oultry Diseases & Medications For Small Flocks

AVIAN INFLUENZA - (See Fact Sheet for this disease)

Reportable, contagious, and high mortality disease of both domestic and wild birds.
Transmitted by people, birds, flies, and egg flats and egg cases.
Signs are coughing, sneezing, and sudden deaths.

COCCIDIOSIS - Very common disease.

Pale birds; bloody droppings; ruffled feathers; deaths.

One celled parasite - coccidia - 9 species.
Host specific; immunity specific.
Coccidia - need moisture, O2, and temperature.
Prevent by keeping birds dry; feed 0.0125% Amprol continuously to 8 weeks of age.
Amprol @ 1/3 oz. Powder/gallon water 10-14 days for treatment.

ROUNDWORMS - Very common. Larger worms.

Damage by blocked intestine; excrete toxin.

Decreased egg production; direct life cycle - 28 days.
Piperazine for 12-24 hours - 50mg/lb body weight.
Meldane feed 18-21 days.

CAPILLARIA WORMS - Common. Small hairworm.

Decreased egg production; pale yolks; poor hatchability.

Add extra Vitamin A - 12,000 I.U. / pound feed 3 weeks.
Meldane feed 18-21 days.

LICE, MITES - Common parasites of skin and feathers.

Cause anemia due to loss of blood.

Decrease egg production and can produce mortality.
Dust or spray with Sevin.
Must hand dust the males. Females will dust themselves.

MAREK'S DISEASE - Cancer of the chicken; NOT contagious to humans.

Cause tumors in nerves (paralysis), in liver, ovaries, testicles, muscles and skin -
sudden death.
Mortality can go to 20%.
No treatment; prevention by day old vaccination at hatchery.

RESPIRATORY DISEASES - Very common in Connecticut.

Infectious Bronchitis - Sneezing, decrease in egg production and egg shell quality.

Newcastle Disease - Sneezing, decrease in egg production and internal egg quality.

Infectious Laryngotracheitis - Sneezing, coughing, choking, high losses.

Pox - Cause respiratory signs if pox lesions in mouth, throat, and windpipe; skin
lesions on comb and face.

MEDICATIONS - Most commonly used.

Terramycin (Oxytetracycline) - safe; use @ 200 mg. To 1000 mg. (1 Gm.) per gallon
water; withdrawal time - 5 days.

Aureomycin (Chlortetracycline) - use exactly as Terramycin.

NF 180 - not water soluble - must use in feed @ 100-200 Gm./ton.

Neomycin - good against E. coli bacteria. May use in water or feed.

Gallimycin (Erythromycin) - water or feed, good against Mycoplasma. Withdrawal -

1 day.

Amprolium (Corid) - for treating coccidiosis; very safe. (See recommended dose
under coccidiosis).

Sulfaquinoxaline or Sulfamethazine - water or feed; less safe; somewhat toxic to bone

marrow. Withdrawal - 10 days.

Tramizol - wormer, 20 mg. Per bird per day (1 Gm. powder per gallon water for 1-2
days).

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES

Rickets - Deficiency of Vitamin D3, calcium and/or phosphorus. Add cod liver oil
and DiCal or steamed bone meal.
Vitamin E deficiency - Crazy chick disease. Add source of pure Vitamin E.

Curly Toe Paralysis - Deficiency of riboflavin. Add milk products.

Perosis or slipped tendon - Deficiency of choline, manganese, biotin. Add choline,

manganese, and/or biotin.

Vitamin A deficiency - Pale birds. Add cod liver oil.

Small Flock Vaccination Schedule for Replacement Pullets

This schedule is designed to protect small or backyard flocks or poultry kept for
egg production from common respiratory diseases of poultry that may occur in
Connecticut. We do not recommend vaccinating meat birds.

A vaccine administered through the drinking water is recommended. Watering

equipment should be free of disinfectant including chlorine and city water or the vaccine
will be destroyed. Remove water up to 2 hours in hot weather and 2-4 hours in cool
weather before administering.

Follow manufacturer's directions for storage and use.

