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Health Problems of
Poultry and Game Birds compiled by Terry Smith |
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Respiratory Disease |
Symptoms |
Treatment |
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Infectious
Laryngotracheitis |
Watery, inflamed, swollen
eyes, swollen sinuses & wattles, nasal discharge, drop in egg production,
coughing (sometimes with a bloody mucus), breathing through mouth with neck
extended during inhale and head on breast with exhale, choking, rattling, drop
in egg production or soft-shelled eggs. Spreads through flock in 2 to 6
weeks. Birds die or recover within 2 weeks of becoming sick. |
No effective treatment.
Vaccinate to keep disease from spreading. Survivors are immune, but survivors
and vaccinated birds are carriers. This is a reportable disease in most
states. Once a vaccination program is started, follow-up vaccination is
necessary. |
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Newcastle
Disease (Exotic) |
Sudden, high rate of
death without or with symptoms: in
chicks - gasping, coughing, “chirping”; drooping wings, dragging legs,
sometimes with twisted head and neck, circling, somersaulting, walking
backward, paralysis. Birds may recover from respiratory symptoms but nervous
disorders remain. In mature birds - listlessness, rapid or difficult
breathing, egg laying totally stops within 3 days; loss of coordination,
muscular tremors; sometimes, watery, greenish, blood-stained diarrhea;
swollen, blackish eyes; bleeding through nose, death within 2 to 3 days of
onset of disease. |
No effective treatment.
This is a reportable disease. Infected flocks are quarantined and destroyed
so avoid contact with illegally imported birds and contact with people and
birds were outbreaks of Exotic Newcastle Disease have been reported. |
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Other Diseases |
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Blackhead |
Mostly affects birds 4 to 6 weeks of age
which may display no symptoms or any of these: droopiness, drowsiness, weakness, ruffled
feathers, increased thirst, loss of appetite and weight loss, darkened face,
watery sulfur-colored droppings. |
The best treatment is
prevention of cecal and earthworms. These drugs are FDA approved for
blackhead: Carosep, Acidified Copper
Sulfate, and Histostat-50. Flagyl (Metronidazole) is not FDA approved for
poultry, but is widely used with peafowl and ornamental game birds. |
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Blue Comb
(Greens, Mud Fever, Non-specific Enteritis) |
Depression, hunching up,
loss of appetite and weight, distended sour-smelling crop, bluish comb,
greenish, watery or pasty bad-smelling diarrhea, dehydration, sunken eyes,
shriveled shanks, cold-feeling body |
Infected birds may
respond to a molasses flush (3.2 oz. per gallon of water for no more than 8
hours) or being treated with 1/2 tsp. copper sulfate per gallon of water (use
non-metal containers). Add BMD or
Neomycin 325 to drinking water. |