Avian Flashcards
What names go with these poultry terminologies?
1. Relating to birds
2. A young Hen
3. A young poultry species of bird (M or F)
4. Female bird that’s laying
5. Transition from pullet to hen
6. Adult male chicken
7. Young bird with juvenile plumage
8. Adult male turkey
- Avian
- Pullet
- Poult
- Hen
- Point of lay
- Cockerel
- Chick
- Stag
What is used to transport birds safely?
A poultry transport crate
What does WATOK stand for?
Welfare
(of)
Animal
(at)
Time
Of
Killing
What weight must a bird be to be euthanised by cervical dislocation?
The bird must weigh less that 3kg
How many chickens can you legally hold in one hand if you are holding both their feet so they hang upside down?
3 chickens per hand
How would you pick up a commercial duck when catching it?
Either like a chicken (two hands over wings and body to lift)
OR
Placing hand at base of ducks neck to lift them ensuring the windpipe is not crushed and then placing a hand under the duck and scoring its legs resting its breast on your palm. Your free arm should secure the wings.
What type of duck requires you to wear gloves?
A muscovy duck as they have sharp claws
How would you hold a pet chicken?
Pick up confidently from behind
Hold wings against body using hands
Lift
Move arm from cranial end under birds keel and use fingers to restrain legs
Use other hand to hold down wing not against body
Head can be placed under arm or armpit for better restraint
Which enteric commensal (bacteria found in intestines) of the chicken intestinal tract poses the biggest risk of gastrointestinal disease in humans?
Campylobacter
Which zoonotic bacterial infection, vertically transmitted in eggs, also causes gastroenteritis in humans?
Salmonella
How can you indicate that the hen an egg has come from has been vaccinated against salmonella?
The box or egg will have a British red lion stamp
What is prophylactic treatment?
Preventative vaccines and medications
What is metaphylatic treatment?
Treatment administered after diagnosis of disease/infection to try and control the spread
What are the two main ways to administer antibiotics and anthelmintics to a commercial poultry flock?
Orally via food and water allowing the whole flock to be treated
What are the pros and cons of aerosol vaccination?
P - Used in hatcheries as allows mass application
C - success relies on those administering spray. It must be given in large droplets, at the correct pressure and with smooth strokes
What are the pros and cons of injection vaccination?
P - Can be used to boost antibiotics in older birds (hatchers or layers) and the technology is always advancing
C - Hands-on time consuming process requiring people with lost of experience . Needles and tubes must be clean to prevent injection site infection.
What are the pros and cons of in ovo vaccination?
P - Provides early protection for new hatchlings. Labour saving costs as whole tray can be vaccinated in uniform at once. Reduces stress in birds and multiple vaccines can be administered at once.
C - Can only use in large volume hatcheries which must be sanitised to prevent environmental contamination to the eggs which would result in large losses. Only works for a few diseases.
What are the pros and cons of eye drop vaccination?
P - Most effective and dye ensures that vaccine has been administered correctly which means it is effective and efficient
C - Highly labour intensive and time consuming as drops are applied to each bird individually and the bird must blink once the drop has been administered so that staining can occur.
Where is the intravenous injection site?
Jugular, basilic and medial metatarsal veins
Where is the intramuscular injection site?
Pectoral muscles either side of the keel
Where is the subcutaneous injection site?
In the back of the neck (OR the inguinal fold OR intramuscularly in breast, thigh or leg)
What is bay cox used for?
To treat coccidiosis (caused by protozoa which is a parasite) which is a common gastrointestinal disease in poultry that causes enteritis
What is the withdrawal period for Baycox?
Chickens (meat and offal) : 16 days
Turkeys ( “ ) : 16days
When can baycox not be used?
In birds producing/intended to produce eggs (can use up to 6 weeks before start of laying) for human consumption
What should a normals chickens posture be like?
Bird should hold its head up and have its wings held in against its body.
How should a healthy birds feathers appear?
They should have good coverage with no signs of feather loss or damage. feathers should not appear “fluffed up”
What should the comb and wattle look like on a healthy chicken?
