Herbs
Herbs may be given to hens in several different forms depending on what best suites the herb, the ailment, and the condition of the bird and/or flock. I have used the following herbal preparations and treatment methods on my own flock.
Dried Herbs, Roots, Seeds, and Fruits
• Grind or crush and mix directly with feed for whole flock treatment.
• Steep in boiling water as a tea and mix with drinking water for whole flock treatment.
• Crush herbs and form a small pill with water for treating individual birds.
• Mix herbs with hot water and apply externally with cotton bandages for a poultice.
Herbal Tinctures
• Dilute the appropriate number of drops in drinking water for whole flock treatment.
• Place drops directly in mouth for individual birds.
Fresh Herbs, Fruits, Vegetables, or Forages
• Offer safe herbs free choice hanging in bunches or placed on top of feeders.
• For dangerous or strong herbs chop finely and mix thoroughly into moistened feed so no bird eats too much.
• Offer forages (no buckwheat) free choice in hay nets, on the litter, or hanging in bunches.
• Offer fruits and vegetables free choice in small amounts avoiding spoiled, moldy, or potentially poisonous items (raw potatoes).
• For strong, purgative vegetables (garlic, onions) chop finely and incorporate into moist feed after a brief (12-24 hours )fast.
Dusts and Powders
• Powders such as Diatomaceous Earth and Pyrethrum should be used sparingly alone. Remember your hens have to breathe them.
• Always wear a dust mask when using powders.
• For dust baths mix DE with litter, sand, wood ashes, or soil to reduce irritation to the hen’s lungs when dusting.
Homeopathy
There is a lot to be learned about homeopathy that I am not qualified to teach. However, I have used it successfully with poultry and have a few recommendations.
• Keep your remedies isolated in a cabinet specifically for them. Don’t store them on the veterinary shelf in the barn next to the iodine.
• 30C potency can effectively be used unless otherwise noted.
• Buy the very small pellets if you can find them, they dissolve better in water. Or use liquid remedies.
• For treating the whole flock dissolve 2-3 dozen pellets in their drinking water or in water that is used to moisten their feed.
• Dr. Surjit S. Makker (www.vethomopath.com) recommends 20ml of remedy mixed with 8 liters of water for 100 birds. This medicated water should be shaken well and put in drinkers accordingly.
• For individual birds give them 2-3 pellets by mouth and keep them calm.
It may also be given in the cloaca (vent) if it is moist.
• During homeopathic treatment keep the birds calm and reduce stress as much as possible. Expect a one-day drop in egg production.
• Be willing to wait 24 hours to allow the remedy to work. If there is not marked improvement after that, try something else.
• The successful use of homeopathic remedies requires keen observation of your birds, a well developed immune system, excellent overall management practices, and a willingness to carefully research the correct remedy.
NATURAL, ORGANIC CURES, AND REMEDIES FOR POULTRY
Alternatives to Chemical Treatment
Aflatoxicosis – aka – Aspergillus Toxicosis
This condition affects the entire body and can cause a wide range of adverse conditions, depending on the age of your fowl and the progression of the disorder.
In adult hens you may find a reduction in egg production, decreased fertility, and an increase in the likelihood of secondary infection, such as coccidiosis.
In adult cocks you may find reduced fertility, reduced appetite, and reduced weight.
In younger birds you may find an almost complete loss of appetite, slowed growth, increased susceptibility to heat stress, sudden death. You may also find that the young fowl may bruise more easily.
This condition also affect your hatching eggs. You may find otherwise unexplained embryo death within the first week.
To treat this condition:
Remove and bury or burn any litter or grains which are found to be damaged by insects or molds.
Remove the affected fowl to an area the can be easily observed. Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Do everything that you can to reduce any stressors. Increase the amount of protein and carbohydrates in the affected fowl’s feed. You may wish to try a flush which can be found below. Give the fowl a good dose of vitamins and electrolytes in their water. Continue treatment until the fowl fully recovers.
Algae Poisoning
This condition affects the nervous system as well as internal organs.
You may find your fowl exhibiting signs of weakness. They may stagger or convulse. You may find your fowl prostrated with their legs extended outward towards their rear. The fowl’s neck may be extended and/or curved backwards until the head all but touches the back. You may find that your fowl are paralyzed or die very rapidly.
To treat this condition:
Try to restrict the bird’s activity as much as possible. Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Offer them a vitamin and electrolyte solution in their water until a full recovery is made. Try to keep algae to a minimum by washing and disinfecting watering containers. Borax is an excellent all natural disinfectant. You may also try a flush which can be found below. Copper Sulfate can be used to reduce the amount of algae in ponds and slow moving creeks. Apply 12 oz. To approximately every acre of still or slow moving water. Copper sulfate is a naturally occurring mineral. (aka – Blue Stone) Check your state and local regulations before applying to a body of water.