In a clean container, mix one half teaspoon of powdered skim milk per quart of
water. This will neutralize small amounts of sanitizer and keep the virus in the vaccine
alive and potent much longer.

Age Vaccine Administration

Newcastle Disease Hitchnet B-1 ("B-1 Type -B-1 Strain")

2 weeks and in water
Infectious Bronchitis Massachusetts-Connecticut Strain
Newcastle Disease Lasota (B-1 Type Lasota)
7 weeks and in water
Infectious Bronchitis (Hollan Mild Strain)
12 weeks Infections Laryngotracheitis in water
Newcastle Disease Lasota (B-1 Type Lasota)
15 weeks and in water
Infectious Bronchitis (Regular Holland Strain)
 18 weeks Pigeon Pox (only for show birds) wing web

Worms

Worms can sometimes be found in the intestines of chickens. When chickens are
kept on a litter floor, the worms will have direct cycle through their droppings. Worm
eggs are discharged in the droppings; after the worm eggs incubate in the litter for about
10 days they will contain larvae, and other chickens will pick up these embryonating
worm eggs and become infected with worms.

Two major kinds of worm exist:

1. Roundworms (Ascaridia galli)

These are large worms up to 3 inches long that can live in the intestine, use the
chicken's nutrients while the larvae damage the intestinal wall. Piperazine, a common
harmless wormer, will eliminate roundworms, but reinfection of the chickens can occur
through the litter. Piperazine should be given in the drinking water twice, with a 3-week
interval.

Roundworms can cause drops in egg production, but normally do not harm the
birds severely. However, intestinal absorption of nutrients will be interfered with.

2. Hairworms (Capillaria).

These worms are much smaller than roundworms, approximately 1/2-inch in

length and very thin threadlike. Therefore they are difficult to find in the intestinal
contents. Capillaria have a direct litter bird cycle or an indirect cycle via earthworms,
the latter being a factor in chickens that range outdoors. Capillaria cause considerable
damage to the intestinal wall and can deprive the chicken of nutrients and vitamins.
Platinum yolks can be found in eggs from infected hens as well as paleness of the birds
themselves.
Treatment with piperazine does not eliminate capillaria, and other wormers will have
to be used. The feed is often supplemented with extra vitamin A in capillaria-infected
chickens.

In addition to these two commonly occurring worms in chickens, we can find

other kinds that are of lesser importance:

3. Cecal worms (Heterakis)

 These are worms that inhabit the ceca (blind sacs in intestine), but do not appear
to cause sickness in chickens.

4. Tapeworms

Tapeworms are occasionally found in chickens. They require special treatment,

but usually do not constitute a hazard to the chicken's health, unless large numbers are
present.

5. Gapeworms

Gameworms occupy the trachea of pheasants primarily, but may be found in

chickens, too. Cause gasping in pheasants and young chickens. Special wormer is
required for gapeworms. Gapeworms cycle through earthworms, so chickens will get
infected only outdoors or on dirt floors.

In an average chicken flock with floor operation, good management practices and
periodical piperazine or other worm treatment when roundworms or hairworms are
present will keep the flock healthy. If severe worm problems exist, a good worming
program should be instituted, for which advice can be obtained from the Extension
Service. Wire floors eliminate the worm cycle and keep chickens free of intestinal
worms.

Coccidiosis

Coccidiosis is one of the oldest and most widely known diseases of poultry,
Although there are good effective treatments and preventive medications
(coccidiostats) for coccidiosis, it still occurs quite frequently in chickens today.

Coccidiosis is a disease caused by the invasion of the intestinal wall with coccidia,
a type of microscopic one-cellular animals caused protozoa.

There are basically nine kinds of coccidiosis in chickens. One kind: Eimeria
tenella, causes cecal coccidiosis, where blood is found in the two blind pouches (ceca)
of the chicken-gut, and in chronic or healed cases a yellow core ("cigar") can be found
in the ceca. The other eight kinds infect the small intestine. The two most important
ones are Eimeria Acervulina and Eimeria Necatrix. Both damage the intestine severely
and can cause morality, unthriftiness and loss of egg-production. Turkeys have their
own kinds of coccidiosis, different from chicken varieties. There are seven species of
coccidiosis found in turkeys.
 A mild coccidiosis infection is not very harmful and is actually necessary to create
immunity in the future laying hen, if she is to live on the floor.

