This is the Bird Page
Birds make good companions and from time to time we come across individuals that have become victims of predators or accidents that need careful nursing. We commonly get enquiries about what to do with a fledgling that has been found on the ground. If the bird has not been injured, and there is no danger from cats it is far better to leave them where they are. The parent birds will be close by and the individual will have a far better chance of survival if they are left to rear there own off spring. Fledgling are difficult to rear and release back into the wild, they are usually better left where they are.
From time to time we participate in surveys on wild birds to determine what has caused their death. We have not come across any poisoning cases but regularly find garden birds that suffer from salmonella infections. This is not a reason to stop feeding birds in the winter as the infection will be passed on wherever birds congregate. Well nourished birds will be better able to cope with the infection. From time to time it would be wise to wash off any bird tables and clear way any dropping around them.
Birds have a high metabolic rate and wounds and fractures will heal surprisingly quickly as long as they are not badly contaminated. Hawks and Owls will sometimes be hit by a vehicle in their enthusiasm for hunting their prey. If you find one on the ground by a road it is always worth investigating. They are well padded and may only be stunned and recover after medical treatment. We are always happy to administer first aid treatment to accident cases and can treat most cases or refer them to a Wild Life Hospital if more specialized treatments and nursing are required.
Chickens and Ducks.
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If you only have a few chickens or ducks you will look
after them as individuals rather than creatures that have to be culled once
they have stopped laying. It is possible to get a wide range of types and
breeds. If you have a cockerel as well as hens try to find one that is not a
close relative if you want to try hatching and rearing chicks. It is best to
let hens go broody in the spring if you can as it is easier to rear chicks
in the summer.
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It is important that chicks and growing birds have access to the right food as they have different requirements at different stages in their life. Grower pellets contain a coccidiostat because it is difficult to avoid this parasite no matter how careful you are with the hygiene in the runs. Growing ducks do not tolerate these drugs and should be fed on pellets intended for laying hens.
Chickens and Ducks can suffer from lice and mites that cause irritation to their skin and suck blood. The best time to investigate this is to catch a few of the birds after they have gone to roost, they are easier to examine then. Get a helper to catch individuals and tip them onto their back so that you can look at the skin on their legs, chest and neck. The lice chickens get are quite large and can readily be seen, the mites that get onto their legs are red and again can readily be detected and treated.
If you have had hens for some time, especially if you have taken on older free range birds they may well be suffering from internal parasites as well and it is wise to worm them at least once each year to control the contamination on the paddocks. The best time to worm hens is when they are moulting, as there are no worries about residues in the eggs when this is done.
Remember it is normal for hens to go broody particularly in the spring and early summer. Do not be too concerned if they take up residence in a nest box and refuse to come out to eat and feed. As long as there is feed available all of the time they will nip out to eat in the quiet times when they are ready. It can be frustrating to keep taking the eggs away as they just keep trying harder to hatch something out. If you do not keep a cockerel you might be able to beg a few eggs from somebody who does and see what happens in the next three weeks or so.
Many people can keep chickens healthy without needing to ever treat any medical conditions. If you have a small flock it is difficult to get pullets that have been vaccinated, the drug companies think in terms of tens of thousands rather than ten doses of a vaccine. Problems often seem to occur when you bring in new birds, it is usually the original ones that start to show respiratory signs or get swellings on the side of their face. It is difficult to tell just what you are dealing with without the help of a post mortem which can easily cost more than four or five replacement birds. The tendency is to use a drug like erythrocin soluable in the water as this is effective against mycoplasma, infectous coryza and other bacterial infections.
Recently we have come across two small poultry units that are having problems with avian tuberculosis. This is a cause for concern as the disease is difficult to control and could have implications for our health should you not be aware that you have the problem. Affected birds tend to have intermittent diarrhoea and although they will continue to feed suffer marked weight loss. Some birds will be found to have died with few symptoms. Wild birds are known to suffer from this disease and may carry the infection to your flock. If you are getting more losses than usual, especially if the birds involved are very light, it would be wise to have one or two of them investigated. We can get a great deal of information from a postmortem examination, but we might need to send samples away to confirm our suspicions if we suspect this disease.
There is more information about keeping and showing poultry on the Poultry Club of Great Britain web pages.
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Ducks These birds are great at clearing your garden of slugs and snails and most of the year they will live in harmony with your plants as they will not scratch up your borders. Depending on the breed that you choose you will find that they are more reliable at providing a daily egg than hens. Indian runners are a particular favorite, this is as close as you can get to a walking wine bottle. |
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Because they take in soil as they feed they are better kept separately from hens. They do need some water deep enough to dip their heads, or if you want to be particularly kind to them a small pool to swim on will be very much appreciated. I have a few ducks at home and they delight in investigating any new sources of water that they discover in their garden. Whether it is a new puddle that forms when it has been raining or some one using a hose to wash a car. We leave a bucket full of water somewhere in the garden so that they have to stretch their necks to reach it. This works well as it keeps clean and they seem to prefer to drink from water that they have to stretch their necks to reach.
