Chicken Veterinary Tool - WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! :)

[BovineBeauty]

Hi everyone!

I am third year veterinary student at the NC State Animal Health Hackathon. We are developing a website to connect chicken owners with veterinarians and accurate information regarding their chicken's health. We're hoping to create a searchable website (check boxes of disease symptoms) that will lead you to information on potential injuries or diseases, and then list approved treatments for issues owners can treat themselves OR have an option to connect a veterinarian. Questions/issues that can easily be treated at home will be posted to the website so that poultry owners can have a FAQ of answers FROM licensed veterinarians.

We will also have an accurate database of veterinarians that are willing to treat backyard poultry as well as local extension agents. Most forums have a working list, but ours will be initiated from the veterinary community and theoretically more comprehensive.

We'd also like to incorporate some disease surveillance-type aspect to this, as well, perhaps with a weekly newsletter informing owners of potential outbreaks and general health tips for backyard poultry.

FINALLY, we are trying to develop a prototype for a wearable device for backyard chickens that is affordable, but that can help owners detect disease early in their flock. (Then they could go to the website for answers and guidance on what to do).

Please let us know your thoughts on our idea and what you would be interesting in utilizing/functions you would like to see on the website or simple devices you would be interested in using to monitor your flock. ie: What kind of parameters would be most helpful for you to monitor your flock? What would you like to know more about regarding chicken health?

We have until the end of the day to finish developing our plan, and we would LOVE feedback from backyard poultry owners and veterinarians!

 

[townchicks]

Interesting concept. I don't think my chickens would wear a device 24/7. I personally think people should be much more hands on instead. But that's me, I don't think the whole world needs to be connected to a smart phone. That said, maybe something to monitor respiration/heartrate, as that seems to be where most chicken diseases manifest. The website sounds like a great idea.

 

[AltonaAcres]

In my opinion, Mareks disease is the worst issue associated with raising chickens. If you could detect it in your birds early, that would be amazing. right now, the only way to find if your chickens have it is an expensive blood test.

 

[BovineBeauty]

Great! Thank you guys so much for your input! We will definitely investigate ways to detect Marek's in particular.

We are hoping to use the online tools as a way to help the community get a better handle on outbreaks like Marek's and VND. It's definitely a problem in the backyard poultry community and we feel like there's a big disconnect between the USDA, CDC, veterinary community in general, and backyard poultry owners. Hopefully this will be a collaborative tool we can use to bridge that gap and find ways to prevent and detect those tough diseases.

Just for a little background about myself, I have a mixed flock of layers and 3 ducks, so please bird-nerd out on me

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Similar to these?

http://poultrydvm.com/
https://www.justanswer.com/bird-vet/
https://www.birdhotline.com/vet.htm

 

[Ladies-Eight]

It would be great if you do the of vets by State!

 

[casportpony]

It would be great if you do the of vets by State!

Great idea!

 

[casportpony]

@BovineBeauty , welcome to BYC!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens this is a wonderful site to
connect with other chicken owners I hope you get the answer to your questions but agree with @Wyorp Rock

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It would be great if you do the of vets by State!

There is a searchable vet directory here, I don't know how accurate it is though
http://www.poultrydvm.com/poultry-vets.php