Blue Comb – aka – “The Greens”
This condition affects the digestive tract and spreads very slowly.
You may find your fowl have a loss of appetite, loss of weight, shriveled shanks, sunken eyes, a bluish comb, an enlarged, sour smelling crop, and/or greenish watery or pasty foul smelling diarrhea.
To treat this condition:
Unfortunately treatment does not often succeed with this condition. Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. You may try a flush which can be found below. Some birds may respond to a flush. You might also try, in place of one of the flushes, a solution of ½ tsp. Copper Sulfate per gallon of water. Give them the solution for up to, but not exceeding, 2 days. Be sure not to use a metal drinking dish when using Copper Sulfate. As with most situations I recommend administering a vitamin and electrolyte solution until a full recovery is made.
Botulism – aka – food poisoning
This toxin affects the nervous system and progresses rather quickly.
You may find in your flock; sudden death, trouble swallowing, loose or ruffled feathers, ( with cocks, often the hackle feathers will be raised as though he were mad at a potential threat), weakness or paralysis of the legs, wings, and/or neck. Your fowl may be laying on it’s side with it’s neck stretched outward with his/her eyes slightly opened. Your fowl will likely have diarrhea and may succumb to coma and/or death.
To treat this condition:
Find the source of the botulism. (It may likely be; rotten or rotting vegetation, spoiled foods, compost piles, and/or rotting meat sources) You may find botulism running rampant in swampy or marshy areas, or in small ponds and slow moving streams where vegetation is rotting in water. Eliminate or restrict access to the source of contamination.
Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Use a curved syringe or similar apparatus to squirt cool water into the fowl’s crop three times daily. You can use a flush in an attempt to remove the toxins from you fowl’s body. You can find a flush below. Remove the bedding from housing and disinfect the area with an iodine based disinfectant. Replace with fresh litter. Although humans and chickens are generally infected by different strains of botulism, I do not recommend eating infected chickens.
Breast Blister – aka – keel cyst
This condition is isolated to the keel.
This one is fairly straight forward. You will notice a blister on the fowl’s keel.
To treat this condition:
If treatment is desired, first move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Clip feathers away from the blister so that foreign material does not contaminate the site. Use Iodine to disinfect the blister. Open and drain the blister. If the blister is already infected the fluid will have turned into a “cheesy” substance. Use cool water to flush the blister. Pat dry with clean cloth. Liberally apply a natural antibiotic ointment such as pure Aloe or NeoBiotic to prevent secondary infection. Place a Band-Aid over the blister. Remove Band-Aid after the first day. As with most conditions I recommend administering a vitamin and electrolyte solution in the fowl’s water until a full recover has been made. Try a rounded roost or cover roost with something soft.
Canker – aka – roup
This condition affects the crop, mouth, and throat.
You will notice a loss of appetite, weight loss, weakness, empty crop, watery eyes, frequent swallowing, foul smelling discharge, white and/or yellowish sores in the mouth and throat.
To treat this condition:
Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Mix a solution consisting of ¾ – 1 lbs. Copper Sulfate, 1 cup Vinegar, and 1 gallon of Pure Water. Mix ½ ounce of solution (above) along with 2 ½ – 3 grams Durvet vitamin and electrolyte powder per gallon of water. Administer for 5 days to 1 week. Do not use a metal watering dish when using Copper Sulfate. Recovered birds are still carriers of this Protozoa.
Coccidiosis
This parasitic disease affects the intestinal tract.
You will notice your young fowl huddling with ruffled feathers, lack of vigor, loss of appetite, weight loss, slowed growth, loss of interest in water, pasty, beige or tan colored, blood tinged droppings, dehydration.
To treat this condition:
Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Mix into your feed, at a rate not to exceed 2% by weight, Diatomaceous Earth. Administer a vitamin and electrolyte solution until a full recovery is made. Follow up with small amounts of yogurt from time to time.
I recommend feeding this mix at least 6 months out of the year. (the warmer months of spring, summer and fall)
Crop Impaction – aka – crop binding
This condition affects the crop, the inlet for feed, and thereby affects the entire bird.
You will notice an enlarged, sour smelling crop which is filled with feed and roughage. The bird can become emaciated.
