Marek's Disease
Cause - Virus spread through chicken dander (cells
sloughed from feather follicles), the major component of chicken house
dust.
Symptoms - Droopiness, poor feathering and weight loss may
be the only signs before death. Some birds are mildly to completely paralyzed;
they lie on their sides and slowly starve. Mortality may be up to one percent
per day for two to three weeks.
Treatment - None.
Prevention - Vaccination of day old chicks - usually done
by the breeder, if done at all. Vaccinated egg - breed chicks are especially
valuable.
Pullorum
Cause - Salmonella bacilla transmitted through the eggs
from one generation to the next if parents are not salmonella - free. Can also
be transmitted through visitors' feet, animals, contaminated feed, equipment,
and wild birds.
Symptoms - Chicks: sudden deaths, other chicks droop
wings, huddle near heater. Diarrhea is white, sticky and foaming. Chicks may
have 50 percent mortality. Adults: in acute outbreaks are weak and depressed,
may have greenishbrown diarrhea.
Treatment - Sulfabased drugs for market stock; do not use
infected birds for breeding.
Prevention - Buy only certified pullorum - free chicks and
implement sanitary management practices.
sloughed from feather follicles), the major component of chicken house
dust.
Symptoms - Droopiness, poor feathering and weight loss may
be the only signs before death. Some birds are mildly to completely paralyzed;
they lie on their sides and slowly starve. Mortality may be up to one percent
per day for two to three weeks.
Treatment - None.
Prevention - Vaccination of day old chicks - usually done
by the breeder, if done at all. Vaccinated egg - breed chicks are especially
valuable.
Pullorum
Cause - Salmonella bacilla transmitted through the eggs
from one generation to the next if parents are not salmonella - free. Can also
be transmitted through visitors' feet, animals, contaminated feed, equipment,
and wild birds.
Symptoms - Chicks: sudden deaths, other chicks droop
wings, huddle near heater. Diarrhea is white, sticky and foaming. Chicks may
have 50 percent mortality. Adults: in acute outbreaks are weak and depressed,
may have greenishbrown diarrhea.
Treatment - Sulfabased drugs for market stock; do not use
infected birds for breeding.
Prevention - Buy only certified pullorum - free chicks and
implement sanitary management practices.