Coccidiosis organisms develop little eggs (oocysts) in the intestine that are passed
in the droppings and can then infect other chickens in the same pen. If chickens are held
on wire floor, they cannot get in contact with droppings and will generally remain free
of coccidiosis. Wet litter and warm temperature induce a heavy coccidiosis infection in
the litter. That's why many coccidiosis outbreaks occur in the springtime (May, June).

Preventively, drugs are given in the chicks starter and grower feed, from day-old
until 12-15 weeks of age. Such drugs are called coccidiostats, because they inhibit the
growth of the coccia, but leave enough coccidia alive to permit the build-up of immunity
to coccidiosis in the growing pullet.

In broilers, no immunity against coccidiosis is needed because of their short life

span. Therefore in broilers we frequently use coccidiostats that completely inhibit
coccida build up.

Severe infections of coccidiosis will result in young chickens being sleepy and
sitting with ruffled feathers. In cases of cecal coccidiosis, dropping will contain blood.
Heavy mortality can result if treatment is not started immediately.

Treatment consists of drugs such as liquid amprolium or sulfa drugs (Sulmet,

ESB3 or Whitsyn), but one should be careful with sulfa drugs, as they can be toxic when
given too long or in too high dosages. Never give sulfa drugs to laying hens. In E.
Necatrix infectious blood may occur in the intestine and mortality can be 1% per week
or more.

E. Acervulina infections are less dramatic, but tend to be more chronic in nature
with long term damage to the intestine and resulting in smaller, unthrifty pullets that do
not produce enough eggs.

If chickens appear sick and ruffled from coccidiosis, get a diagnosis at a diagnostic
laboratory. It can be made quickly and medication started immediately.

1.* What is the function of the vent? Is it common to all

poultry? (It is the uro-genital opening of the bird, the
external portion of the cloaca. All poultry have one. It is
where the egg, uric acid and feces all exit.)
2.* In order for a female to lay eggs, does she need the
presence of a male? (No, only for fertile eggs to be
produced.)

3. In what part of the hens reproductive tract is the shell

produced ? (Uterus or shell gland)

4. What are the following? Pullet, Hen, Cockerel, Rooster,

Capon? (Pullet is young female, hen is a female that has
laid eggs for about 6 months, cockerel is a young male,
rooster is mature male and capon is castrated male
chicken.)

5.* What is the importance of calcium in the diets of

laying hens? (Needed for the calcium of the egg shell.)

6.* What precautions must be taken when you introduce

new birds into your home flock? (First check for disease,
next quarantine for three weeks, and check for any
symptoms.)

7.* What are the differences between the plumage of most

adult male and female chickens (Male: long, sharp hackle
feathers, saddle feathers and sickle feathers on tail.
Female: short, blunt hackle feathers, no saddle feathers
and no sickle feathers on tail.)

8.* Other than feathers, what other anatomical features are

unique to the male chicken? (Larger comb and wattles,
coloring, spurs)

9. What are the major external parasites of poultry? How

do you perform a parasite check on chickens or poultry?
(Lice and Mites, check vent, under wings, on skin under
feathers by preen gland, general body area.)

10. If you found external parasites how should you treat

them? (Use Sevin powder or liquid, dust or spray birds and
dust nest boxes.)

11.*What are the two other names for the breast bone of
chickens? (Sternum or Keel)
12.*How man eggs can a hen potentially lay in one year?
(365, one a day.)

13. What nutrient do chickens and other poultry require

each day? (Protein, carbohydrate, fat, minerals, vitamins,
water, oxygen)

14. What are the most common feed ingredients used in

poultry diets in the United States? (Corn and Soybean
meal)

15. It has been said that eggs are an almost perfect food,
however they are missing one vitamin, what is it?
(Vitamin C)

16.*What does depth of body indicate? ( Size of abdomen

and ability to hold a forming egg)

17.*What does width of body indicate? (Size of body

across the pelvic bones, room for egg)

18.*Why do we measure flexibility of the pubic bones?

