Poultry Diseasesand Other Health ProblemsThere are a number of health problems and poultry diseases that you may encounter at one time or another. This section of the site contains articles and information about many of the most common problems. It is divided into sub-categories to help you find the information easily. Examine your bird, then check their symptoms here to get an ideas of what could be wrong with them.Please remember this advice should not replace the advice of a qualified vet - Whilst we have experience in keeping chickens, waterfowl and a few other types of poultry, we are not vets!Worth a mention are "Diseases of Free Range Poultry" and "The Chicken Health Handbook", both very good books covering just about all diseases and disorders in a non technical way. Victoria Roberts' book in particular is an excellent read with information aimed at UK enthusiasts.Sub-categories: Red Mites

Articles and information about red mites and how to get rid of them.Symptoms can include hens off lay, pale combs and wattles and hens not wanting to go to roost in infected houses.

Respiratory ProblemsArticles and information about respiratory problems in poultry.Symptoms of typical poultry respiratory problems include: Runny / watery eyes, swollen sinusses, wheezing, sneezing, gurgling / rattling, and difficulty breathing. Digestive System Problems

Information about the digestive system and the problems that can occur in poultry.Symptoms of typical digestive system problems include: Loss of appitite, a swollen crop, bad or sweet smelling breath, diarrhea, or messy bottoms. Reproductive System ProblemsInformation about the reproductive system and disorders of the reproductive system, including egg laying problems. Problems with eggs themselves are covered in the Eggs Category below.Symptoms of reproductive disorders include infertility, hatching problems, laying difficulty, swollen abdomen and prolapse. Egg ProblemsArticles and information concerning egg problemsFor egg laying problems, see Reproductive System. Typical egg problems are soft or missing egg shells, wrinkled or misshaped eggs, watery whites, double or multiple yolks and worms or blood spots inside eggs. Skeletal and Muscular DisordersArticles and information about skeletal and muscular problems in poultry.Lameness, splayed legs, legs or wings pointing in odd directions, inflamation of joints are all typical symptoms of skeletal and muscular disorders. External ProblemsInformation and articles about problems that affect feathers, beak, skin, scales, eyes, comb, and nailsCuts, wounds, feather loss, blindness, external parasites, (with the exception of red mites which are in a separate section) and other symptoms. Nervous System ProblemsThe nervous system is effected by a number of things from nutritional disorders to beak trimming and diseases such as Marek's disease. Cardiovascular and OrgansArticles and information about health problems with cardiovascular and major organs in poultry.Symptoms such as rapid un-explained death of a seemingly healthy bird.

Categories Of Veterinary Medication In The UKMedicines for animals in the UK are categorised as follows:POM-V Prescription Only Medicine - Vet.A medicine, to be supplied on prescription. It must be prescribed (orally or in writing) by a vet to animals under his care following a clinical assessment, and which may be supplied by a veterinarian or pharmacist in accordance with the prescription.POM-VPS Prescription Only Medicine - Vet, Pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person.A medicine for food-producing animals (and horses), supplied only on a vets prescription, which must be prescribed by a vet, pharmacist or SQP (either orally or in writing) and which must be supplied by one of those groups of people in accordance with the prescription.NFA -VPS Non Food Animal Medicine - Vet, Pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person.A medicine for pets that has to be supplied by a vet, pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person.

AntibioticUse In Back Yard PoultryI am a lay-man when it comes to veterinary science and have no qualifications in this field so this information should, naturally be taken as a 'view' and part of your overall research into what is best for your poultry.Antibioticsare a fairly common treatment given to poultry on prescription to treat a variety of infections.BaytrilorTylanare often given to chickens with respiratory problems for example (and seem to work well for this complaint) but what is the risk is to our health when we are using antibiotics in animals that are producing food for human consumption?When we treat our egg or meat producing chickens (or any animal for that matter) with an antibiotic, it works by killing most of the bacteria that are responsible for the infection which helps them recover, but unfortunately it doesnt just kill these bacteria. Antibiotics also kill many (but not all) of the naturally occurring bacteria that live in the chickens gut called campylobacter.Breedingand SelectionIf you breed poultry then you are probably aware of the term selection process. Like breeds like is a common phrase you hear so by selecting birds with the best qualities, you get a greater number of offspring with your desired characteristics. By removing birds with undesirable qualities from the breeding pen, you are reducing the chances of more of the same thing appearing in future generations.Unfortunately, the same rules apply with bacteria. By killing many of the naturally occurring campylobacter in the chickens gut, we are leaving the campylobacter that are resistant to the antibiotic to multiply and as we know, like breeds like we are essentially producing more antibiotic resistant bacteria.So why is this a problem? Well, if campylobacter gets into your body (from say contaminated meat), youll probably get a nasty case of food poisoning. When you see your doctor, he will prescribe an antibiotic that in fact is similar to the antibiotic used on your poultry. If enough resistance has built up in the campylobacter then (youve guessed it), it wont be effective.This is simplified considerably and in reality, it is far more complex than this. Bacteria can pass genes between their species so other bad boys in the world of bacteria could acquire these genes. You can imagine how terrible the situation could become. Just as we created all of these wonderful pure breeds after years of selection, we might end up with a bacteria or super bug that cant be killed by any of the antibiotics doctors have at their disposal.This evolution is a serious concern and you will read a good deal about antibiotic resistant bacteria in the news. It isnt just the antibiotics used in poultry, it is livestock too and many a dairy is using antibiotics by the bucket-load to treat infection.Baytril has been banned in US poultry production to try to slow down the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Baytril has a similar make-up to the human antibiotic Cipro. How long will it be before the UK follows I wonder?If you have unused antibiotics, remember they should not be tipped down the drain because much of the water we drink from the tap comes from recycled waste water.My research has certainly opened my eyes to the use of antibiotics in poultry and I have made a decision not to use antibiotics in future unless I absolutely have to.References:Ciprofloxacin resistantCampylobacterspp. in humans: an epidemiological and laboratory study:http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/37/4/747.abstract

