Omphalitis is a fairly common infection, also known as mushy chick disease or yolk sac infection, and it occurs in the first few days of a bird’s life. It is seen most commonly in artificially hatched eggs and is associated with contaminated eggs or incubators.

To find the best practitioner for your flock, it helps to understand what a poultry veterinarian does, and how this type of veterinarian fits into your homestead life.

Joan had died of an affliction I’d never heard of before but is the most common cause of death in laying hens: fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) or, in plain terms, being severely overweight.

While it’s easy to jump headfirst into herbal remedies for your flock, there are some things we need to understand about essential oils and poultry before we start treating “all the things.”