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Chicken Help

We found 47 results for category 'Chicken Illnesses'

Q: What are "reportable diseases" when it comes to chickens?

A: Reportable diseases are chicken illnesses that are serious and communicable enough that in the U.S., you (and your vet) are required to report... read more

Q: Chick illnesses and issues (overview)

A: When you're worried your new baby chicks are ill, there are a number of things that could be responsible!

read more

Q: Egg Yolk Peritonitis Overview

A: Egg Yolk Peritonitis Also called
Yolk peritonitis, yolk stroke, abdominal sepsis, abdominal septicemia

Prevalence-... read more

Q: How do I help a chicken with vent prolapse?

A: Also called "blowout", vent prolapse is a condition in which the vent becomes inverted and a portion of it protrudes outside the bird's body.... read more

Q: How can I tell if my chicken has frostbite?

A: Frostbite occurs when the body becomes very cold and sends a signal to constrict blood vessels in the extremities in order to direct more blood to... read more

Q: What is a pasty vent, and how do I treat it?

A: A pasty vent, or "pasting up," "pasty butt," or "vent gleet," is a stress-induced condition in which droppings dry and cake up around the read more

Q: When should I take my pet chicken to the vet?

A: As keepers of pet chickens, we've all been there. You notice one of your birds exhibiting some unusual behaviors or symptoms, and you're faced with a... read more

Q: Chicken illnesses with neurological symptoms (overview)

A: When your chicken is showing neurological symptoms, there are a number of chicken illnesses that could be causing the problem. We know how worrisome... read more

Q: Chicken illnesses with respiratory symptoms (overview)

A: When your chicken is showing respiratory symptoms, there are a number of chicken illnesses that could be causing the problem. We know how worrisome... read more

Q: All about Myiasis disease

A: Myiasis Also called
Flystrike, fly blown

Prevalence
Infrequent. It is more common in other animals such as sheep... read more

Q: All about Heart Attack in chickens

A: Heart attack in chickens is quick and deadly, and occurs most often in birds in commercial meat breed operations. Fortunately, heart attack is not... read more

Q: All about Egg Binding

A: Egg binding is exactly what it sounds like: a poor hen has a egg "bound" inside of her and won't come out. That must make her feel miserable! So... read more

Q: All about Infectious Bursal Disease

A: It's always a good idea for chicks to have a lot of protein in their diet, right? Not necessarily! Infectious Bursal Disease is more prevalent in... read more

Q: All about Blackhead disease

A: Blackhead disease isn't likely to actually turn your chickens' heads black (thankfully!). In fact, it is much more likely to affect turkeys (wild or... read more

Q: All about Pullorum disease

A: Watch out for Pullorum Disease! Not only can it infect your flock, it can also make humans sick, too. If your flock becomes infected, you will likely... read more

Q: All about Salpingitis disease

A: If your hen lays a read more

Q: All about Omphalitis disease

A: Imagine a belly-button infection--that's basically Omphalitis. Developing or newly-hatched baby chicks are susceptible to infection of their navels... read more

Q: All about Infectious Synovitis disease

A: Harmful bacteria are the cause of many chicken (and human) diseases. In the case of Infectious Synovitis, the most recognizable sign of the disease... read more

Q: All about Fowl Spirochetosis (Brachyspira) disease

A: Giving your flock plenty of space and a clean, dry, coop and run area with little stress is more than just a luxury for your birds; it's also a great... read more

Q: All about Fowl Spirochetosis (Borrelia) disease

A: Spirochetosis is a tick-born bacterial disease that is rare in the United States (thankfully!). Spirochetosis can be caused by the Brachyspira or the... read more

Q: All about Crossed Beak in chickens

A: When you see a chicken with cross beak, you know it! Cross beak is exactly what it sounds like: a chicken's beak is "crossed," or the top and the... read more

Q: All about Airsacculitis disease

A: Airsacculitis--or inflammation of the air sac--can be caused by many different bacteria and will present symptoms in chickens that look something... read more

Q: All about Ascites disease

A: If your bird has a large, reddish, swollen belly and but otherwise looks bluish, along with having respiratory issues like a cough, it's possible she... read more

Q: All about Aspergillosis disease

A: Keeping your brooder and coop area clean and dry is essential if you want to protect your precious baby chicks and older birds from aspergillosis.... read more