Flubenvet1%- 60g Packs For Worming ChickensThebackyard poultry market is growing rapidly but many novice poultry owners are unaware of simple preventative health routines that can significantly improve the health and wellbeing of their birds.Worms are not always visible and infection can be asymptomatic but worms can also affect egg quality and yield - fewer, smaller, paler, brittle eggs can result. Affected poultry can suffer ill thrift, anaemia and even death. The non-specific nature of the condition can make it hard for novices to identify.Sourcesof InfectionEmbryonated worm eggs resist disinfectants and can survive for years.Sources include: An infected bird excreting thousands of worm eggs daily Contaminated soil or litter material An intermediate host (wild bird, earthworm or beetle) Fomite transmission: footwear, equipment or other animals.Free range and deep litter husbandry systems increase exposure to parasitic worms and may favour worm egg survival. Active infections of the common worms affecting poultry:Ascaridia(roundworms),Capilliaria(hairworms),Syngamus trachea(gapeworm),Heterakis(small roundworms) andAmidostomum anseris(gizzard worm) in geese need to be controlled through effective preventative and strategic de-worming programmes.There is more informationhere on our page about worming poultry.Whereto Buy Flubenvet.The 60g packs of Flubenvet 1% contain enough to treat around 20 large fowl. They come with a handy plastic scoop for measuring out the required amount so you don't need accurate electronic scales as you would with the larger 240g Gamekeeper packs that are only available from a few suppliers.

Specialist suppliers of pet medication sell Flubenvet. Premixed Flubenvet with Layers Pellets are also available on Amazon (see advert right) which is an easy way to use Flubenvet.

TreatmentGuidelinesPreventativeHealth RoutinesAt each treatment use Flubenvet in feed for 7 days as directed: Worm all new poultry when introducing to the flock Before introducing the flock to pasture The whole flock spring, summer and autumn as a preventiveAvailable in a 1% 60g pack sufficient to treat around 20 chickensActiveInfectionsRandom worming may not be effective because worm eggs in the environment are a source of ongoing infection for a number of years.Strategicprogrammes: Take into account the pre-patent period of common poultry worms Rely on treating at intervals shorter than the prepatent period until infection pressure is reduced, as measured by a reduction in faecal eggs per gram (EPG) counts Once infection pressure is reduced, regular treatment will help keep the level of adult egg laying worms in the birds to a minimum.StrategicDe-wormingIn the face of active infection, at each treatment administer Flubenvet in feed:

There is some information on how to mix flubenvet, so that it will stick to the pellets on theKeeping Chickens: A Beginners Guide website- theFlubenvet poultry wormerpage.Flubenvet for the domestic poultry keeper: Made from a licensed formulation specifically for the smaller poultry flock. Can be supplied through oral prescription by a vet, pharmacist or SQP. Available in a 60 g pack which can treat around 20 birds for 7 day treatment period. Simple dosing using supplied scoop - just one 6 g scoop treats 2 kg of food for chickens or geese, one 6 g scoop treats 3 kg of food for turkeys. Kills all stages of common poultry worms. Zero egg withdrawal during and after treatment for chickensContra-indication, Warnings and Precautions:Birds must not be slaughtered for human consumption during treatment. Treated birds may be slaughtered for human consumption only after 7 days from the last treatment; the meat withdrawal time is 7 days. There is no withholding period for chickens producing eggs for human consumption when the product is used at the recommended inclusion rate; the egg withdrawal time is zero days.For Animal Treatment Only. To be supplied only on veterinary prescription - from your veterinarian, pharmacist or a suitably qualified person.Keep out of the reach of children. Store in tightly closed, original container below 25C.Operator warnings: The product is a powder and mixing may generate dust. Prepare the product in a well ventilated place. Do not breath dust. If accidental inhalation of dust occurs, move to an outdoor area with fresh air. To avoid accidental inhalation wear a disposable dust mask (that conforms to European Standard EN149) Accidental ingestion by humans should be avoided. Avoid direct skin contact. Wear impervious gloves when mixing and handling the product. Wash affected parts if skin contact occurs. If accidental eye contact occurs, immediately rinse thoroughly with water.Disposal AdviceDispose of empty containers in the domestic refuse. Used containers should not be recycled.For further information contact: Janssen Animal Health, 50-100 Holmers Farm Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 4EG, UK. Tel 01494 567555 Fax 01494 567556EMailahealth@jacgb.jnj.comFlubenvet 1 % Medicated Premixture is produced from Flubenvet Premix containing flubendazole 5% w/w Vm 00242/4056

