which could also be a sign of Red Mite infestation.

Lastly, perform a faecal worm egg count to see if your chickens are being affected by a worm burden. If it appears that they have worms treat with a licensed wormer such as Flubenvet and add Nettex Herbal Gut Conditioner to their water to help support a healthy gut flora post treatment. If the problem continues to occur, speak to your vet as there could be an underlying health issue present.

My chickens wattles and combs look scabby and bumpy what could this be?

Scabs on wattles and combs could just mean that your chicken has damaged their comb somehow – perhaps by getting it caught on something sharp. However, or it could be a sign of a condition called Fowl Pox of Favus (ringworm); we would advise to get your chicken to a veterinary professional for a full examination and diagnosis.

Should I clip my chicken’s wings?

Chickens can’t really fly but they can climb and flap which might be enough to get them over your fence! Should you have a chicken which tries to fly and escape it might be worthwhile clipping its wings.

Should I feed my chickens treats?

It is not necessary to feed treats, but we all like to give our flock a little treat! It is advisable to limit the amount of treats given to ensure chickens get the correct nutrition and ideally only feed them at the end of the day when they have eaten the majority of their feed. You might want to dangle treats for entertainment and enrichment too, as encouraging natural behaviours is important in growing and adult chickens and helps avoid boredom.

When it comes to diet The Chicken Whisperer recommends keeping them on a regular diet of 96% layers pellets with healthy seeds and a few dark greens at the end of the day.
Human processed, salty, sugary and fatty foods do not have any place in their diet- they are illegal to feed and can cause kidney disease.

What can I give my chicken to help grow new feathers?

During moult, chickens can become anaemic and the moult itself can put a strain on the immune system which can cause them to look tired and even stop laying. Nutritional supplementation of Biotin and other essential vitamins is key during moult to support them through their change into their new winter wardrobe! Nettex Vit Boost Tonic is packed full of Vitamins and Biotin to support feather regrowth. Protein is also essential to growing healthy new feathers, The Chicken Whisperer suggests that you may wish to switch the flock onto growers pellets during this time which tend to be higher in protein. Top tip: remember to handle your chickens less frequently during moult to allow their new feathers to grow without disruption and to minimise stress.

What is a chicken health check? How do I do it?

The key to ensuring your chickens remain happy and healthy is to examine them regularly, so that any changes in their condition is noticed and acted upon promptly. The chicken health check list below will help ensure your chickens stay healthy and happy this summer or alternatively you can watch it here.

Walk the flock. Each morning it is recommended to “walk the flock” when you let them out – as you move amongst them, watch how they move and check that they are all alert and feeding. You will quickly get to know what is normal for each hen, and what isn’t. This way you will quickly be able to spot anything unusual such as any injuries or illness and be able to deal with it before it becomes a bigger problem.
Get hands on. Every week you should get “hands-on” and examine each hen. Hold your chicken firmly and get an idea if you think she may have gained or lost weight – there is no need to weigh them, just an idea is fine.
Examine the eyes. Start at the top and check both eyes are bright, no bubbles or partially closed eyes.
Notice the nostrils. Look at the nostrils at the top of the beak – both should be clear, no snot or bubbles should be present.
Monitor the mouth. Open the beak gently and check inside – the mouth should be clear with no white deposits caused by canker.
Check the crop. Moving down the body, the crop is found on the right hand side of the chest; this should be full in the evening and empty in the morning, you will usually feel a bit of feed in there. You should be concerned if the crop is very hard or her breath is smelly.
Fettle the feathers. Point of lay pullets(16-20 weeks of age) will have soft feathers and you will be able to feel new ones growing through underneath their plumage – they go through 5 changes of ‘clothes’ before getting their adult ‘wardrobe’. Check all chickens for bald patches, signs of pecking or any obvious injuries.
Look at the legs. You should find that a young hen has closely scaled, smooth legs, warm to the touch and no obvious injuries to the legs or palms under the foot. An older hen will have much coarser scales but there should be no lifting or crusty residue.
View the vent. Now down to the business end. Tuck her head under your arm and get her tail up in the air, you will see a lot of fluff under her tail. Press the flats of your fingers against the fluff under her tail and you will be able to feel two pointy bones sticking out – these are her pelvic bones or pin bones. If they are about 2cm apart, she is still young and not yet ready to lay; about 4 -5cm gap and she is probably already in lay or about to start. Just above these bones you will see her vent deep in the fluff – it may be pulsing, this is normal. A small dry vent about 1cm across indicates that she is about a month away from laying eggs. A moist vent about 3-4cm across means that she’s mature and ready to lay. Make sure the vent area is kept clean to prevent fly-strike.
Pesky Pests. Part all the fluff and check around the vent, right down to the skin to see if there are any lice or mites scurrying around at the base of the feathers. You are looking to have a healthy hen with no parasites and a nice clean vent.

Top Tip: If your chickens are not keen on being handled, wait until they are more relaxed to complete the health check. When the chickens have been roosting for about half an hour, gently remove them from the coop and then examine them. It’s also good to be happy handling chickens so that you feel confident enough to do a health check on any new chickens before you buy them.

What is a healthy weight for chickens?

When it comes to the weight of your chickens, it’s not a case of how much they should weigh as the optimum weight for each chicken is different, a lot like us humans. You are aiming for a glossy and heathy, alert looking chicken, which is active and doesn’t feel overly heavy. A mature hybrid hen can weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 kg, depending on the breed mix.

What is impacted crop?

Crop impaction in chickens is just as it sounds: this is where food has failed to move from the crop to the stomach and is stuck in the crop. Crop impaction is either caused by an obstruction blocking the passage of food i.e. string/plastic or long grass or it can be the result of normal muscular contractions failing, where food is prevented from passing into the digestive system.

What is normal and abnormal for chickens droppings?

Chickens produce 2 types of droppings, one type is from the intestine, and the other is from the caeca. The former is usually brown/grey in colour with a white cap. The latter is usually pale brown and pasty. Droppings should be well formed, and your chickens vent should be clean. Abnormal droppings can be very wet, or blood tinged, in these cases you should seek further advice from your vet.

What is sour crop?

Sour crop is a fungal overgrowth in the crop caused by a disruption to the normal flora. Affected chickens are often dull and can have fluid filled, enlarged crops. A number of factors can contribute to sour crop, but ensuring your chickens have an appropriate diet can reduce the risk. Keep treats to a minimum and do not feed your chickens human foods high in refined sugar or starch. Sour crop should be differentiated from an impacted crop. If you suspect your chicken has sour crop please seek advice as this should be managed by your vet.

What should I feed my chickens?

When it comes to diet, The Chicken Whisperer recommends keeping them on a regular diet of 96% layers pellets with healthy seeds and a few dark greens at the end of the day.
Human processed, salty, sugary and fatty foods do not have any place in their diet- they are illegal to feed and can cause kidney disease.

Why do my chickens have bald patches?

Bald patches are usually the result of one of two things; moulting or feather pecking.
It is perfectly natural for your chicken to lose feathers; this is usually down to moulting. A chicken’s first moult is shortly after they hatch and they will have two, sometimes three moults before they achieve their adult plumage. Thereafter, they will moult once a year, usually in early autumn although this can be dependent on the amount of daylight available. An early moult, or perhaps an interim small moult, can be triggered by a sudden change in the daylight hours or temperature, even in the summer. Typically, as the daylight hours shorten a chicken’s metabolic body clock changes – they eat less and they start to moult.

Some chickens will experience a gradual moult, replacing feathers progressively, working down the body from head to tail, whereas others (the best layers can often be the heavier moulters) can experience a ‘total feather-drop’ and be virtually naked, which can look alarming.

During a moult they are likely to look withdrawn, paler in the face, comb and wattles and will very likely stop laying eggs as feather regrowth will take up all of the available nutrients, so it is essential to support them through this difficult period with extra care and high-quality nutrition and supplementation.

Nutritional supplementation of Biotin and other essential vitamins is key during moult to support them through their change into their new winter wardrobe!

Nettex Vit Boost Tonic is packed full of Vitamins and Biotin to support feather regrowth.

If it is not autumn and your chicken has wounds alongside bald patches, it could mean that you have a bully in the flock, who has pecked away at your chicken or the chicken herself has pulled her own feathers showing signs of some sort of discomfort. Heavy Lice or Mite infestation can be cause of your chicken pulling her own feathers. Be sure to perform a check of the housing and the chicken to determine whether Lice or Mites are present.

Why does my chicken have loose droppings?

Following digestion the remaining food residue is mixed with the chicken’s urine and passed via the vent. The quality of food, quantity of treats, heat, stress, worms and general health and gut condition all affect the composition of a chicken’s droppings. Observe your chickens regularly to understand what is normal for them so you are aware and can take action if there is a change. If you are concerned contact your vet.

Why does my chicken seem tired and what can I do?

There are few reasons why your chickens could be lethargic. It could be a feather moult, a heavy mite infestation or worms as all can place an extra strain on their immune systems which is why it is important to supplement during these times.

Nettex Vit Boost Tonic has added Biotin which will help support feather regrowth during moult and Nettex Poultry Power Drops (formerly known as Nutri Drops) contains fast acting energy as well as immune supporting vitamins which acts as a pick-me-up for chickens showing signs of tiredness, illness or stress.

Unexplained lethargy should really be investigated by a veterinary professional, but in the meantime perform a health check to check for any signs of illness, infestation or stress and supplement/treat your chickens appropriately.

Why has my chicken got diarrhoea?

If your chicken has diarrhoea it could be down to something they ate, or possibly a heavy worm burden in their gut. Initial advice would be to remove treats from their diet and feed only layers pellets and add Nettex Herbal Gut Conditioner to their drinking water to help maintain a healthy digestive system.

You should also take a faecal worm egg count to see if your chicken needs worming, and treat appropriately with a licensed wormer if so as a heavy worm burden can cause rapid weight loss.

Why has my chicken lost its appetite?

There could be any number of reasons why your chicken has lost its appetite. These can include being broody, moulting, stress, bullying or more serious health conditions. Initially, review the chickens environment and habits to see if you can identify the reason, but any unexplained loss of appetite should really be something for your vet to investigate.

Why is my chicken gaining weight?

If your chicken is gaining weight the most likely cause is that you are probably by feeding them an inappropriate diet, or you are over doing the treats!

Why is my chicken loosing feathers?

It is perfectly natural for your chicken to lose feathers; this is usually down to moulting. A chicken’s first moult is shortly after they hatch and they will have two, sometimes three moults before they achieve their adult plumage. Thereafter, they will moult once a year, usually in early autumn although this can be dependent on the amount of daylight available. An early moult, or perhaps an interim small moult, can be triggered by a sudden change in the daylight hours or temperature, even in the summer. Typically, as the daylight hours shorten a chicken’s metabolic body clock changes – they eat less and they start to moult.