To treat this condition:
Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Choose an area of the crop to work on. (usually on the very front of the fowl, right in the middle of the crop) Clip away any feathers that are in the way or that will touch the area that you have chosen. Disinfect the skin of the area with Iodine. Make a small incision in the skin with a very sharp blade. Pull skin aside and make another incision, this time in the crop. Clean out the crop as best you can, removing as much material as possible. Rinse the crop with Pure Water that has been boiled and then cooled. Do not try to stitch or staple the incision in the crop. Pinch the incision in the crop together and then pinch the skin together. Apply a liberal amount of a natural antibiotic such as pure Aloe. Keep the fowl in isolation in a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Administer a vitamin and electrolyte solution until a full recovery has been made.
For an alternative to surgery click here.
Ergotism – aka – sod disease
This condition affects the nervous system and blood vessels. It is caused by a fungus found in stored wheat and rye, as well as other cereal grains.
You will notice a loss of appetite, diarrhea, weight loss, slow growth, drop in egg production, increased thirst, convulsions, bluish, wilted or shriveled comb, and/or sores on shanks and toes.
To treat this condition:
Compost or bury contaminated feed. Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is slightly darkened and relatively quite. Administer one of the flushes. Administer a vitamin and electrolyte solution until a full recovery has been made.
Rickets – aka – osteomalacia
This condition affects the bones of fowl, usually in younger birds.
In your younger fowl you will likely notice frequent squatting, inability to stand, slowed growth, a beak that is easily bent, bowed and/or twisted legs and/or wings, ruffled feathers.
To treat this condition:
Move the affected fowl to a cool, dry place that is relatively quite and has a good source of direct sunlight. Administer a vitamin D3 supplement at 3 times the recommended dosage for 2 ½ – 3 weeks. After that time has elapsed, administer the supplement at the normal dosage. Allow the bird to pick at crushed oyster shell. Give the fowl yogurt and milk or cottage cheese for a quick burst of added calcium. For chicks you can administer a 1 time dosage of 15,000 IU. With this condition it is imperative that the fowl have access to direct sunlight throughout the day. As usual, I would administer electrolytes until a full recovery has been made.
Roup – aka – vitamin A deficiency
This condition affects the eyes, nose and throat and is more prevalent when homemade rations are mixed.
You may notice Swollen eyelids, difficulty breathing due to sticky discharge from the eyes and/or nostrils, and/or swollen sinus. In older birds you may find a lack of vigor, decreased egg production, runny, cheesy discharge from the nostrils and eyes, eyelids stuck together, emaciation increased blood spots in eggs, and/or yellowish or off white sores in the mouth.
To treat this condition:
A vitamin A supplement would do the most good in all but the most severe cases. If it is a severe case of roup you could certainly administer a vitamin A injection as per the manufacturers instructions. As always I would recommend the use of an electrolyte solution until a full recovery has been made.
Flushes
Epsom Salt Flush:
3 Tsp. Epsom Salts.
1 ½ Cups water
¼ – ½ gram Durvet vitamin and electrolyte powder * Optional
Squirt down the fowl’s throat 2 – 3 times a day for 3 days or until a full recovery is made.
Molasses Flush:
1 cup Molasses
2 ½ gallons water
5 – 6 grams Durvet vitamin and electrolyte powder * Optional
Use as a “flock flush” when you cannot administer flush directly to each individual bird.
! Do not exceed 8 hours ! ! After 8 hours replace Molasses flush with vitamin and electrolyte water !
Activated Charcoal Slurry
1 tsp. Activated Charcoal Powder
½ tsp. Psyllium Seed Husks or Flax Seed Meal
8 oz. – Pure Water
Or try:
1 tsp. Activated Charcoal Powder
8 oz. – Pure Water
Dose 6 – 8 times daily
If you are administering ANY Drug or drugs to you poultry, or if they are drinking Oxygenating Water, please wait at least 1 hr., before you give them the Charcoal Slurry. This will ensure that the Activated Charcoal will not inadvertently absorb or otherwise adversely affect your other treatments.
These flushes will cause slight to moderate dehydration as they work to expel toxins and foreign matter from you fowl’s system. It is important to use care when administering flushes. Be sure to monitor your fowl before, during, and after the administration of a flush. After flushing, offer a steady supply of vitamin and electrolyte fortified water until a full recovery is made.
Sick Bedding
“Sick Bedding” is the bedding in your isolation pens. This bedding must be clean and dry and free from pests and parasites. You can use certain herbs with your sick bedding. Certain herbs tend to have a calming effect on many animals. Placing Mugwort, Mint, and/or Chamomile in and/or under the sick bedding can help to bring stress levels down. Other herbs such as Basil, Mint, and Garlic Chives, chopped, or powdered Garlic can help to reduce the likelihood of an infestation of pests and parasites while your fowl is recovering. Good sanitation is always key to a healthy flock.
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