Hi Everyone!
Contrary to rumors (and certain people’s hopes, I’m sure!), I have not disappeared, died or been abducted by aliens. I have been busy working my job as a commercial laying hen vet, being surprisingly busy with poultry welfare projects, changing lifestyle (amicable divorce, dating, now re-engaged), raising kids, etc, etc. I know, nobody cares about that stuff. The other thing that many of you MIGHT care about is that I have started a relationship (not part of the dating fiasco…..professional relationship) with a staggeringly competent vet who has built a career doing small animal, exotic, and avian medicine. We bumped into each other on the opposite sides of an animal welfare investigation of a backyard flock. Neither one of us needed to be “right”, and worked together to solve the problems, help the owner and get the birds into a better situation.
After the investigation, Nickey was telling me about HER backyard flock, and the lack of information readily available for backyard poultry, and the impossibility of getting/providing vaccines for small groups of birds. One thing led to another, and we got talking about both our opportunities, abilities and knowledge. She was competent and confident in all the aspects of individual bird care….surgeries, diagnostics, work-ups and hospitalization. I know disease transmission, vaccines, biosecurity, behaviour, nutrition and post-mortem examination. My new fiance made me watch some romantic movie and somebody said “you complete me….” as sappy music played (I might not have been watching closely). It was sort of like that with Nickey.
So….long story short, we have found a way to provide vaccines, advice and medicine to backyard flocks. With all this exposure to small flocks, I am facing a TON of questions about backyard chickens that I am actually surprised are not more easy to answer. So, I thought I would resuscitate the blog with a bit of a new focus on backyard hens. I will still try to explain and expose what commercial farms are like, and may rant about other things occasionally, but will use this as a space to try to explain some of the misconceptions out there about backyard flocks.
Hope you guys come along for the ride.
Mike the Chicken Vet
mikethechickenvet 
Where are you located?
We are in Guelph, Ontario
Thanks Dr. Mike! It’s wonderful to hear that good things are going on in your life! We all have them..Lives I mean ! We farm grapes,hug our Seramas ,and wait patiently for your interesting emails. Looking forward to your next one! Leslie and Steve ( Northern CA wine and chicken country!)
-:)
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Congratulations Mike!! When I started my small backyard flock, being a vet, I wondered about vaccines and the availability. Not. I’m glad someone is addressing this problem as I suspect more and more people will find this experience very rewarding and want to address this issue!
Best wishes on your future endeavors with your soul mate!
So nice to read your uplifting good news today. Thanks for keeping us in your loop and bravo for all that brings you joy that you shared.
Will you be able to give advice to American poultry lovers?
I will. Much of the information is identical. Some drugs are different, bit I know most of the differences.
Yes, Man! I am along for the ride. You are one of my poultry heroes and I’m not turning you loose now that I’ve finally heard from you again!
Very good to hear you are still here being a Vet and expanding your backyard flock wisdom.
I will be hatching eggs this spring and will vaccinate for Marek’s. My Spokane Washington clinic said that my buying the med from a supply house was less expensive. By the way I love my veterinarian. He was as frustrated as I was at the minimum dosage vial being so large.
You are AWESOME!!
I love hearing about your New Life ! as. well as your Chicken Vet Life !!!
I am an Animal Assisted Chicken
Psychotherapist and care for my flock of 13 Little Treasures !
I am thrilled to have your Advice and best
Practices for my Girls.
Thank you !!!!
🐣🐥🐓🐓🐓🐓
Good for you, Mike! Good to hear from you! I am no longer involved in the chicken/egg industry but I do remember the great work you did! I always enjoyed working with you! Life is short! Happy for you! Regards, Brenda Pedden-Boyce (Walnut Ridge Poultry Farm)
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Great to hear from you Brenda! I still drive past the farms pretty regularly. I’ve been doing this long enough that I’m seeing more and more people exiting the industry, or handing the reins to the next generation. It’s weird becoming the “old guy”!
welcome back! happy that things are going well for you.
On Mon, Mar 1, 2021 at 6:40 PM mikethechickenvet wrote:
> chickenvet posted: ” Hi Everyone! Contrary to rumors (and certain people’s > hopes, I’m sure!), I have not disappeared, died or been abducted by aliens. > I have been busy working my job as a commercial laying hen vet, being > surprisingly busy with poultry welfare projects, c” >
Glad you are back and looking forward to hearing more about your collaboration.
Good for you, and it’s good to hear from you again!!!
Of course we want to hear about your personal life ! We are all in lockdown and any news is exciting new. Congratulations on your new adventures ! Teresa
Sent from my iPad
Thanks!
Glad you’re back. As a backyard chicken owner of 7 sweet hens I am always looking for information to keep my girls as happy and healthy as I can.
thank you! so glad you are still her for us and 2.0 is even better for me!
I have a rooster in ICU, (a kennel in my basement) with a hot, swollen head and one eye shut. I wish I had access to pain meds without taking him to a vet. I have 16 roosters, (let too many eggs hatch) so this happens occasionally. I can’t wait to follow you on twitter.
Please explain the value of vaccines?
Why are we not breeding for vigor and health instead of compromising immune system with toxins?
Glad you are back. I hope you will meet some holistic vet that can show the dangers of pharmaceutical drugs.
Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.
Hi susan, thanks for commenting. We obviously see this very differently. Breeding for vigor is another way of saying let the weak ones die. You view helping birds survive disease as counterproductive to them. How is this different than feeding your flock half the amount of food they need? It would allow us to select the birds that are the most efficient at getting nutrients, and would kill off the ones who couldn’t compete. I am honestly curious about your answer, because we look at this issue very differently, and I would like to understand why.
Mike
Thank you so much !!! This will be very helpful ❤️❤️❤️🐓🐓🐓
Sent from my iPhone
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Gosh! Yep, thought you found the edge of the earth and fell off. LOL! Looking forward to your knowledgeable, in-depth, and humorous articles. Welcome back!
Delighted to see you are back! Wishing you well in your new life, and I welcome your new range of insight, broadened with Nickey’s experience.
Great to see you back!
So glad you are back.
I had no idea there was oral vaccines for chicks/chickens. Is this something that can be ordered?
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! We chicken-folk out here welcome and need your expertise and advice!!!
All the best to you in your new endeavors!
Janet Robinson 🙂 Chicken mama to 23 adorable fluffies.
On Mon, Mar 1, 2021 at 5:40 PM mikethechickenvet wrote:
> chickenvet posted: ” Hi Everyone! Contrary to rumors (and certain people’s > hopes, I’m sure!), I have not disappeared, died or been abducted by aliens. > I have been busy working my job as a commercial laying hen vet, being > surprisingly busy with poultry welfare projects, c” >