It should be bright and red in colour
What does abnormal breathing look like on a chicken?
Open-beak breathing, “tail-bobbing” when breathing, noisy respiration
What body condition score is considered normal for hens?
BCS 3/5: ideal, keel easily felt with palpable fat, pectoral muscles well developed
BCS 2/5: can be normal for laying hens, keel is prominent and easily felt and fat is palpable
(space next to keel should never be concave)
How can you check the laying status/ sexual maturity of a hen?
By palpating the space between the points of the ischium (pin bones). A two finger width gap indicates a mature laying hen.
Do birds have diaphragms?
No, they instead depend on the movement of their keel bone allowing them to breathe.
What 4 normal behaviours should the birds environment allow?
Roosting, Laying and brooding, dust bathing, foraging
What % of a birds diet should be supplementary feed?
10-15% as otherwise it will cause a nutritional imbalance
Can chicken eat kitchen scraps?
No its illegal
Why should grit be given to chickens?
It aids digestion of food by aiding the grinding action of the gizzard
What do oyster shells contribute to the diet?
They help with calcium supply for egg production
What are the 4 classes of birds of prey?
Hawks (long winged)
Falcons (short winged)
Eagles
Owls
Why do people keep birds of pray?
For falconry (sports + hunting), as a pet, breeding, in zoos
Is a licence required to own and fly captive bred birds of prey in the UK?
No
Can wild birds of prey be taken and then released back into the wild?
No, it is illegal and a defra licence must be obtained to take in the bird and then release it again unless it is a vet who is treating the bird and the bird does not fall under Schedule 9.
What act/legislation protects and manages wild animals?
Wildlife and countryside act 1981
Where in the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981 can non-native species be found?
Schedule 9
What are the laws around non-native bird species?
They legally cannot be released or be allowed to escape.
Is it illegal to take bird eggs from nests?
Yes
What birds of prey need a general licence following Schedule 9?
Barn Owls
Northern goshawk
Red kite
White-tailed eagle
What are the most common welfare issues with captive birds of prey?
Poor housing
Lack of exercise
Incorrect diet
Lack of social interaction with humans and/or other birds of prey
What is an alymeri/anklet?
What is the purpose of a Jesse?
What is the purpose of a swivel?
What is the purpose of a leash?
Leather strap around birds leg
Jesse attached to anklet for handler to hold to tether bird
Swivel is attached between the anklet and Jesse to stop the jesses from tangling around the birds leg or handles hand
The leach attaches to bird to a tether when not being handled etc.
What is flight weight?
The ideal (lowest) weight a bird can be for flying that allows optimal performance
What are the 3 meanings of the word ‘cast’?
What does ‘cast off’ mean?
What does ‘casting’ mean?
What does ‘foot (or footing) mean?
- method of holding bird for examination
- to regurgitate a pellet
- two+ birds flown together
released from fist
indigestible part of diet
when bird strikes with feet
What does this terminology mean?
Imping-
Mutes-
Manned-
Mews-
Hood-
Replacement of damaged feathers or gluing a new tip onto broken ones to increase flying precision
Dropping/faeces
Bird that is tame and used to humans
Building that bird us kept/trained in
Leather cap over birds face to calm them
What are the two common, basic bird of prey keeping systems?
- Tethered on blocks or perches (usually temporary)
- Aviaries (or free lofting)
What are 2 perch types?
What are 3 perch surfaces?
Bow OR Block
astroturf OR nylon rope OR natural material (e.g bark, cork ect)
What do birds of prey eat?
Entire carcasses which they regurgitate the feathers, fur and bones from as these are indigestible
What must you ensure the bird of prey has done after feeding before it can be fed again and why?
Must ensure the bird has past a cast/pellet otherwise. feeding it again could cause a gastrointestinal blockage
What is the Ca:P ratio needed for growing birds and then adults?
Growing Birds - 2:1
Adults - 1.5:1
What must you ensure before handling any birds of prey even when sick?
That the bird has been casted, its legs are restrained, it has a leather cap on, it can still breathe (use towel over gauntlets to ensure its not being held too tight)
What is pododermatitis?
