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I have a bit of a funny story - Our chickens lay pretty steadily but two of them have been kind of slow in that department since the summer. About a month ago, I found a round worm in the yard and figured that it probably wouldn't hurt to de-worm the ladies, in case that is their problem with laying.
My first (hasty) thought was to call the vets' office to get de-worming meds. Did I ever get a laugh! The vet assistant insisted I have to bring my chickens in for a $60 a piece exam before the vet would write me a prescription. She called the chickens "my pets". I was tempted to ask whether I can bring my pet cow along too.
So I took a little longer to think about why I am trusted to medicate my fish against a disease but am apparently too dumb to do that with a chicken. And do farmers walk their chickens to the office? No, they medicate themselves when needed.
So it finally dawned on me to just go to one of the feed stores in Delta and get the meds needed. As simple as that. I have just reminded myself how useful it is to stop and think:)
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Great perspective! With all due respect to veterinarians, their assumption is that you are bringing them a sick pet and are ready to pay accordingly. Backyard chickens are in a league of their own though, and in many ways straddle that line between pets and farm animals. The people at Roddicks and Otter Co-op (Aldergrove headquarters) are extremely knowledgeable and can provide the right medicine for most parasites, over-the-counter. Usually you'll need to weigh your hens and figure out dosage/dilution etc, but it's fairly straightforward.
Thanks for sharing your story.
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