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115+ Degrees and Chickens

Act Fast, or Else… Here’s How

When it’s 115 in the shade, it means the thermometer in full sun will register 120 or more. It also means that your chickens are in distress and could face death if you don’t have a plan in place.
First of all, if they are caged or in a small coop they will not survive. I know that’s pretty harsh, but it’s true. Find a way to free them where there is some shade, dirt, and water. Shade is a no-brainer, but that’s not enough when the heat is this brutal. They need soft dirt where they can dig a hole to stay cool. Get a shovel and the hose and start prepping an area for them, their instincts to dig will continue from there.
Leave the hose on a slow drip in the area where the chickens are, and if possible, securely hang a box fan on the fence any way you can. Put full buckets of cold water somewhat near the fan, this will help cool the immediate area.
Make sure you keep their water sources cool, if their water gets too hot they won’t drink it.

Managing the Feed

If you free-feed your backyard flock, don’t.  In extreme triple digit temps, it’s better to feed early morning by 6 AM for about two hours, a little mid-day, and again an hour before sundown. Food produces heat causing even more heat stress. It’s also very important to not offer any scratch feeds. However, you can give them beneficial food like lettuce, fruit, and especially watermelon. Cut a watermelon in half and set it in the yard during the hottest part of the day, it’s a great source of fluid and they love it. When is the hottest part of the day? If you’re in the desert southwest, it’s between 3 and 6 pm.

More Information…

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Salmonella and Poultry

If you’re a poultry keeper and not concerned with salmonella, you should be. Here are the facts and how to protect yourself and your family. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that is carried in the intestines of animals and can be shed into the environment. People typically become infected after eating contaminated foods or from contact with animals or their environments.
Fact:  Chicks, ducklings, and other poultry are a recognized source of Salmonella.
Exposure to Salmonella
People get sick from Salmonella by hand-to-mouth contact. Usually, this happens when people handle birds or their droppings and then accidentally touch their mouths or forget to wash their hands before eating or drinking. Even birds that do not look sick may be shedding Salmonella. And even though a bird looks clean, it may still have germs like Salmonella on its feathers or feet. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Occasionally people become sick enough to need to see a doctor or be hospitalized. Most people develop symptoms 1 to 3 days after being exposed to Salmonella and recover in about a week. Some people are more susceptible to infection and will have more severe disease. These people include young children, pregnant women, the elderly, people on chemotherapy, diabetics, and others with weakened immune systems.
Prevention
Do not let children less than five years of age or others at high-risk handle poultry or items contaminated by poultry. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling poultry or their droppings. Do not eat or drink around poultry or their living areas. Do not let poultry live inside your home. Do not wash the birds’ food and water dishes in the kitchen sink.
Disinfectants for Good Poultry Housekeeping
Roccal®: Mix 1/2 fluid oz of Roccal per gallon of water.
Nolvasan® (chlorhexidine diacetate 2 percent): Mix
3 fluid oz of Nolvasan per gallon of water.
Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite 6 percent):
Mix 3/4 cup of household bleach per gallon of water.
Lysol® spray for footwear
Purell® hand pump for hand disinfection

Source: United States Department of Agriculture, USDA

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Backyard Biosecurity, Healthy Chicken Keeping

Backyard biosecurity means doing everything you can to protect your birds from disease. As a bird owner, keeping your birds healthy is a top priority. Your birds can become sick or die from exposure to just a few unseen bacteria, viruses, or parasites. In a single day, these germs can multiply and infect all your birds. However, by practicing backyard biosecurity, you can keep your birds healthy.
If you follow these basic tips and make them part of your routine, you decrease the risk of disease entering your flock and persisting in soil, droppings, and debris. Practicing biosecurity is an investment in the health of your birds.
When You Suspect Disease
Do not wait to report unusual signs of disease or unexpected deaths among your birds. Call your agricultural extension agent, local veterinarian, the State Veterinarian, or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Veterinary Services office.
USDA operates a toll-free hotline: (1–866–536–7593) with veterinarians to help you. USDA wants to test sick birds to make sure they do not have a serious poultry disease.
There is no charge for USDA veterinarians to work with you to conduct a disease investigation. Early reporting is important to protecting the health of your birds!
Disinfect
Cleaning and disinfecting are one of the most important steps you can take in practicing backyard biosecurity.
Below are some examples of disinfectants available on the market. Follow the directions on the label carefully for the best results. Thoroughly clean and scrub objects before applying
disinfectants. Disinfectants cannot work on top of caked-on dirt and manure, so thoroughly wash surfaces before disinfecting.
Apply disinfectants using brushes, sponges, and spray units. Allow adequate contact time (follow the manufacturer’s instructions.)
Dispose of used disinfectant according to local regulations.
Examples of Disinfectants
Roccal®: Mix 1/2 fluid oz of Roccal per gallon of water.
Nolvasan® (chlorhexidine diacetate 2 percent): Mix 3 fluid oz of Nolvasan per gallon of water.
Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite 6 percent):
Mix 3/4 cup of household bleach per gallon of water.
Lysol® spray for footwear
Purell® hand pump for hand disinfection.

Source: United States Dept. of Agriculture

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