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Dr. Don MonkeFebruary 17, 2017Virginia Veterinary Medical Conference

Is a discussion of a list of poultry diseases, with recommendations on vaccinations and/or treatments.

This presentation will discuss a few diseases, but the priority is on basic poultry management techniques for a backyard flock.

Owners of backyard flocks may not frequently medicate their chickens beyond the use of amprolium to prevent coccidiosis.

However, some owners readily utilize OTC antibiotics when some health issues occur in their flock.

Other flock owners utilize OTC antibiotics to attempt to cover for less than stellar management practices.

IMO, the recently implemented VFD would seemingly curtail the ‘casual’ use of antibiotics by owners of backyard flocks.

The cost of a veterinary service call and trip charge would seemingly cause the owner of a small flock to think twice before calling a veterinarian to visit their farm unless a significant flock health problem existedsignificant flock health problem existed.

Small to medium-sized commercial flocks would probably use veterinary services from time-to-time.

Pet chickens might be taken to a veterinary clinic or hospital for evaluation and treatment.

A preventive medicine approach. It provides the opportunity to raise chickens with few health problems.

Much of this presentation was developed to provide guidance to 4H children and their parents It

My approach to raising chickens is…My approach to raising chickens is…

guidance to 4H children and their parents. It begins at a basic level and then builds on each concept to more detailed management considerations. In this manner, it provides illustrations for how to present management topics to backyard flock owners.

The chick is raised in

The chick continues

And eventually is an adult

Let’s start by reviewing

An egg is incubated

A chick is hatched

is raised in a brooder

to grow an adult

The Life Stages of a Chicken

12 m

Pullet Hen

Cockerel Cock

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Buy pullets or cockerels when 2 to 6 months old

A person just starting the hobby of A person just starting the hobby of exhibition poultry will usually…exhibition poultry will usually…

And raise them to adults.

…whereas the more serious poultry fancier …whereas the more serious poultry fancier will manage chickens through the entire life will manage chickens through the entire life cycle cycle

mating incubationmating

raising chicksexhibition

hatching

Chickens should be fed a commercially prepared feed.◦ Provides a balanced ration for numerous

ingredients and includes vitamins and minerals.

Amprolium

If the flock owner has a problem with coccidiosis, provide the chicks a medicated feed containing Amprolium to prevent future problems.

Many flock owners need to be Many flock owners need to be told that amprolium is NOT an antibiotic. (It is a B-vitamin antagonist.)

Corid, or amprolium, has a 0-day withdrawal period.

Change feed as the birds grow. When the pullets start to lay, change to a layer

ration.◦ Typically it is 17% CP with higher calcium and

phosphorus levels for egg production.phosphorus levels for egg production.

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HousingHousing General management considerations:◦ Keep birds dry◦ Provide shade◦ Reduce exposure of adult birds to windy conditions◦ Protect birds from predators

P t t th f d d t◦ Protect the feed and waterIf birds are on dirt or sand, place footers or wire below ground to prevent digging by predators.

Good ventilation in a barn is important. Without ventilation the air inside the barn will

become stale. Without ventilation…

Litter will not stay dry◦ Litter will not stay dry.◦ The smell of ammonia will increase.◦ There will be an increase in respiratory problems.

Ventilation Ventilation –– Exhaust fans Exhaust fans to pull air through the barnto pull air through the barn

insulation

Chickens like to be outside to eat grass, catch bugs, and have room to stretch their legs and wings. But, they should ALWAYS be put inside their coop at night and all doors closed and secured.

The 2” wire mesh kept out raccoons, but did not keep out this mink.

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Chicks should be warm, dry, and never hungry or thirsty.

Sanitation and hygiene are important – keep the water fountains and feeders clean of litter and manure.

Raising chicksRaising chicksTemperature of the brooder is important.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

950F

900F

850F

800F

750FWeek 5

Week 6

75 F

700F

Recommended brooder

temperatures

Raising chicksRaising chicks When the temperature in the brooding area is

correct, the chicks will be scattered in the pen.

