- Aug 31, 2014
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I have scoured the www time and time again in search of descriptions and potential corresponding disease of for my flock. I propose we use our extensive cumulative knowledge and experience to create such a sort of wiki. Benefiting experts and beginners alike for a quick probable list.
I figure it may be organized in such a manner of symptoms described with photo of symptoms first. Following that it my first though would be a list of diseases with that symptom. Then a detailed list of the diseases and their cures.
Example:
Sneezing, ( photos of sneezing chickens ), AvianRhinoTracheitis (ART), Infectious Bronchitis (IB), Infectious LaryngoTracheitis (ILT), mycoplasma Gallisepticum, etc
Foamy eyes, (photos of foamy eyes), Infectious Bronchitis (IB) , ext
foamy watery eyes (photos of said)
mycoplasma Gallisepticum, ext
Swollen Head ( photos ) AvianRhinoTracheitis (ART), ext
"AvianRhinoTracheitis (ART)
ART is a pneumovirus which causes swollen heads, swollen sinuses, sneezing and in severe cases nervous signs.
Infectious Bronchitis (IB)
IB is a coronavirus which causes sneezing, foamy eyes and swollen sinuses usually in young birds. However like Mycoplasma it can infect the oviduct again altering egg shell colour and quality but unlike Mycoplasma it doesn't infect chicks via the egg. Severe IB infection in young female birds can permanently damage the oviduct causing it to permanently not carry the egg from the ovary to the vent so the eggs are laid internally. These eggs inside the bird are slowly absorbed but they provide an excellent food for bacteria so internal layers are vulnerable to get egg peritonitis. The eggs are often absorbed much more slowly than they are internally laid so they build up in the bird's abdomen causing them to adopt a penguin like stance.
Infectious LaryngoTracheitis (ILT)
'Penguin Stance' of Egg Peritonitis
ILT is a herpes virus and causes similar respiratory signs. ILT often leads to a plug of blood and mucus which can block the birds trachea (windpipe) leading to the bird choking to death. This virus like Myoplasma never goes away and can come back during times of stress. Like other herpes viruses it is for life.
As many of you will notice the pathogens above are mostly viruses which will not respond to antibiotics. However these viruses often damage the respiratory system sufficiently to allow secondary bacteria such as E. coli and Pasteurella to cause infection and in severe cases blood poisoning.
Furthermore chickens have a unique respiratory system compared to us mammals. They have air sacs which are very thin and when viruses such as IB damage the protective cells of the trachea (windpipe) the birds can easily breath in bacteria which can then cross the air sacs into the abdomen to cause peritonitis.
The best way of preventing infection of your birds is to minimise stress, ensure the stocking density and ventilation are correct and that you buy in disease free birds from a reputable supplier which have been quarantined for at least 3 weeks (try not to buy from local markets).
If your birds are being stressed by bad weather or moulting etc you may want to consider giving them a course of multivitamins such as Amino Plus or a product such as Beryl's Friendly Bacteria – a sort of "yakult" for birds. Both these products will give your birds a boost which will be invaluable to helping them towards a full recovery.
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum.
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum: Is a type of bacteria which can cause respiratory disease in chickens and other poultry. It is often associated with swollen sinuses, sneezing and foamy watery eyes. In certain cases it can cause swollen joints and subsequently lameness. It can infect the oviduct thus altering egg shell colour and quality and thus it can be transferred via the egg to chicks.
Once infected a chicken is infected for life although clinical signs will regress with time and treatment but they are always liable to come back."
Therefore using the incomplete information above a chicken with sneezing and a swollen head but without water eyes may have "art" so I then know to scroll to art the art listing and have to opportunity to do more though research. I may confirm the diagnoses or disprove. In either experience I would have more research and experience to contribute so that the next chicken with similar symptoms my have a more timely diagnosis and better chance or survival or a contagion my be rooted out faster.
And so on chicken B with sneezing and chokes to death
Or sneezing watery eyes and discolored eggs.
