Fowl pox is a very painful condition and one that is hard to get rid of from a holding although the disease itself is not necessarily life threatening.

Fowl pox is caused by a pox virus and mostly affects chickens. There is a pigeon pox virus and a turkey pox virus.

There are three possible ways in which the virus can be spread:

The Appenzeller Spitzhauben is a very special breed indeed; it combines stunning beauty with the ability to earn its keep with masses of large white eggs. These traits have helped to build up the popularity of the breed so much that a group of breeders got together in February 2010 with the intention of forming a dedicated breed society. After 22 months of hard work the Appenzeller Spitzhauben has now been transferred to the care of the Appenzeller Spitzhauben Society of Great Britain, following an overwhelming majority vote at the Rare Poultry Society annual general meeting held on Saturday 19th November 2011.

Mention “Poultry Auctions” to people in the poultry world and it can often draw a mixed bag of responses. Some will vehemently claim they are to be avoid at all costs as they are places where disease and poor quality stock are peddle by ruthless traders. Others will stand up for them as being a place where there is a chance of seeing a wide variety of stock and an opportunity to source new breeds or bloodlines. All though share a view that if buying you need to keep your eyes wide open.

Red Mites are the bane of many poultry keeper’s lives and I have tried many different ‘lotions and potions’ over the years to rid my own coops of the dreaded red mite.

This summer, I was intrigued to hear about a ‘predator mite’ that can be introduced into the coop and will eat red mite for breakfast... lunch... and dinner too! In fact, they sounded like the perfect solution to my red mite problems so I thought it was well worth checking these hungry little fellas out! 

The predator mites in my trial were supplied by St David's Poultry (AKA Chickenvet) and I am grateful to them for suppying the mites and providing the necessary information to me.

Art of the Chicken Coop (Softback)

by Chris Gleason

Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing. Edition Published:  12th July 2011  Softback: 160 pages ISBN-10: 1565235428 ISBN-13: 978-1565235427 Available on Amazon

One of the biggest expenses when you decide to start keeping chickens is that of the housing. Your chickens may be relatively cheap, but if you're looking to buy a coop you can expect to pay anything from a hundred to several hundred pounds. It can be eye watering, and makes a lie of the 'cheap supply of eggs' waffle spouted by enthusiasts like me. So if you're in any way handy, building your own hen accommodation can be a much more viable alternative. Chris Gleason's 'Art Of The Chicken Coop' attempts to offer some inspiration.

When we find our birds with loose droppings the first disease that springs to mind is coccidiosis. But what exactly is coccidiosis and have does it affect our birds?

Coccidiosis is a parasite which damages the gut wall of chickens. There are a number of species of coccidiosis and their affects vary from harmless right through to life threatening.
There are six species of Eimeria (coccidiosis) which are generally considered to be significant for chickens: E. tenella, E. brunetti, E. necatrix, E. maxima, E. mitis and E. acervulina. Each of these species prefers to live in and damage a specific region of the gut. For the purposes of treatment and prevention of coccidiosis it is unimportant to ascertain which species is causing disease in your birds and in many cases several species may be working together to cause disease.

Hmmm. Well, since last month's piece we seem to have rather mislayed the summer. Which was ever so careless. If your hens are anything like mine, they have been rather narked at the rain and squishy conditions. As soon as the sun shows its face they leg it to higher ground and flatten themselves in an act of sun worship. I can appreciate their sentiments. Anyway, July was a bit of a soggy mess. But that doesn't mean August will be.

You still need to be vigilant when it comes to mites, lice and all pests during the allegedly warm weather. A weekly health check can stop most problems in their tracks. However, if you have an early moulting hen, try to leave her be unless you have reason to suspect that she might have a problem. Maude, my millefleur pekin, has given up the mini moult pretence and literally exploded all over the garden. She is virtually featherless at this stage, but covered in rows of new quills. A chicken growing new plumage will be feeling a little under the weather and will certainly not be keen on being handled. I tend to avoid unnecessary handling and just observe the bird in question. Maude is grumpy and sore looking, and she certainly wouldn't appreciate being cuddled. The poor thing is more pin cushion than chicken right now.