THE REALITIES ABOUT POULTRY The Modern Farm - The Realities About Poultry_Seco | Página 43

Feathers should not be missing unless a bird is going through a moult (in which case a farmer
should not really be buying them as the moult is a very stressful and demanding time for them).
Missing feathers can indicate bullying in the flock which does occur but often an unwell bird can
lose her position in the pecking order if she is not in the best of health and get bullied as a result.
The farmer should not be afraid to ask whether to inspect the birds he or she is planning to buy.
This will give him or her an idea of their temperament and give him or her the opportunity to
inspect them for lice. Lice are like skin coloured miniature grains of rice that can be found on
feathers and skin. They are fast moving and will crawl away as they are exposed to the light. They are
not a huge problem and treatment is quite simple but if they are heavily infested it might be an idea
to look elsewhere if the birds don’t look in top condition. Some Fowl Mite can look like tiny specks
of dirt around the vent area.
POULTRY HOUSING
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