All About Chicken Diseases

Welcome to the brand new diseases section of the www.allaboutchickens.tk website.

There are a large number of things that can go wrong with a chicken, but in reality most of them are very rare. In three and six chickens I have only come across three problems in my own flock: A hen that died of unknown causes (this, in reality, often happens) a hen with a tendency to get crop bound and egg peronitis. However, a very useful skill is knowing when a chicken really is sick and when it isn't - I, a few months after I got my first chicken, took my chicken to the vet only to find out that she was in fact moulting. I've learnt a lot since then.

Most of what I've learnt about diseases has come from the brilliant Diseases and Cures forum at Backyard Chickens. The friendly and knowledgable people there will always answer a question as quickly as possible, or for more urgent problems, there is the Emergencies forum. They will often be able to answer an urgent question quicker than I can, although feel free to contact me.

The legal bit: I am not a vetinarian, and I have no formal qualifications in vetinary care. If you have concerns about your pet's health then, for legal reasons we advise you to take your chicken to your vetinarian. This is also not a definitive guide to chicken diseases by any means, and it will only ever cover some of the more common diseases. All information is supplied in good faith but we accept no responsibility for any loss you may incur by following the advice here on these pages.

Good, now that's over with we can get this show on the road.

Please make sure that your local vet will see chickens before there is a problem as many don't, especially in cities. If you can, look for a vet that specialises in birds as chickens share a lot of the same diseases with other birds. We have to travel for over an hour just to see a chicken-friendly vet.

If you can diagnose a chicken, or at least narrow down what you think it may be then this will often help your vet enormously, as many are not experienced in such things. A copy of 'The Chicken Health Handbook' by Gail Damerow is invaluable, as it has a wonderful diagnostics section, detailing diseases by what it affects, then age and precise symptoms.

There is a list of poultry friendly vets in every issue of Practical Poultry, a UK magazine. However, there is only a very small number there so if you are not near one I suggest you look in your local yellow pages / phone book.

Signs of Health
Physical

• Comb - correct size and colour, look for changes
  
• Eyes - bright and clear
  
• Gait - alert and upright
  
• Feathers - Smooth, shiny and in place
  
• Tail - carried correctly
  
• Legs - clean
  
• No fleas or lice
• Breathing - good, not rattling, no discharge
  
• Droppings - firm and dark with white tip
  
• Bodyweight - correct for age and breed. Weight loss is always a cause for concern.
  
• Smell - smells warm and pleasant (sniff nostrils and vent)

Behaviour

• Noises - calm, contented, not silent
• Feeding and drinking normally
• Laying if hen and of a suitable age
• Putting on weight if still growing (up to around 18 weeks of age, although some breeds, like the Jersey Giant, can take up to 6 months)
• Moving around
• Preening
• Perching
• Dustbathing or sunbathing
• Sparring or mock fighting - in young birds

Chickens have a normal body temperature of 103 degrees fahrenheit (39.4 degrees celsius). This high body temperature means that a chicken can cope with most bacteria, which is important given that they are scavenger feeders. However, this should not be an excuse for poor hygiene or coop cleaning.

There are a few major things that you can do to reduce disease:
1. Make sure your chickens get a balanced diet, taking into account their age.
2. Keep your coop fairly clean
3. Make sure food is kept clean and dry and not used after the use-by date (generally 2-3 months after purchase for mash and pellets).
4. Make sure water is clean. Prevent feces from falling in by putting it at back height, and don't let anything else get in either. For example, rotting organic matter in the water causes botulism, which can kill.

If your birds get any of the following diseases then you MUST report them to your country's Department of Agriculture, or there will be severe penalties put upon you. I cannot guarantee that this is a complete list, and if you notice any diseases missing then please let me know. If you would like to submit a list for your country, then please also let me know.

Australia (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry)
Avian Influenza (bird flu)
Salmonella
Duck Virus Enteritis (duck plague)
Duck Virus Hepatitis
In Queensland, Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) is also notifiable.

Canada (Agriculture and agri-food Canada)
Fowl Typhoid
Avian Influenza (bird flu)
Newcastle Disease (END)
Avian chlamydiosis
Avian encephalomyelitis
Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT)
Duck hepatitis
Fowl Cholera
Egg drop syndrome
Goose parvovirus infection (Derzsy’s disease)
Turkey viral rhinotracheitis or swollen head disease in chickens

New Zealand (MAF)
Avian Influenza (bird flu)

UK (DEFRA)
Avian Influenza (bird flu)
Newcastle Disease (END)

USA (USDA)
Avian Influenza (bird flu)
Newcastle Disease (END)