Ivermectin- Used For Worms, Lice And Mites In ChickensIvermectinis an anti-parasite medication, effective against most worms (not tapeworm), mites and some lice including scaly leg mite and northern fowl mite. Ivermectin pour-on / drops is applied to the skin.Ivermectin Drops are usually sold under the Small Animal Exemption Scheme for use in rabbits, Guinea Pigs and ornamental birds. Products licensed under the Small Animal Exemption Scheme are not licensed for use in food producing animals such as chickens andit is for that reason that there is no information relating to the withdrawal period for eggs or meat following use of Ivermectin Drops on poultry. Where there is a licenced alternative, vets will prescribe the licenced product. To treat worms - Flubenvet is the (only) licenced in feed product.In the absence of licensed alternatives, veterinarians do sometimes prescribe this product for poultry under their own clinical judgement to treat lice in poultry. However, it is only a veterinarian who can advise on such use and it would breach of the veterinary medicines regulations and NOAH code of practice by supporting, or encouraging the use of this product on a non-target species. It is for this reason that we are recommending that you seek the advice of your vet before purchasing and using Ivermectin on your chickens or other poultry. Avermectins are more toxic to waterfowl than chickens so this is particularly important if you are treating ducks or geese.

Uses:Sometimes prescribed by Vets to treat endoparasites (worms) and ectoparasites (liceand most mites includingscaly leg mite). Rememberred mitelive in the house, so housing will require alternative treatment.Formats available:Injectable, oral or drops for skin. Pour on drops are usually prescribed.Dosage:For the treatment of an existing infestation, repeat doses are required often weekly three times.Egg Withdrawal period:As advised by Vet, depends on the strength of solution. Vets prescribing Ivomec Eprinex usually advise 7 days.Slaughtering for meat for human consumption:As advised by Vet, depends on the strength of solution. Vets Prescribing Ivomec Eprinex usually advise 28 days.Category:POM-VPSStorage:In original packing below 25C and out of reach of children.Sold in UK as Ivomec, Xeno 200, Noromectin, Harka Mectin, Heartgard30 and Acarexx.Wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly with soap and water following treatmentThe information given here is the opinion of the authors and should not be considered as professional advice. Where there is conflicting information, you should always follow the advice of your vet.

Coxoid- Used To Treat CoccidiosisCoccidiosisis a disease caused by internal parasites called Eimeria. These live inside the cells that line the birds intestine. As they reproduce, they cause bleeding and swelling in the intestines. Birds lose a lot of liquid and cannot absorb nutrients from their food and will soon die if left untreated.In the absence of licensed alternatives, veterinarians sometimes prescribe drugs such as Coxoid under the 'cascade' to treat coccidiosis in poultry. However, it is only a veterinarian who can advise on such use and we would be in breach of the veterinary medicines regulations and NOAH code of practice by supporting, or encouraging the use of a product on a non-target species.Coxoid is marketed under the Small Animal Exemption Scheme which covers small domestic pets, including birds, however it is not intended for use with animals producing food. So for chickens producing eggs, it's only your vet who can advise you to use Coxoid in this way, in the absence of other suitable licenced products.Coxoid comes as a liquid that is administered diluted with drinking water.Coxoid contains 3.84% of the drug amprolium hydrochloride which is a structural analogue of thiamine (vitamin B1). Amprolium hydrochloride mimicks it's structure, inhibiting thiamine utilisation by the parasite.

The dilution rate of Coxoid to fresh drinking water is 1fl.oz per gallon (6.22ml per litre or 28ml per 4.5 litres). Coxoid is normally available in 2 sizes: 112ml and 500ml. Coxoid should be given for 7 days. An improvement can be expected within 2 days. Do not allow birds to have access to unmedicated water during treatment. Store at room temperature. Coxoid should not be used on birds that are intended for human consumption.