Chick with watery poo or maybe odd white spots or so on.
Each flock issue researched and data logged would create a more though and faster diagnosis for the next.
I figure it may be organized in such a manner of symptoms described with photo of symptoms first. Following that it my first though would be a list of diseases with that symptom. Then a detailed list of the diseases and their cures.
Example:
Sneezing, ( photos of sneezing chickens ), AvianRhinoTracheitis (ART), Infectious Bronchitis (IB), Infectious LaryngoTracheitis (ILT), mycoplasma Gallisepticum, etc
Foamy eyes, (photos of foamy eyes), Infectious Bronchitis (IB) , ext
foamy watery eyes (photos of said)
mycoplasma Gallisepticum, ext
Swollen Head ( photos ) AvianRhinoTracheitis (ART), ext
"AvianRhinoTracheitis (ART)
ART is a pneumovirus which causes swollen heads, swollen sinuses, sneezing and in severe cases nervous signs.
Infectious Bronchitis (IB)
IB is a coronavirus which causes sneezing, foamy eyes and swollen sinuses usually in young birds. However like Mycoplasma it can infect the oviduct again altering egg shell colour and quality but unlike Mycoplasma it doesn't infect chicks via the egg. Severe IB infection in young female birds can permanently damage the oviduct causing it to permanently not carry the egg from the ovary to the vent so the eggs are laid internally. These eggs inside the bird are slowly absorbed but they provide an excellent food for bacteria so internal layers are vulnerable to get egg peritonitis. The eggs are often absorbed much more slowly than they are internally laid so they build up in the bird's abdomen causing them to adopt a penguin like stance.
Infectious LaryngoTracheitis (ILT)
'Penguin Stance' of Egg Peritonitis
ILT is a herpes virus and causes similar respiratory signs. ILT often leads to a plug of blood and mucus which can block the birds trachea (windpipe) leading to the bird choking to death. This virus like Myoplasma never goes away and can come back during times of stress. Like other herpes viruses it is for life.
As many of you will notice the pathogens above are mostly viruses which will not respond to antibiotics. However these viruses often damage the respiratory system sufficiently to allow secondary bacteria such as E. coli and Pasteurella to cause infection and in severe cases blood poisoning.
Furthermore chickens have a unique respiratory system compared to us mammals. They have air sacs which are very thin and when viruses such as IB damage the protective cells of the trachea (windpipe) the birds can easily breath in bacteria which can then cross the air sacs into the abdomen to cause peritonitis.
The best way of preventing infection of your birds is to minimise stress, ensure the stocking density and ventilation are correct and that you buy in disease free birds from a reputable supplier which have been quarantined for at least 3 weeks (try not to buy from local markets).
If your birds are being stressed by bad weather or moulting etc you may want to consider giving them a course of multivitamins such as Amino Plus or a product such as Beryl's Friendly Bacteria – a sort of "yakult" for birds. Both these products will give your birds a boost which will be invaluable to helping them towards a full recovery.
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum.
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum: Is a type of bacteria which can cause respiratory disease in chickens and other poultry. It is often associated with swollen sinuses, sneezing and foamy watery eyes. In certain cases it can cause swollen joints and subsequently lameness. It can infect the oviduct thus altering egg shell colour and quality and thus it can be transferred via the egg to chicks.
Once infected a chicken is infected for life although clinical signs will regress with time and treatment but they are always liable to come back."
Therefore using the incomplete information above a chicken with sneezing and a swollen head but without water eyes may have "art" so I then know to scroll to art the art listing and have to opportunity to do more though research. I may confirm the diagnoses or disprove. In either experience I would have more research and experience to contribute so that the next chicken with similar symptoms my have a more timely diagnosis and better chance or survival or a contagion my be rooted out faster.
And so on chicken B with sneezing and chokes to death
Or sneezing watery eyes and discolored eggs.
Chick with watery poo or maybe odd white spots or so on.
Each flock issue researched and data logged would create a more though and faster diagnosis for the next.