(View from above brooder)

Too cold; chicks are huddled together

Just right; chicks are scattered

Too hot; chicks are at the edges

Raising chicksRaising chicks (View from the side)

It’s important to be able to adjust the heat lamp up

or down to accommodate the chicks’ needs as

Remember that a new heat bulb

generates more heat than an older bulb

CC C C CC C C CC

they get older or with changing

ambient temperature.

older bulb.

Chicks are scattered; heat is appropriate.

Raising chicksRaising chicks (View from the side)

Protecting chicks from drafts.

A draft on chicks disturbs the heat that keeps them warm. A draft makes the chicks cold.

C CCCCC C C CC

Draft

The chicks huddle to keep warm

Raising chicksRaising chicks (View from the side)

A draft is stopped by adding a side to the brooder box.

CC C C CC C C CC

Draft

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◦ The age of the birds and the floor space per bird.◦ Example: A 10’ x 10’ coop (100 SF) with 20 birds.◦ Coop needs cleaned more often with older birds.

Dryness of the bedding depends on:Dryness of the bedding depends on:

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Older birds eat more, “mess” more, and need more bedding

stands apart from others stands with head drooped stands under heat lamp may be smaller has its eyes closed may have ruffled feathers not eating

Respond promptly to the problem. Chick health can decline quickly.

Put chick its own warm cage so it does not have to

What can the flock owner do?What can the flock owner do?

compete for food and water. Keep it warm, dry, and well

bedded. Determine if problem is one

chick, or many chicks.

Owners of backyard flocks may or may not process their chickens for meat, but almost all flock owners do eat the eggs laid by their chickens, regardless if they are standard size birds or bantams.birds or bantams.

Accordingly, owners need to be reminded that chickens are livestock, and the chickens and their produce (eggs) must be considered as “food” when they administer a drug or apply a medical treatment.

While eggs laid by backyard flocks are typically not subject to regulatory testing, veterinarians advising owners of backyard chickens need to recognize that d id i i ddrug residues in eggs can occur in treated hens.

Reference: JAVMA 247, Dec 15, 2015. Marmulak T, et al. Egg residue considerations during the treatment of backyard poultry.

When a drug is systemically administered to a hen, its ovary, follicles, and oviduct are exposed to the drug.

Collects the yolk after its release from the follicle

Magnum secretes > 40% of the albumen

Secretes shell membrane and some albumen

Egg shell is formed in the uterus

Time frame: 15 mins 180 minutes 75 minutes 18-20 hours

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Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

White follicle Intermediatefollicle

Final development

Passage through oviduct

Small, immature 6 wk 2 wk 14 d Egg is laidEgg yolk formation

beginsRapid accumulationof yolk lipoproteins.

Sli h i k f M i hSlight risk for deposition of drug

residues

Most important phasefor deposition of

drug residues

The stigma is where the follicle ruptures and releases the yolk into the

infundibulum.

The egg yolk material, or lipoproteins, are formed in the hen’s liver and transported hematogenously to the ovary where it is deposited in the d l i f lli ldeveloping follicle.

Lipoproteins are deposited as a series of thin layers which get thicker as the follicle matures.

Ampicillin has a short plasma half-life in chickens. Laying hens given 1 dose (40mg/kg, IM) had undetectable

plasma concentrations within 24 hrs. But, ampicillin residues were detected in yolks laid up to 6 days

after drug administration.l h f d d d lk Implication is that after a drug is deposited into egg yolk, it is

sequestered there. That is different than other tissues where drugs achieve equilibrium with the blood.

NOTE: Ampicillin is not approved for use in laying hens by the USA and EU.◦ Reference: GoettingV, et al. Pharmacokinetics of veterinary drugs in laying hens

and residues in eggs: a review of the literature. J Vet Pharmacol Therap, 34, 521-556.

Drug Administration Days of Tx Egg withdrawal

Tylan 200 22 mg/kg IMSID for 2 days, off for 5 days, SID for 2 days

8 weeks

Oxytetracycline(200mg/mL) 22 mg/kg IM

SID for 2 days, off for 5 days, SID f 2 d

8 weeks(200mg/mL) SID for 2 days

Tylan Soluble (100g bag/container)

1 tsp/gallon water. Provide as sole source of drinking water

7-9 days 10 days

OxytetracyclineHCl Soluble

As directed by label, as sole source of drinking water

10-14 days 14 days

Reference: Lecture notes from Dr. Annika McKillop, 2016Oct5. Poultry Medicine Workshop, sponsored by Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Lice Northern fowl mite

Lice Mites

Lice are detected as egg clusters at base of the feather shafts.

