Category Archives: Chicken Vet Corner Files

Flystrike (Myasis) occurs when adult flies lay their eggs in a chicken’s skin/body in a moist wound, skin lesion or soiled coat (below the vent). The larvae will then move around the wound surface eating dead cells, secretions, debris, etc., irritating, injuring or killing additional layers of sking that will then produce exudates and lesionsContinue reading “Flystrike”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC How long are fresh eggs good for in the fridge?  6 months Once refrigerated, they must continue to stay in the fridge until use but will stay good up to 6 months (or more). Fresh eggs are very hardy. Store bought eggs can be an average of 3 weeks toContinue reading “Fresh Eggs In The Fridge: How Long Are They Good For”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC All eggs may not be fertile even if the hen has mated with a rooster. It takes 7-10 days for the sperm to reach the oviduct where the eggs are made. However, her eggs will remain fertile, even if she doesn’t mate again for around 2-3 weeks after mating. FertilityContinue reading “Fertile Eggs: How to Spot Them”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC Pendulous crop is an abnormal condition in chickens where the crop becomes distended from it’s normal position and fills with invested feed and fluid. Chickens who are raised entirely on pelleted feed are more at risk of developing this as a result of the modification of gut flow due toContinue reading “Pendulus Crop”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC Angel Wing: also known as slipped wing or dropped wing, is where the wing joint deforms and twists. The growing primary feathers are full of blood which make it heavy and can cause the wing to twist and drop. This causes the feathers to stick out at an odd angle, usuallyContinue reading “Geese Angel Wing”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC Yes, hens can crow. It’s not as loud as a rooster but not uncommon in flocks of all hens.  In many cases the dominant hen will become the protector of the flock, in addition to the half crow, she may cease to lay eggs and even grow spurs to rivalContinue reading “Hens Can Crow”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC Chickens can’t sweat so you do not want to wet them down, this does inhibit the same down that keeps them warm from helping them cool. A misting fan helps, kiddie pools in the shade, shade and air flow is key to keeping them cool. The coop should have aContinue reading “Hot Weather Tips”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC It takes 25 hours to form an egg, 18-20 of those hours is spent on shell formation. In those hours, the hen uses and replaces the calcium carried in the bloodstream up to 100 times. The calcium required to make shells must be provided in the hen’s diet as fast-releasedContinue reading “Oyster Shell Soft Shelled Eggs”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC SDS (sudden death syndrome) is a metabolic condition which occurs most often in commercial broilers and related Cornish breeds. Chickens exhibit a sudden attack just prior to death (37-69 seconds) characterized by loss of balance, strong muscle contractions and violent flapping of their wings. The loss of balance and flappingContinue reading “Sudden Death Syndrome”

By Elena Johnson CVC AC More than you wanted to know about the cause of “Lash Eggs” and Salpingitis. Instead of getting your expected egg in the nesting box, one day you may come into the surprise of finding an egg-shaped ball of caseous exudate.  Caseous means “resembling cheese or curd” and an exudate isContinue reading “Lash Eggs: What To Know”