Q: All about Fowl Pox (Wet) disease

A: Imagine having chicken pox in your mouth and throat! Though the virus that causes wet fowl pox is different from the one that causes chicken pox in... read more

Q: All about Fowl Pox (Dry) disease

A: Chickens with advanced stages of dry fowl pox look completely miserable (scroll down and you'll see some potentially upsetting pictures!), but... read more

Q: All about Infectious Laryngotracheitis disease

A: "Laryngotracheitis" simply means inflammation of the larynx and trachea--in this case caused by a highly-contagious virus. The virus cannot be spread... read more

Q: All about Coryza disease

A: Coryza is the chicken equivalent of the "common cold" - but interestingly enough, colds in humans are caused by viruses, while coryza is caused by a... read more

Q: All about Avian Encephalomyelitis disease

A: Avian encephalomyelitis (AE) is a neurological disease that causes symptoms that are similar to many other diseases. Some improper flock management... read more

Q: All about Botulism in poultry

A: Chickens seem to be able to ingest just about anything, don't they? But if they contract the Clostridium botulinum bacteria while foraging or... read more

Q: All about Encephalomalacia disease

A: Unlike most diseases, Encephalomalacia (try saying that three times quickly!), is not caused by a virus, bacterium, or fungus. Also known as "crazy... read more

Q: All about Marek's Disease

A: Marek's disease is a dreaded illness that can be contracted by chickens nearly anywhere in the world. It is almost always fatal, and even birds that... read more

Q: All about Mycotoxicosis disease

A: When feed gets wet, it can grow mold or other fungi that can produce toxins that are dangerous or even deadly for chickens. When a bird ingests those... read more

Q: All about Nutritional Myopathy disease

A: Nutritional Myopathy--which can cause chickens to have muscular degeneration or slowed growth--is caused by a lack of vitamin E, along with a... read more

Q: All about Polyneuritis disease

A: If one of your bird's neck muscles seems to have "frozen" in a position that leaves them staring at the sky, it's possible they have polyneuritis, or... read more

Q: All about Perosis disease

A: Perosis is a nutritional deficiency that can cause swollen, twisted, broken, or bowed legs, or loss of color in feathers, the comb, or the roof of... read more

Q: All about Domestic Newcastle disease

A: Domestic Newcastle Also called
Newcastle Disease, Avian Distemper, Pseudofowl, ND, Parainfluenza, Fake Flu... read more

Q: All about Virulent Newcastle Disease

A: Virulent Newcastle Disease (VND) is no joke. It is easily spread among birds (wild and domestic), and once it is contracted, even birds that survive... read more

Q: All about Mycoplasma disease

A: Mycoplasma may exhibit mild symptoms in chickens, but once they have it, they can be carriers for life. While mycoplasma is deadly in turkeys, in... read more

Q: All about Lymphoid Leukosis (Avian Leukosis) disease

A: Lymphoid Leukosis is a tragic disease that affects a chicken's liver and can cause a painful death. Because of that, humane euthanasia is usually... read more

Q: All about VVD disease

A: VVD disease produces twisted leg bones due to nutritional deficiencies or overly-fast weight gain in "broiler" breeds. Thankfully this is rare in... read more

Q: All about Avian Influenza disease

A: The idea of "Bird Flu" (Avian Influenza) may strike fear in the minds of many chicken keepers because of past outbreaks in Asia. When fear is... read more

Q: All about Avian Infectious Bronchitis disease

A: Avian Infectious Bronchitis is a respiratory illness that results in death in about 5% of the birds that contract it, and may cause a permanent... read more

Q: All about Salmonella disease

A: The word "Salmonella" evokes fear in the hearts of chicken-keepers. A healthy respect for this bacterium is certainly justified, but should... read more

Q: All about Coccidiosis disease

A: Coccidiosis is very common in chicks, especially ones that may be stressed from shipping or from being introduced to a new location. You can help by... read more

Q: All about Splay Leg, a.k.a. Spraddle Leg

A: Spraddle leg, also called "splay leg," can be caused or exacerbated by brooding on a slick surface such as newspaper. (We recommend read more

Q: Can I get Coronavirus (COVID-19) from my chickens?

A: Here's what the CDC says about COVID-19, as of 4/15/20: