sick sleepy chicken

by Christing
(Peace River Alberta Canada)

Hi
I've had some chickens die this year but I live in Northern Alberta (cold dry winter this year) and the chooks have just gone onto pasture - my front lawn. The deaths have stopped except one poor old and I mean old girl who died yesterday. I think your idea of bonking them on the head as soon as they are sick is a good idea. Maybe you just got a bad batch of chicks? I noticed that you said that you gave cider vinegar to the chooks. I have a sheep who is terribly allergic to it maybe it's the same with chickens? I've started to add liquid vitamins to the water and I did put powdered antibiotics in the water at one point for a short period - maybe a week. They get a natural diet that a local feed mill grind up for me with soybean, flax and other stuff -can't remember off the top of my head and the kids from the school I teach at send home their compostables from school for the girls daily for a treat. I move their pens daily and I whitewash the coops and hoop houses 2x's per year. Good luck with your girls.

MEG: Like your idea of adding liquid vitamins. Sure the fresh ground every day must help a lot too.