Table 3 Summary of questionnaire results regarding flock characteristics in small chicken flocks
Characteristic | No. of flocks | % |
|---|---|---|
Introduction of new birds/hatching eggs prior to outbreak (Q9)a | ||
No | 10 | 16.4 |
Yes, within the recent month | 19 | 31.2 |
Yes, within 1–5 months | 20 | 32.8 |
Yes, within 6–12 months | 11 | 18.0 |
I don’t recall | 1 | 1.6 |
Introduction of live birds or hatching eggs (Q10)b | ||
Live birds only | 33 | 66.0 |
Hatching eggs and live birds | 10 | 20.0 |
Hatching eggs only | 7 | 14.0 |
Source of new chickens (Q11)c, d | ||
No external source | 9 | 16.7 |
From other small chicken farm | 43 | 78.2 |
From commercial poultry farm | 9 | 16.7 |
From live poultry markets/poultry shows | 7 | 12.7 |
From abroad | 0 | 0 |
The time of year the outbreak occurred (Q13)a | ||
Jan–Mar | 4 | 6.6 |
Apr–Jun | 13 | 21.3 |
Jul–Sep | 11 | 18.0 |
Oct–Dec | 13 | 21.3 |
I don´t know | 20 | 32.8 |
Age groups which showed signs of disease (Q14)a, d | ||
Chicks (0 – 6 weeks) | 9 | 14.8 |
Young birds (7 weeks – 5 months) | 25 | 41.0 |
Adults (older than 5 months) | 50 | 82.0 |
I don´t know | 0 | 0 |
Clinical signs (Q15)a, d | ||
General signs of illness (less active, ruffled plumage) | 43 | 70.5 |
Reduced appetite | 18 | 29.5 |
Sneezing, coughing | 48 | 78.7 |
Abnormal breathing sounds (rales, wheezing) | 50 | 80.6 |
Blood or other discharge/secretions (on/in the beak, on the feathers or in the house/coop) | 16 | 82.0 |
Swelling around the eyes or swollen head | 33 | 54.1 |
Eye discharge | 31 | 50.8 |
Decreased egg production | 18 | 29.5 |
Mortality | 42 | 68.2 |
Flock mortality during outbreak (% of flock) (Q16)e | ||
1–20 | 28 | 45.9 |
21–50 | 11 | 18.0 |
51–80 or 81–99 or all | 0 | 0 |
I don´t recall | 3 | 5.0 |
Euthanasia during outbreak (% of flock) (Q17)a | ||
None | 7 | 11.5 |
1–20 | 26 | 42.6 |
21–50 | 3 | 5.0 |
51–80 | 1 | 1.6 |
81–99 | 0 | 0 |
All | 23 | 37.7 |
I don´t recall | 1 | 1.6 |