Ahhhh, the rainy season of April… you know how the saying goes!
“April showers bring May flowers!”
The days begin to lengthen, warmer temperatures and cool mornings and nights. The perfect environment and weather and “all you need is a light jacket!” This is the month where you check your phone in the morning to see the temperature for the day, dress accordingly (or so you think): a jacket or cardigan, maybe a dress or shorts, flip flops… you walk outside and immediately, goosebumps! You see your breath still within the air – your own personal little white cloud. Come midday, you’re outside again and you realize that you need to take off your jacket because you’re beginning to sweat! Wake up and repeat the same sequence of events for the next day… and the next… and the next… The cold nights after the warm days create the ideal conditions for sweating and condensation which cannot only be a problem (more like a hassle) for humans but also your backyard flocks. The condensation and the excess rainfall and humidity create wet floor problems and also greatly reduce the quality of air. Moisture is one of the main factors that influence litter quality – the higher the moisture level, the longer bacteria are able to survive within the litter.
A few microorganisms here and there never hurt anybody, but an excess can ultimately lead to the destruction of your flock by increasing the chances of diseases such as necrotic enteritis or aspergillosis. In addition, the wetter the litter, the higher the amount of ammonia within the flock which could potentially lead to footpad dermatitis. While you cannot control the weather, although we wish we could, you can control the practices and preventative measurements that come with maintaining ideal conditions in your coops for your birds. Similar to humans, it’s important that your chickens have a dry place to come back to after being outdoors in the rain. Proper management is key to ensuring that your birds remain happy and healthy.
During the rainy season, make sure that you properly manage the litter and provide your flock with material that is able to adequately absorb the excess moisture. Wood shavings are often a great source for bedding – a quick drying time and absorption rate, readily available and even better, they’re biodegradable! It’s also important to keep in mind that wet litter does not only come from rainfall but also spillage from the water buckets – try to keep a special eye on how much leakage is occurring when your chickens drink.
With the help of Chicken DeLyte, you can reduce the weight on your shoulders by knowing that even in times of stress and rainy seasons, your birds are protected and still reaching their full potential. Chicken DeLyte’s natural ingredients help to support normal digestion and nutrient absorption, as well as provide a balanced and readily available, antibiotic-free source of Macleaya cordata extract, vitamins, probiotics and other nutrients that enhance the health of your poultry. The seasons are constantly changing and your flock may be growing, but you can help protect your birds from the elements by incorporating daily coop and wellness checks, as well as administering Chicken DeLyte daily.
If there is one thing that I learned from my schooling, it was that my late professor, Dr. John Brake, was right when he said, “The problem isn’t with the chickens… the problem is with the management. You can train a chicken, but you can’t train a human.”
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