Bird Care Articles

Annual veterinary exams are extremely important for your pet bird’s health and longevity. Even if you feel that he or she is healthy at home, birds are very good at hiding signs of illness. Avian veterinarians have specialized training and knowledge of tests to best detect diseases in these animals.

Unfortunately, poor nutrition can be a significant contributing factor in the development of disease and shortening the life span of pet birds in captivity. For most pet bird owners, the selection of an appropriate food can be a difficult task due to the large assortment of commercial foods on offer at pet stores and online.

In the wild, birds spend a lot of their day foraging for food items. This can take 40-75% of their day and they may fly miles between feeding areas to find food. Foraging is excellent mental and physical exercise and can be an activity you enjoy with your bird.

While many chickens kept in backyard flocks are laying, meat, or dual-purpose breeds there are numerous “fancy” chicken breeds ranging from the diminutive bantam Old English breeds to the grandiose phoenix whose tails can reach several feet long.
This care sheet is mainly geared towards chickens, however much of it can be applied to other poultry such as pheasants, guinea fowl, turkeys, and quail.