(To see if they will open enough for an egg to pass)

19.*Why does the judge ask to see the feet and legs of
birds? (To check for deformities and disease and for
parasites)

20. What does "molt" mean relative to chickens? (Lose

feathers, reproduction stops, renews the bird for another
reproduction cycle)

21.*Why should birds be removed from and replaced into

cages head first? (Prevent possible wing damage, to
maintain control)

22.*What is the function of the uropygial (preen) gland?

(Produces an oily substance the bird wipes onto its
feathers with its beak, for preening. In ducks and
waterfowl it helps to waterproof their feathers.)
23. Which of the nutrients, other than oxygen, should
poultry have free access to at all times? (Water)

24.* Do chickens ever have teeth? (Yes, egg tooth at hatch

to help break through the shell)

25.*What does "dual purpose" mean relative to chickens?

(Can be used for both meat and egg production, like
Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshire's, White and Barred
Plymouth Rocks, etc.)

26.*What does "bleaching" mean relative to chickens? (It

refers to the order of loss of skin color in laying hens,
particularly in Leghorn type birds, where the yellow
pigment, xanthophyll, of the skin fades to white as the
pigment is used to color the yolk. Order of bleaching:
vent, eyering and ear lobes, beak bottom of feet, front of
shanks, back of shanks, tops of toes, hock joints, when
birds stop laying eggs they replace pigment in reverse
order.)

27. Where does the yellow color of the skin, beak and
shanks of chickens come from? (Xanthophyll from corn
and grass they eat.)

28.*What color eggs do Rhode Island Red's, New

Hampshire's and Sex Linked chickens lay? (Brown)

29.*What breed(s) of chicken lay(s) blue-green eggs?

(Araucana and Ameraucana)

30. What needs to be supplied in an artificial incubator to

hatch eggs? (Heat, Humidity and Turning)

31. How long is the incubation period for Chickens,

Turkeys and Ducks and Geese? (21, 28, 28, 30-32, for
muscovy it is 33-35 days. )

32. At what temperature should most chicken eggs be

incubated? (100oF)
33. What is the purpose of turning eggs in an incubator?
(Keep embryo from sticking to membranes and causing
malformations of the embryo)

34. Why should incubators be "fumigated" or

"Disinfected" prior to use? (To remove any bacteria, virus
or mold organisms that might infect the eggs being
hatched)

35.*How many eyelids does a chicken have? Why?

(Three, upper, lower and nictating membrane which
moves from the front to the rear of the eye and is clear.)

36.*How many feather tracts to chickens have? (10- head,

neck, shoulder, wings, breast, back, abdomen, rump, thigh
and legs)

37.*How many primary and secondary flight feathers do

most chickens have? (10 primary and 14-18 secondary)

38. What and where are the covert feathers? (Small

feathers on wing, fill in spaces.)

39.*What is the function of the comb and wattles on

chickens? (Sex differentiation, Identification and
thermoregulation)

40.*Where is the axial feather found and how many do

chickens have? (on wings between primary and secondary
flights, one on each wing.)

41.*For what disease must all birds going to shows our of

state be tested for? (Salmonella pullorum).

42. How is Salmonella pullorum spread or transmitted?

(Through the egg, either by organisms from the ovary or
from shell contamination from contact with manure in the
nest box.)

43.*What are basic signs of good health in chickens?

(Alert, active, clear eyes, good manure consistency and
free from external parasites)
44. How often should poultry flocks that are allowed
access to outside for roaming or grazing be de-wormed?
(As often as needed, but at least twice a year, spring and
fall.)

