Provide the right environment and hens will use the nest box
22 June 2022
BEN SOUTH SAYS: It’s important to understand that hens will nest where they feel most comfortable, a
Excessive temperatures for long periods can be detrimental to a bird’s health
10 June 2021
BEN SOUTH SAYS: Heat stress is a known ailment in poultry, both in commercial and backyard settings. Birds don’t sweat. They control their body temperature via evaporation through respiration and nonevaporation techniques in the form of radiation. Behaviours seen during heat-stress periods include birds lowering their body to the floor with wings outstretched to increase body-surface area, open-beak panting and searching for shade. Birds can deal with temperatures up to 28°C without too much pr
Read moreHousing restrictions end 23:59 31 March 2021
31 March 2021
As you may already be aware, GB Government have announced plans to lift poultry housing restriction measures from 23:59 on 31st March.
Whilst many of you will be keen to get your birds outside, The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone mandatory biosecurity measures remain in place for all birds, so if you plan to allow your birds outside after 31 March you must prepare their outside areas, please check the information available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/971244/advice-to-poultry-keepers-preparing-range.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1fcoEwoKdAGRVgwidlSKc-R5RTZ3fwWAPUyMyn4wISPNypuwhYYWRq-7M
Stop aggressive behaviour as soon as possible
09 March 2021
BEN SOUTH SAYS: Once flocks are established, a pecking order will have been formed and it is maintained by dominant birds within the flock. This is completely natural behaviour, but it may lead to injuries if the birds cannot agree to a hierarchy.
When new birds are introduced there is often a period of time while the hens are reorganising this dominance. Aggression can be particularly bad if the hens you bring in were dominant in their last flock and this can lead to trauma and high levels
Read moreWhy you should avoid free-ranging chickens with pigs and sheep
03 March 2021
Q - I’ve heard that you should never allow chickens to range with pigs. Is this true?
BEN SOUTH SAYS: I suspect the reason that you’ve heard this is due to the bacterium Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, commonly known as Erysipelas. This bacterium can cause sudden high mortalityin chickens and is often shed in faeces by infected animals, such as pigs or even sheep.
Classic outbreaks of Erysipelas are often seen in backyard, free-ranging flocks that use pasture whe
When introducing young birds to the flock provide fresh bedding regularly
02 March 2021
Ben South BvetMed MRCVS from The Chicken Vet says:
If you are introducing new chicks to an already occupied run and coop then a full disinfecting programme wouldn’t be worthwhile due to the level of contamination in the environment. As a general rule, however, weekly clean outs of the existing coop with something like Poultry Shield or a general poultry disinfectant should keep most harmful pathogens at bay.
It is also important to ensure that you regularly provide f
Read moreIntroducing ducks to a flock of chickens needs little care
01 March 2021
Ducks, geese and chickens are perfectly happy to coexist and I would introduce them like you would a new pair of chickens. Quarantine them for two weeks in a penned-off area where they can see each other but not have physical contact. Monitor them closely for another few weeks to ensure that there is no aggression occuring.
Read moreAvian Influenza - Advice for Backyard Poultry following announcement of new Housing Order
10 December 2020
Due to the levels of AI seen in the UK in recent weeks, a new housing order will be brought in for all bird keepers, domestic and commercial, from 14th December. It will, from this date, be a legal requirement to keep your birds, however big your flock, inside at all times. Read moreAvian Influenza Prevention Zone - Self-assessment checklist
25 November 2020
Following the implementation of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the UK on 11th November, a new self-assessment checklist has been created to help all bird keepers and owners to identify the measures they have in place to protect their flock.
Read moreAvian Influenza: What is it, and how can you prevent the disease from entering your flock?
13 November 2020
Following the announcement of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) being put in place on 11th November, The Chicken Vet wanted to share some helpful information regarding AI and the best practice husbandry protocols that will help to prevent the disease from spreading to your flock.
Read morePoultry Multivitamins are back in stock
28 September 2020
We are pleased to say that our popular Chicken Vet Poultry Multivitamins are now back in stock!
In a new 500ml bottle, our Poultry Multivitamins are a concentrated supplement formulated by poultry vets and nutritionists. Containing a mix of vitamins, minerals and amino acids with the addition of specialist essential oils and antioxidants, these are an excellent way to give your birds a boost.
To find out more information, or to buy this product, click the link below: https://www.chickenvet.co.uk/chicken-vet-poultry-multivitamins
Read moreThe Chicken Vet Training Day is moving online!
18 August 2020
Due to the current restrictions in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the health and safety of both our staff and attendees of upmost importance, we are moving our Chicken Vet Training Days online, launching our first webinar training day in September 2020.
This will allow you to learn from the comfort of your own home, office or practice.
Our webinar training will closely follow the format of the in-practice days, covering all of the same modules
COVID-19 and Extended Delivery Times
08 April 2020
We are currently living through extraordinary times and we would like to wish our customers and colleagues well during this period. The health and welfare of our team will remain 100% our top priority and we are incredibly grateful for our staff for all their hard work in keeping the Chicken Vet service as normal as possible.
We are doing our absolute utmost to keep our warehouse operational and to deliver the products to you, as well as provide the advice and support to registered customers. Whilst we can normally guarantee next day delivery on our orders, please be aware that some orders are now taking 3-5 working days to deliver. Due to how busy our couriers are at present, if you would like your order to be despatched the day of ordering, please order before 12pm. Please note that Beryl’s Friendly Bacteria needs to be kept under controlled temperature and for this reason, we would normally not despatch Beryl’s on a Friday for a risk there might be a delay in delivery over the weekend. Orders after 12pm on Thursday, will not be processed until the following Monday morning.
Please also note that we are currently experiencing a delay in samples being sent to us of up to 5 working days due to pressure on the postal service. This is specifically affecting the delivery times of our Faeces Sampling, so please bear in mind that if you have sent a sample to us it may take a little longer for it to arrive at our laboratory for testing.
If one your chickens becomes unwell during this period, there are a number of options. Firstly, please visit our website where there is a large range of information that might provide the answer and you can also follow the healthcare pathway. If you need further veterinary assistance, please contact your local chicken friendly vet practice using our ‘Find your nearest vet’ section (https://www.chickenvet.co.uk/find-a-vet). Please note that veterinary practices are only providing emergency consultations at present though you may be able to speak to one of the vets over the phone or video call them.
We would like to wish all our customers, suppliers and colleagues well during this challenging time.
Why is Poultry Grit so important?
31 July 2019
A very important aspect of chicken husbandry is making grit available to your birds. Commercial laying hens have a diet containing a type of soluble grit, usually in the form of limestone granules, therefore for backyard hens and ex-battery hens topping up their diet with a suitable grit is necessary.
Read more