Robust. Colorful. Purebred.
Marek's lame
Cause: herpes virus, various strains and forms, infection in the first days of life by feather dust from the old animals, old animals can be the virus for a lifetime without becoming ill
Symptoms:
Affects especially young animals. After 2-6 weeks, the first symptoms appear, which differ depending on the virus form. There are six different progressive forms.
Acute / tumorous form of illness: (approx. From the 4th week of life) disturbances in the general condition, tumors in the organs or feather follicles, death rate with up to 50 percent.
Neural form: (approximately from the 8th week of life) unilateral or bilateral paralysis of the legs / wings, damage to the nervous system. Death rate: up to 65 percent.
Skin shape: (also adult chickens) eye infections, jagged pupil, gray iris, elongated pupil, blindness
Temporary paralysis: (chickens of all ages) impaired movement coordination of legs and wings, which disappear after two days or can change to the neural form. Death rate: 1 percent.
Persistent paralysis: adult chickens show permanent coordination disorders.
Immunosuppressive course of the disease: these animals show no symptoms of the disease, but permanently excrete the viruses and infect everyone else.
Treatment:
Not possible.
Prevention:
Good herd management, vaccination of day-old chicks (artificial brood), which raise young animals separately from the old animals, do not enter foreign dust from other stables in their own (shoes, clothing)
Note: Vaccination does not prevent infection with the virus, only the onset of the disease. Vaccinated animals can also carry the virus and infect unvaccinated animals in their own stock, which then causes the disease to break out.
Classic avian influenza
Causes:
Virus (eg H5N1), introduced by wild birds
Symptoms:
Apathy, immobility, nerve damage, trembling, swaying, coordination disorders, edema, bluish crest and wattles, watery-slimy diarrhea, rapid death after a few hours to days.
Treatment:
Not possible.
Prevention:
Not possible. As soon as cases are proven, a stable requirement is imposed. The local veterinary office will inform you about this.
Note: This is an epidemic, which is subject to notification. All animals are killed and a restricted area is established.
It is important that your animal population is registered with the animal epidemic fund and the veterinary office.
Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT)
Causes:
Gallid herpes virus
Symptoms:
Contagious larynx and tracheal inflammation, severe shortness of breath, expectoration of bloody mucus, coughing, wheezing, wheezing, penguin posture, nasal discharge, foamy eye discharge
Treatment:
Immediate emergency vaccination of the still healthy animals, treatment of already sick animals not possible
Prevention:
Hygienic stable system through regular disinfection, vaccination of chicks, but the vaccination does not prevent infection, only the onset of the disease
Contagious poultry runny nose
Root cause:
Avibacterium (A.) paragallinarum
Symptoms:
Also called "Owl's Head Disease", eyes swell, edema around the eyes, infected chickens are permanent excretors, nasal discharge, head throwing, shortness of breath after the illness
Treatment:
Antibiotic over the drinking water
Prevention:
Hygienic stable system through regular disinfection, vaccination possible
Mycoplasmosis
Cause: Introduction by foreign stocks or wild birds of Mycoplasma gallisepticum or Mycoplasma synoviae
Symptoms:
Mycoplasma gallisepticum: persistent swelling of the nasal sinuses, nasal discharge, runny nose symptoms, decreased performance, discomfort
Mycoplasma synoviae: respiratory symptoms, inflamed joints, bursa, reluctance to move
The animals can remain excretors for weeks or years.
Treatment:
The veterinarian prescribes an effective antibiotic (tylosin). Multiple treatment necessary.
Prevention:
Hygienic stable system through regular disinfection, vaccination of day-old chicks
Infectious bronchitis (IB)
Causes:
IB virus, introduced by wild birds or foreign stocks
Symptoms:
Decline in laying performance, respiratory infection, bronchitis, numerous deaths in chicks and young animals due to malnutrition, suffocation or debilitation, incubation time a few days
Treatment:
Not possible.
Prevention:
vaccination
Infectious bursitis (gumboro)
Causes:
Infectious bursal disease virus, notifiable, extremely resistant virus
Symptoms:
Chick up to the 11th week, high mortality due to dehydration, heat-seeking, plumage plumage, refusal to feed, diarrhea, severe intestinal inflammation and bleeding
Treatment:
Not possible
Prevention:
Vaccination of the chicks
Newcastle disease
Atypical avian influenza
Causes:
Newcastle disease virus (notifiable)
Symptoms:
Bleeding in the lungs, intestines, stomach, apathy, swollen eyelids, refusal to eat, diarrhea, fever, mucus in the eyes and nose, paralysis, 100 percent fatal
Treatment:
Not possible
Prevention:
Vaccination, in this case required by law!
cold
Cause: wet and cold weather, continuous rain, drafts
Symptoms:
Sneezing, runny nose
Treatment:
Since runny nose can also be a symptom of other more serious illnesses, one should always weigh here whether it is "bad cold weather" and whether the animals otherwise make a good impression. It is important to keep the airways clear. A warm porridge made from bananas, garlic, onions and vitamin supplements has proven itself. Warm cold tea and ribwort cough syrup (for children, without alcohol) in the drinking trough also helps. You can also distribute drops of menthol in places that are inaccessible to the chickens (please do not spread them on the rods, as the chickens could rub their eyes when scratching the menthol).
Prevention:
Draft-free areas in the spout, rain shelters, strengthen the immune system
Note:
If the symptoms do not go away after a few days, see a veterinarian. This is the only way to rule out other diseases.