Chicken Health Signs and Respiratory Issues

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Questions and Answers

Which sign indicates a chicken is healthy?

Ruffled feathers

Inactive behavior

Bright and alert eyes (correct)

Droopy wings

Which condition is characterized by gasping and difficulty in breathing?

Sinusitis

Ataxia

Anorexia

Dyspnea (correct)

What does the color of diarrhea typically indicate?

Environmental factors

Type of disease present (correct)

Severity of dehydration

Nutritional deficiencies

Which sign does NOT indicate a digestive issue in chickens?

Increased appetite Signup and view all the answers

What type of affection is caused by Mycoplasma or Rimerella?

Sinusitis Signup and view all the answers

Which sign is associated with nervous system issues in chickens?

Unsteady walking Signup and view all the answers

Which nutritional deficiency can lead to respiratory signs in chickens?

Vitamin A deficiency Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is characterized by twisting of the neck and odd head positioning?

Torticollis Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is most likely to cause a backward arching of the head and neck?

Opisthotonus Signup and view all the answers

What disease caused by nutritional deficiencies can lead to curled toe paralysis?

Vitamin B2 deficiency Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following pathogens is known to cause bumble foot?

Escherichia coli Signup and view all the answers

What condition arises from Vitamin E and Selenium deficiency?

White muscle disease Signup and view all the answers

What type of paralysis is associated with a backward and lateral extension of the leg?

Slipped tendon Signup and view all the answers

Which vitamin deficiency may lead to conditions like white muscle disease?

Vitamin E deficiency Signup and view all the answers

What condition is characterized by swollen facial areas ?

Coryza and SHS Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is associated with grayish white bran-like areas on the comb and wattle?

Ringworm (favus) Signup and view all the answers

Severe paleness in comb and wattle indicates which possible health issues?

Parasitic infestation and long-standing diseases Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the appearance of wart-like nodules on the comb and wattle?

Pox (dry form) Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is most associated with an empty crop in birds?

Starvation Signup and view all the answers

Which deficiency is primarily linked to rubbery soft beak conditions?

Vitamin D and calcium Signup and view all the answers

What abnormal finding would be consistent with increased ammonia concentration in birds?

Increased lacrimation Signup and view all the answers

Which deficiency is associated with slipped tendon in poultry?

Deficiency of manganese, choline, folic acid, and biotin Signup and view all the answers

What is the likely cause of gangrenous dermatitis in poultry?

Staphylococcal infection Signup and view all the answers

Curled toe paralysis in birds is most commonly linked to which vitamin deficiency?

Vitamin B2 Signup and view all the answers

What condition is indicated by the presence of small nodules at feather follicles?

Cutaneous form of MD Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions is associated with scaly leg mite?

Dry scales on shank Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

General Signs of Health

A healthy chicken has an erect stance, with its head and tail elevated.
Healthy chickens have bright red combs and wattles.
Their eyes are bright and alert.
They have clean nostrils and smooth, neat, clean feathers.
Inactive chickens with droopy wings, ruffled feathers, and are sleepy or inactive are potential candidates for illness.

Respiratory Signs

Chickens may exhibit coughing, sneezing, nasal and ocular discharge.
Rales are abnormal respiratory sounds.
Gasping for breath with a partially opened mouth is common in infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT), infectious bronchitis (IB), low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H9, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and aspergillosis.
Dyspnea refers to difficulty breathing.
Sinusitis, characterized by swelling in the infraorbital sinus, can be caused by Mycoplasma or Riemerella.

Causes of Respiratory Signs

Viral: Newcastle disease (ND), avian influenza (AI), ILT, IB, and infectious serositis (SHS) often cause true respiratory signs. Diphtheritic form of pox and mycoplasmosis can also cause false respiratory signs.
Bacterial: Chronic respiratory diseases (CRD), chronic respiratory disease complex (CCRD), E. coli, fowl cholera, infectious coryza, turkey coryza, pullorum disease, chlamydiosis.
Mycotic: Aspergillosis (brooder pneumonia).
Parasitic: Syngamus trachea.
Nutritional: Vitamin A deficiency.
Environmental: High ammonia levels in the farm.

Digestive Signs

Anorexia (off food or inappetence) is a common symptom.
Drooling saliva can be indicative of Clostridial infections or Candidiasis.
White diarrhea is associated with Pullorum disease, IB, mycotoxins, and visceral gout.
Bloody diarrhea is a sign of coccidiosis.
Brownish diarrhea can be linked to Clostridial infections (necrotic & ulcerative enteritis).
Sulfur-like diarrhea is a characteristic of Histomonasis.
Frothy diarrhea may indicate Hexamitiasis.
Profuse watery diarrhea is often seen in Gumboro disease.
Greenish diarrhea can be a symptom of septicemic diseases like ND, AI, and E. coli.
Undigested food materials in droppings might suggest a Reovirus infection.

Nervous System Signs

Tremors: Spasm of muscle groups.
Convulsions: Spasm of all body muscles.
Ataxia: Unbalanced and unsteady walking.
Paresis: Partial loss of movement.
Paralysis: Complete loss of movement.

Causes of Nervous System Signs

Viral: ND, paramyxovirus in pigeons, AI, avian encephalomyelitis (AE), duck viral hepatitis (DVH), Mareks disease (MD) (classical form).
Bacterial: Fowl cholera (chronic form), Riemerella, Botulism (flaccid head paralysis), Listeriosis.
Mycotic: Aspergillosis in older birds.
Parasitic: Avian malaria, cestodes in pigeons.
Nutritional: Selenium and vitamin E deficiencies, Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B1 deficiencies.
Other: Toxicity with ionophores can cause nervous system signs.
Opisthotonus refers to a spasm of the muscles causing backward arching of the head, neck, and spine. It can be caused by duck viral hepatitis (DVH) and spirochetosis.
Torticollis, also known as wryneck, is a twisting of the neck that forces the head to rotate and tilt at an odd angle. ND and fowl cholera are possible causes.
Stargazing position is when the beak points towards the sky and the head is drawn backward. It can be caused by thiamine deficiency or manganese deficiency.
Curled toe paralysis is a condition associated with riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency.

Lameness and Joint Affection

Lameness: Inability or difficulty in movement or abnormal movement.
Swelling of joints: Enlargement of joints.
Weak and soft bones: Easily broken bones.

Causes of Lameness and Joint Affection

Arthritis can be caused by Reovirus, E. coli, Salmonella, Pasteurella, Mycoplasma synoviae, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Avian gout.
Rickets and osteomalacia: Caused by deficiencies of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D.
Slipped tendon (perosis): Caused by deficiencies of choline, manganese, zinc, biotin, folic acid, pyridoxine, and niacin.
Viral arthritis: Reovirus disease (tenosynovitis).
Bumble foot (caseous materials in foot pad): Caused by infection from E. coli, Mycoplasma synovial, and Staphylococcus aureus.

Other Signs of Illness

Nerve affection: MD, vitamin B2 deficiency.
Muscle affection: Gangrenous dermatitis caused by Clostridium septicum; irritant drugs such as streptomycin, tylosin, and spiramycin; White muscle disease due to vitamin E and selenium deficiency.

Specific Signs and Possible Disease Diagnosis

Cyanosis (bluish discoloration) of the head can indicate septicemic diseases like ND, AI, fowl cholera, spirochetosis, colisepticemia, and Salmonella.
Swollen head can potentially be caused by fowl cholera, infectious coryza, Mycoplasma, SHS (E. coli + Pneumovirus), and Vitamin E deficiency.
Wart-like nodules on the comb and wattles are a sign of pox (dry form).
Grayish-white bran-like areas on the comb and wattles can indicate ringworm (favus).
Paleness of the comb and wattles can indicate parasitic infestation, long-standing diseases like MD, leucosis, tuberculosis (TB), CCRD, and coccidiosis.
Swollen wattle and enlargement are characteristic of fowl cholera (wattle form).
Lacerations and scars on the comb and wattles can be a result of cannibalism.
Exudates in the infraorbital sinus can indicate infectious sinusitis or turkey rhinotracheitis (TRT) in turkeys.
Swelling of the infraorbital sinus (facial edema), owl head shape: Infectious coryza, SHS, and vitamin E deficiency (exudative diathesis).
Discharge from the nostrils can indicate various respiratory diseases like ND, IB, AI, ILT, coryza, etc.
Wart nodules on the nostrils can be a sign of pox (dry form).
Rubbery (soft) beak: Vitamin D, phosphorus, and calcium deficiency (rickets) in young chickens.
Crusty, grayish scab-like formations at the beak angle: Pantothenic acid and biotin deficiency.
Wart nodules on the beak angle: Pox (dry form) or toxicity with trichothecene mycotoxins.
Conjunctivitis and lacrimation: IB, AI, ND, ILT (hemorrhagic), CRD, vitamin A deficiency (kerato-conjunctivitis with cheesy exudates), chlamydiosis (edema in the eyelid), E. coli (panophthalmitis), aspergillosis (yellowish cheesy exudates under the third eyelid), and high ammonia concentrations.
Grayish iris: Marek's disease (ocular form).
Opacity of the eye (blindness): AE, Salmonella (Arizona) in turkeys.
Empty crop: Starvation.
Impacted crop: Clostridial infections, Candidiasis, MD, and litter eating.
Pendulous crop: MD.
Emaciation: Nutritional deficiencies, long-standing diseases, aspergillosis, Candidiasis, favus, gizzard impaction.
Stunted and runted growth: Reovirus, reticuloendotheliosis, Niacin deficiency.
Poor feathering: Folic acid deficiency, loss due to mites.
Helicopter shape of the feathers: Reovirus.
Ruffled feathers: Parasitic diseases.
Gangrenous dermatitis: Staphylococcus, Clostridial infections, CIA virus.
Small nodules at feather follicles: MD (cutaneous form).
Small hemorrhagic spots on the skin: External parasites like tick infestation.
Congested (red) skin: Erysipelas.
Scabs and fissured skin: Pantothenic acid deficiency, paratyphoid in pigeons, Mycoplasma synoviae.
Slipped tendon: Deficiency of manganese, choline, folic acid, biotin, and pantothenic acid.
Curled toe paralysis: Vitamin B2 deficiency.
Greenstick fractures (easily broken bone): Calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D deficiency.
Hemorrhages on the shank: AI.
Dry scales on the shank: Scaly leg mites.
Foot abscess: Bumble foot (staphylococcal infection).
Cracked skin on the foot (fissured): Pantothenic acid and biotin deficiency.
Thickening of the leg wall: Osteoporosis.
Arthritis or synovitis: Staphylococcus, Mycoplasma synoviae, Salmonella, E. coli, fowl cholera, Reovirus.

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Description

This quiz covers the general signs of health in chickens, including physical indicators and respiratory signs. It delves into the causes of various respiratory symptoms, emphasizing viral infections and their effects on chicken health. Test your knowledge about maintaining healthy poultry and identifying illness symptoms.