45. For what disease of poultry should small flock owners

be particularly aware of that can cause high mortality and
be of great concern to commercial poultry growers?
(Avian Influenza)

46. If you saw a lot of manure staining on the feathers just

below the vent, what health related problem of your bird
should you suspect? (Diarrhea)

47. Why is the problem described in # 45 of concern and

how can it be treated? (Diarrhea can lead to de-hydration
and possible death. One needs to re-hydrate the bird by
providing electrolytes and water and then determine why
the bird had diarrhea in the first place and treat that. A
high load of worms, coccidiosis or bacterial infection of
the gut can often lead to diarrhea)

48. Sometimes in breeding flocks feather loss is noticed

on the lower back and the back of the head of some
females. What is the cause of this? (When breeding, the
males stand on the back of the females, and hold onto the
feathers on the back of the head with their beak, causing
loss of feathers in those areas.)

49. Many starter feeds for chickens are labeled as

"Medicated". What is the medication and for what reason
is it in the feed? (Amprolium or Coban (Monensen), and it
is to help the bird build immunity to Coccidiosis, a
protozoan disease of the digestive tract of birds. There are
nine (9) different types of coccidiosis, so medicated feed
is a good preventative measure.)

50. What is the main difference between Starter Feed,

Grower Feed and Layer Feed for feeding chicks, pullets
and laying hens? (Protein levels, Starter 18-19%CP,
Grower 14-15% CP and Layer 16-17% CP.)
51.*What is the difference between a broiler, a roaster and
a capon? (Broilers are young meat birds, usually
processed at 6-8 weeks of age, roasters are usually 10-14
weeks of age and capons a castrated meat birds grown to
about 18-20 weeks of age.)

52. What is bumble foot? (An infection in the foot pad of

poultry, usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus from
the manure.)

53. If upon checking the sternum of a chicken it is found

to be crooked, what nutritional deficiency disease could be
the cause? (Rickets, lack of calcium or phosphorous in the
diet.)

54. If checking the legs of the bird one finds that the
scales on the shank are all crusty and bumpy and swollen,
what might be the problem? (Scaly leg mites.) How is it
treated? (Dust with malathion or dip the legs in gasoline
and then cover with petroleum jelly.)

55.*Where is the crop of chickens and what is its

function? (The crop is an enlargement of the esophagus
and it is located on the neck just above the junction with
the body cavity. It holds the food the bird eats and slowly
releases it to the rest of the digestive tract.)

56. What is the ratio of males to females that will provide

the best fertility for a laying flock, without having more
males than necessary? (about 1 male for every 10 females)

57.*How many nest boxes should be provided for a flock

of laying hens? (Usually 1 for each 5 hens.)

58.*How can one tell if baby chicks under a brooder stove

or light have the proper temperature? (They are spread
evenly under the light, not all bunched up or all far away
from the heat source, or all to one side or another, which
indicates a draft)
59.*In general, what temperature should be provided for
growing chicks? (about 95oF for the first week and drop
by 5o per week until at ambient temperature)

60. How much floor space should be provided for standard

and bantam adult laying hens reared on the floor? (About
1.5 - 2 sq. ft for standards and .75 to 1.5 sq. ft for
bantams)

61. What is "Biosecurity" and why is it important for your

flock of birds? (Biosecurity means preventing infectious
or disease causing organisms and other pests, like insects,
rodents, etc., from coming in contact with your birds.
Keeping human traffic to a minimum, and not allowing
contact with any sick birds, either directly or indirectly
through. Keep a foot dip pan filled with disinfectant near
the door to your coop and dip your shoes or boots prior to
entering your facility. It will prevent disease transmission
to your birds and is very important.)

62. What is the gizzard and what is its function? (The

gizzard is also known and the ventriculus a part of the
digestive system just behind the proventriculus, true
stomach, and it is where the food is ground up by the
chicken to aid in digestion and absorption.)

63. What is cannibalism and how can it be prevented or

reduced in your flock? (The pecking of one bird by
another and it can cause injury and/or death. Prevent by
beak trimming, use of specs or decreasing the density of
your flock.)

64. To keep a flock of laying hens producing eggs year

round, what key environmental factor needs to be
controlled and altered to meet the needs of the bird?
(Light, maintain 16 hrs of light per day year round.)

65. What gaseous product can be produced in manure that

can be harmful to chickens? (Ammonia)

66. How can you tell an adult male turkey from a female?
(Beard and size of bird)
* signifies questions suitable for novice and clover showmen.