The Poultry Doc

The Poultry Doc Bringing board-certified poultry medicine to the backyard.
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05/29/2026

Respiratory Disease in Baby Chicks: Causes, Treatment, and How to Tube Feed a Sick Chick

In Episode 41 of the Poultry Doc Podcast, board-certified veterinarian Dr. Blayne Mozisek breaks down one of the most common and stressful situations backyard flock keepers face: respiratory disease in baby chicks. Using a real patient case, he explains why a chick's age is the most important clue when diagnosing the cause of breathing problems. Chicks showing gasping or panting as early as 3 days old are more likely suffering from fungal pneumonia caused by Aspergillus, a mold that thrives in hardwood shavings and wet bedding. Older chicks are more likely dealing with an infectious respiratory disease such as mycoplasma, infectious bronchitis, or Newcastle disease.

Dr. Blayne walks through how to tube feed a sick chick using a crop gavage needle, an essential skill for flock keepers with birds too weak to eat or drink on their own. He demonstrates how the blunt, rounded tip safely bypasses the trachea and delivers food directly into the crop. Whether the goal is hydration, nutrition, or medication delivery, gavage feeding can be the difference between losing a chick and getting it through a critical window.

The Poultry Doc is a website dedicated to bringing board-certified poultry medicine to backyard chickens everywhere. If you're in need of a poultry vet check out our Founding Feather membership at ThePoultryDoc.com.

05/22/2026

In Episode 40, Dr. Blayne makes a house call in Austin, Texas, to visit Lauren and her hen Linda. Lauren had been dealing with a puzzling feathering problem for nearly a year: two red, inflamed spots on the elbows of Linda's wings, brittle and broken feathers, and overall poor feather quality that simply would not improve. Despite trying mite treatments, multiple baths, antifungals, and a complete coop overhaul, nothing had made a difference. With no clear answers and a hen that just kept declining, Lauren reached out to Dr. Blayne hoping someone could finally figure out what was going on.

The investigation covers a lot of ground. Could it be depluming mites? Was Linda being bullied or over-preening, pulling her own feathers out from irritation? Could a new coop or nesting material be causing a localized reaction? What about ingrown or cystic feather follicles? And then there is the diet- Lauren has been feeding a soy-free, corn-free, non-GMO blend supplemented with scratch, mealworms, chili flakes, and dried oregano, all with the best intentions. Dr. Blayne walks through each possibility methodically, explaining what the signs would look like and why some causes fit and others do not.

This episode is packed with practical, vet-guided information for any keeper who has ever stared at a hen and thought, something is just not right. Dr. Blayne covers depluming mites, feather follicle issues, flock dynamics, the role of amino acids like methionine and cysteine in feather development, the truth about soy-free and corn-free diets, and the real science behind herbal supplements like oregano and chili. If your hen has ever had a feathering mystery, this one is worth watching all the way through.

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05/15/2026

In episode 39, Dr. Blayne makes a house call to Wimberley, Texas, to visit Katie and her four-year-old hen, Dog. Suspecting a case of egg yolk peritonitis, Dr. Blayne walks through the full picture of EYP: what causes it, how bacteria travel up the reproductive tract leading to salpingitis, what the fluid in the abdomen can tell us, and why early intervention always gives a hen her best chance.

But what started as a guarded prognosis shifted quickly once the exam revealed something more significant was going on. It's a difficult reminder that even when we do everything right, catching changes early, reaching out to a veterinarian, and providing attentive and loving care, there are situations where medicine simply doesn't have a fix. Dog is comfortable, still pecking around, and surrounded by someone who loves her deeply. Sometimes that is the very best medicine there is, and knowing what you're dealing with, even when the news is hard, puts you in a position to make the most compassionate decisions for your bird.

Thank you, Katie and Dog, for sharing your story. We know that countless other chicken keepers watching this will find comfort and guidance in your experience. You and Dog are a reminder of why this community matters so much.

05/09/2026

Ever wonder why your hen won't leave the nest, and what to actually do about it?

In this episode, Dr. Blayne and Nikki dive into one of backyard chicken keeping's most talked-about topics: broody hens. They break down the science behind broodiness, including the hormones prolactin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) that trigger the behavior, and which breeds are most likely to go broody (looking at you, Silkies and Cochins).

From using a broody hen to hatch fertile eggs or adopt day-old chicks, to the full broody-breaking playbook: ice baths, dog crates, fans, and dark rooms, they cover it all. Dr. Blayne also weighs in on the role of diet and protein in broodiness, explains medicated chick starter and coccidiosis, and what's happening inside a hen's reproductive tract while she sits. Plus, a practical tip on checking for mites during broodiness that you won't want to skip.

Read more on the science of broody hens: https://thepoultrydoc.com/articles/why-is-my-hen-broody-the-science-behind-the-sit-what-you-can-do-about-it/

0:00 Introduction & Why Broody Hens Are Trending in the DMs
0:02 What Is a Broody Hen? Signs & Behavior
0:03 The Hormone Science: Prolactin & Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP)
0:04 Which Breeds Go Broody Most (Silkies, Cochins, Orpingtons & More)
0:05 Why Some People Love It — and Why Some Don't
0:06 Your Options: Leave Her, Give Her Fertile Eggs, or Break Her
0:09 Using a Broody Hen as a Natural Incubator
0:10 Adopting Day-Old Chicks Under a Broody Hen
0:14 Broody Breaking: Methods That Actually Work
0:17 Diet, Protein & Treats — The Surprising Link to Broodiness
0:19 Broody Jail: Dog Crates, Fans & Beating the Summer Heat
0:21 Can Hens Go Broody in Winter?
0:21 Medicated Feed, Amprolium & Coccidiosis Explained
0:25 The Preen Gland (Uropygial Gland) & Chick Bonding Behavior
0:30 Mites & Immune Suppression During Broodiness
0:31 What Happens to the Reproductive Tract During Broodiness
0:34 Wrap-Up & Resources

05/06/2026

Always make sure to read the labels on the products you use to treat your food-producing animals.

Blu-Kote contains gentian violet which is banned, by law, in food-producing animals. Unfortunately we see it sold often in the backyard chicken space so please make a note and avoid using this product on your birds.

It’s not an argument- it’s illegal for an animal who’s been treated with gentian violet, and their eggs, to enter the food chain. We list a few safe alternatives in the video.

05/01/2026

Why are my chicken eggshells thin, soft, or breaking easily? In Episode 38 of The Poultry Doc Podcast, Dr. Blayne Mozisek explains the most common causes of poor eggshell quality in backyard chickens and laying hens.

We discuss why calcium is important, when calcium may not be the real problem, and why egg safety matters when choosing medication for your backyard chickens.

If you raise backyard chickens, manage laying hens, or want healthier eggs from your flock, this episode will help you better understand egg production, poultry nutrition, and flock health.

The Poultry Doc is a website dedicated to bringing board-certified poultry medicine to backyard chickens everywhere. It you're in need of a poultry vet check out our Founding Feather membership. https://thepoultrydoc.com/marketplace/founding-feather

04/24/2026

Get an inside look at how serious poultry breeders protect their flocks and why NPIP matters more than most backyard owners realize.

In episode 37 of the Poultry Doc Podcast, Dr. Blayne is back at Zen Pen to talk through the National Poultry Improvement Program, how it started, and the role it plays in controlling devastating diseases like Salmonella Pullorum and Fowl Typhoid.

You will learn why NPIP testing is still critical today and why it's of the upmost importance to check regulations before transporting birds in and out of state.

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