Health Related Topics - Poultry

A Guide to Recognizing and Treating Chicken Foot Problems Picture: GOUT - Scaly leg mites burrow under the scales on a chicken’s shanks and feet  causing the scales to stick outward. Swelling of the joints due to gout (above) may be mistaken for deformity due to scaly leg. Artwork by Bethany Caskey. Diagnosing Leg Mites, Gout, and Bumblefoot in Chickens Two common chicken foot problems and leg ailments are leg mites and bumblefoot, both of which are easy to treat. Less common, but sometimes mistaken for either leg mites or bumblefoot, is a type of arthritis known as gout, which...

There are two main types of Coccidiosis – Intestinal Coccidiosis and Cecal Coccidiosis. In the intestinal version the intestinal tract is affected by the Eimeria, and in the Cecal version, the cecum is affected. Coccidia have two main phases in their life cycle; one phase occurs outside the host and involves the development of the infective stages (oocysts), and the major phase which occurs within the host and involves massive multiplication and sexual reproduction. Birds ingest a number of oocysts and become infected. The severity of the infection depends on the numbers that they are host to. At a low...

Vent gleet also sometimes referred to as cloacitis or thrush is a fungal infection involving the digestive and reproductive systems. Often the first signs of this infection can appear at the vent. When examining the vent, it appears to have a whitish discharge that can sometimes smell like fermenting yeast. The feathers surrounding the vent and backside are often missing and coated with fecal material as well as yeasty discharge and some crusting. The skin around the vent can also appear reddened and irritated. The degree of vent gleet can vary. Some cases are quite obvious, and others times it...

Marek's disease (MD or fowl paralysis) is a very common disease of chickens caused by a herpes virus. Marek's disease affects both commercial and backyard poultry and may result in death or severe production loss. The disease causes changes in many of the nerves and may cause tumours in major internal organs. Chickens are the main species affected. The disease occurs rarely in some other types of birds. Clinical Signs Young birds are most susceptible to infection. Most deaths from Marek's disease occur between 8 and 20 weeks of age, although in some cases the disease may be seen in...

I will preface this article by saying although I am not a veterinarian, I have done some research and consulted trained veterinarians before writing this piece along with being a rare breed poultry breeder for over 25 years. Feel free to do your own research to make your own executive choices on this controversial subject. Many customers come in asking for Ivermectin as they have been advised to use this product by a friend, relative or poultry breeder. What many do not understand is that the product is not labelled for poultry use and therefore not researched as to the...