Mites are observed directly, or by the “dirt” they leave on the feathers.

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With lice and mites, the skin becomes irritated and reddened from the bird picking at thebird picking at the bugs.

External parasites External parasites -- TreatmentTreatmentPermethrin applied as a spray or powder is effective

Drug Administration Withdrawal

0.25% PermethrinDust birds, especiallyvent area, every two weeks until clear

0 days

Permectrin II, Permethrin 10%

Spray birds, as directed on label 0 days

Fipronil (Frontline) Not recommended Lifetime withdrawalperiod

Sevin Dust Not recommended Lifetime withdrawalperiod

Reference: Lecture notes from Dr. Annika McKillop, 2016Oct5. Poultry Medicine Workshop, sponsored by Ohio Department of Agriculture

The MD virus can affect different parts of a chicken, but it commonly affects the sciatic nerves to the legs.

As a result a chicken with MD will be clumsy when walking, be off balance, and eventually not be able to walkto walk.

The herpesvirus associated with MD is common (ubiquitous) in poultry flocks.

For this reason.... ◦ Chicks from a hatchery will be vaccinated.◦ Chicks are vaccinated when 1-day old.y◦ Chicks from a breeder may or may not be vaccinated.

There is no cure for a chicken affected with Marek’s Disease.

An affected chicken should be humanely euthanized.

The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board recommends that the preferred methods of euthanasia for backyard poultry are cervical dislocation or decapitation.

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Means to protect your flock from infectious diseases.

Encourages that precautions are taken to prevent disease from entering your flock.◦ Via rodents

K h f bi d i d◦ Know the source of birds acquired◦ Be knowledgeable about exposures your birds may have

Monitoring the flock by a recognized program such as the National Poultry Improvement Program (NPIP) to know the health status of your birds for specific diseases.

Rats and mice can introduce disease or spread disease within your flock.

They spread disease on their feet, their fur, and through droppings left in feed areas.g pp g

House mouseRat

Rodents are attracted to poultry houses because there is water, protection from weather, and sometimes spilled feed or grain.

Use hanging feeders and elevated feed cups th t diffi lt f d t t hthat are difficult for rodents to reach.

Place poison bait near rodent runs, that is along the wall, or in attic.

Rodent bait can be protected from children, adults, and pets by a simple T-shaped device made of PVC pipes.

This bait protection device was made using 1 ½” PVC materials.

The source from which chickens are acquired is an important part of biosecurity.

Breeders◦ You can usually visit with them, observe the health of the

flock, and ask questions.

Hatcheries◦ A good health program is important for the hatchery to

have a successful business.

Poultry swaps or auctions◦ There is much risk with chickens from this source because

you do not know the origin of the birds or health status.

Do not mix them in with existing birds the day you bring them home.◦ Put new birds in a separate coop or cage.

Do not buy a large number of birds. y g◦ Limit your purchase to the best quality

birds you can buy.

Do not bring dirty cages into your flock.

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There is no perfect answer to this question. It depends on how much you know about the

source of the birds. The separation could be forp◦ A few days, or◦ A week or two◦ Each person has to determine what risk they are

comfortable with.

A national program that includes testing exhibition and commercial poultry.

A flock that is tested negative per NPIP protocol can…◦ more easily enter birds at most shows◦ more easily enter birds at most shows, ◦ prepare them for sale, and ◦ comply with most shipping regulations.

The NPIP testing program is accepted by all states, with a few variances.

The cost for testing is affordable.

The most common diseases tested in chickens are:◦ Pullorum (Salmonella pullorum)◦ Typhoid (Salmonella typhimurium)

◦ That is ‘pullorum/typhoid”

Culture plate with S. typhimurium

Salmonella bacteria

The Ohio Poultry Association provides owners of backyard flocks the opportunity to have their flocks tested for avian influenza.

An annual test provides the flockAn annual test provides the flock owner assurance that it has not been exposed to AI. It is recognized as being “monitored.”

A semi-annual test enables the flock to be recognized as “AI free.”