Botulism is a disease chickens living outdoors have the possibility of being exposed to and contracting.
- At risk:
- Free range or outdoor chickens able to forage for food
- Botulism Symptoms:
- Body tremors
- Paralysis
- Easy to pull out feathers
- Cause:
- Eating or drinking contaminated food or water
- Eating contaminated insects
- Dead carcass near water source
- Treatment:
- Expensive anti-toxin can be purchased from a vet if caught in time
- Can try giving 1t Epson salts dissolved in 1 oz warm water several times per day
- Botulism Prevention:
- Keep living and foraging areas as clean as possible
- Always remove any dead animals near water sources or areas where chickens have access
For detailed information on other common ailments, see related posts below.