Ducks are social animals who have little discussions with one another before they go off and do something. They are very observant and like to investigate the smallest thing that has been altered in your garden. They will keep an eye on what you have been doing and chatter about it to give their approval of the changes that you have made. For some reason when ducks quack there is no echo, nobody has ever been able to understand why.
Ducks often seem to loose weight when they have worms and may need to be caught and dosed three or four times each year. In this area we still have problems from time to time with lead poisoning. Ducks are particularly vulnerable to this as they pick up contaminated grit from the soil and this will readily get into their blood stream. They will recover if they can be moved away from the contamination if this is at all possible. Take a look at the omlet site to find out more about keeping ducks.
Budgies
Budgies come in a variety of colours and are easy to keep. They are sociable birds and prefer to be kept as pairs or in a single sexed group. Adult males have a blue cere around their nostrils and beak. They are said to be the better mimics but both sexes can be taught to talk if you start to train them from an early age. It is not always easy to sex young birds with certainty before the colour of the cere changes at twelve weeks.
Budgies can only stretch their wings for a limited amount in their cage, and it is better if you can allow them access to an enclosed room so that they can get some regular exercise. It is tempting to get lots of different perches and toys in the cage, but it is better not to let it become too cluttered so keep some things in reserve so that they do not have all of the toys at any one time.
Budgies enjoy a variety of seeds and appreciate fresh lettuce from time to time. Cuttlefish are a good source of calcium and it is important that they have access to an iodised mineral block and grit.
There is more information about Budgies and Bird Care on the
Harrison's Bird Food Pages.There are a huge range of different species of Parrots that are kept as pets. Although not the most colourful African Greys are popular because of their intelligence and their ability to learn and mimic speech and household sounds. They have the capacity to learn up to 2000 words and will share the intellectual capacity of a five year old child, if you have been able to gain their confidence.
To learn more about Parrots and how to get the best from them follow this link to the
African Greys World.
This is a disease transmissible to people that can be carried by Budgies, Cockateils, Parrots as well as Pigeons and other birds. It is relatively rare but is a cause of concern as some individuals can carry and pass on the disease without themselves showing any apparent signs of ill health. Birds are most likely to become ill with psittacosis when they are sold or mixed together in different groups. Affected birds show a wide range of symptoms, there may be sneezing or coughing with discharges from the eyes or nostrils. Some individuals will have soft dropping or just look generally unwell or be found dead with few apparent symptoms.
Some individuals can carry psittacosis throughout their lives and show no apparent clinical symptoms. The disease is treatable with antibiotics, but there is a risk that even after treatments for up to 45 days some of the birds will still be able to pass on the disease. It is wise to check dropping samples from time to time to find out if there are any signs of this disease.
In general it tends to be elderly people and patients that are on immuno supressive drugs that are at the most risk from psittacosis. The symptoms are similar to flu with headaches and swollen glands. Sometimes pneumonia will develop and it is important to be aware that these symptoms can be associated with a disease that comes from cage birds.
Pigeons These birds are kept mainly for racing purposes and owners invest a great deal of time and effort in breeding birds with high potential. Pigeons breed when they are eight or nine months of age and only incubate two eggs. The squabs mature relatively slowly so it takes time to find out if the offspring from the mating have racing potential. Both birds are involved with rearing the chicks. Pigeons and Doves can cope with a relatively poor diet but to reach their full potential it is important that they are offered a variety of grains as well as some green food. Also remember that they need grit to digest their food properly. Pigeons like most birds are susceptible to New Castle Disease, this can cause them to have loose droppings at first then nervous signs become apparent. This is a serious notifiable disease, but fortunately there is a vaccine available that should be given each year to stop the virus becoming established. Like all animals Pigeons carry a variety of worms that can readily be passed on to the young and growing birds. It is not thought that tapeworm infections have a great deal of significance but round worms should be treated with panacur whenever they are noticed in the droppings. Racing Pigeons are used to being handled and make good patients if they are exhausted or injured. Sometimes they will only visit you for a short time to feed and recuperate during a long race. They will welcome grain and the seeds that you might have for the wild birds in your garden. If they have been injured and need Veterinary treatment we will be happy to administer first aid treatment for you. If the bird is poorly enough to catch and you can read the number it is always worth contacting the Pigeon Owners Association on 01452 713529. Pigeon Owners are often most concerned about the fate of their birds and will arrange transport home if the bird has not been too badly damaged.