Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
chick boxes, not raising chickens on wire, and avoiding flock-wide injections or vaccinations
using one needle.
Paratyphoid:
This common disease affects the digestive organs and possibly the entire body.
It is caused from a salmonella virus in litter and soil. In young chicks, symptoms include dead
embryos at the time of hatch, poor growth, increased thirst, huddling in around heat with
ruffled feathers, increased chirping, swelling in both eyes, diarrhea, and dehydration. This dis-
ease has no treatment, and survivors will be carriers. Prevention is difficult, but keep coops,
bedding, and water clean; collect hatching eggs often; and replace nesting litter often.
You
will need to report this disease to the USDA.
Pasted vent:
Chicks mostly suffer from pasted vent. This occurs when feces clog the bird's
vent, and the chick has blockage when trying to defecate. If the vent seals up, death can occur.
Treat this by washing the infected area with warm water and carefully picking at the adhering
matter with a toothpick or something similar. Although this is common in chicks, hens are af-
fected as well. Clean droppings that stick to vent feathers as soon as you notice them.
Pox (dry):
Pox affects the skin and can appear in birds of all ages, excluding newly hatched
chicks. The virus is identified by wart-like bumps found on the comb and wattles that grow
larger and change in color. They start out white, turn yellow, and then proceed to a reddish-
brown, gray, or black. Other symptoms include a drop in egg production, weight loss, and
scabs on the head and neck. Prevention is difficult, as this virus is carried through mites and
mosquitoes. Vaccination is recommended. No treatment is known, so isolate infected birds.
There is no harm to humans; chicken pox in humans is a different strain of virus.
Staphylococcic arthritis:
This can affect the joints or the entire body. Symptoms include
swollen joints, resting on hocks (the part of the leg below the thigh but above the ankle),
fever, and hesitancy to move. The cause of staphylococcic arthritis is a common virus strain in
the poultry environment. Treatment is obtained through antibiotics. Prevention involves keep-
ing your chickens in uncrowded housing to prevent injuries that allow the virus to enter the
body. For humans, consuming infected meat can cause food poisoning.
Sudden death syndrome:
This is common in broilers. Although the cause is unknown, it is
suspected that giving broilers high-carb feed to induce rapid weight growth affects the heart
and lungs, causing a heart attack. Postmortem findings include feed-filled intestines and
bloated, bright red lungs. It has no cure, and the best prevention is to eliminate as much stress
as possible in your flock's environment.
