Q&A with Dr. Pol

The doctor is in & answering our questions!

We asked veterinarian Jan Pol, the star of Nat Geo WILD’S “The Incredible Dr. Pol,” what are five tips he would give to backyard chicken-keepers.

1

First, of course, is start with clean, healthy pullets. Get them from a reputable hatchery or store. Don’t put them in a dirty pen, even if it has been empty for a couple years.

2

Make sure pullets are warm (but not hot) and have clean water and food. Put [feeders and waterer] on a board or something higher than the floor. Otherwise, [they] will be full of bedding in no time.

3

When the chicks get bigger, make sure the area gets bigger, too, and that they have roosting spaces enough for all the chickens. Once the chickens start laying eggs, there should be enough nest boxes, and they should be clean and kept clean.

4

In the winter, there should be a light in the coop to give them daylight for about 16 hours per day [if you want to keep up laying production]. If there are not enough chickens to keep the coop warm, then you also need a heat lamp. Many other heat sources get so dusty that they stop working. Even the heat lamp needs to be dusted off regularly.

5

And last of all, chickens are on the bottom of the food chain. Everybody and everything eats chicken! So make sure the fences are varmint-proof because many animals will get in a coop and just kill chickens for fun. If you have a chicken die, don’t panic. However, if you have more than one die in a short time, let a veterinarian do an autopsy. It is easier that way to make a diagnosis than on a healthy live bird.

Ihope some of these points will help you keep a healthy backyard flock!

To learn more about Dr. Pol, please visit his website: www.thedrpol.com.

Jan Pol is a veterinarian known for his reality television show, “The Incredible Dr. Pol,” on Nat Geo WILD.