Free tool

Flock care checklist

Most flock care is small routines done often. Tick jobs off as you go; daily ticks clear themselves tomorrow, weekly ones next week.

Light-coloured hens foraging among leafy garden plants
Photo: Linda N., CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

Every day

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Ticks reset by themselves each day, week, month or season, and stay in this browser only.
If a bird seems sick, separate it and contact a veterinarian or your state poultry lab. Use any medication or parasite treatment only as its label says, including the egg-withdrawal time. Report sudden deaths or bird-flu signs to your state veterinarian or USDA at 1-866-536-7593.

Keeping it simple

Do the daily list every day, even when nothing seems wrong: water, feed, eggs and a quick headcount catch most problems early. The seasonal jobs follow the seasonal calendar.

Questions

How often should I clean a chicken coop?
Remove wet or soiled bedding weekly and do a full clean-out a few times a year; deep-litter systems are turned and topped up instead.
Where are my ticks saved?
In this browser only, and they reset by themselves at the start of each day, week, month or season.

Sources

  1. CDC, Healthy Pets: backyard poultry
  2. USDA APHIS, Defend the Flock
  3. University of Minnesota Extension, Diseases of small poultry flocks