More Itchy and Scatchy research

Some recent research results into the so called happy backyard chook.

http://www.worldpoultry.net/Health/Articles/2016/3/Parasites-on-chickens-backyard-v-commercial-2771951W/?intcmp=related-content&intcmp=related-content

  A search of information available didn't turn up a list of diseases as they relate to the various egg production methods so decided to put one together,
 Looking at the diseases and other factors that affect production and hen welfare it makes for interesting reading.
 Anyone wanting to check it can look at the disease section of the Poultry Site ( easily googled )

CRITERIA			Free Range		Barn		Cage Laid
					all in - all out		all in - all out
egg production			worst		medium		best
feed consumption			highest		medium		lowest
temperature range			high		medium		low
rate of disease			high		high		low
spread within flock
disease spread from			high		low		low
previous  flock
SUSCEPTABILITY TO THE FOLLOWING DISEASES
avian influenza			high		medium		low to medium
ILT
			high		medium		low to medium
fowl pox			medium		medium		low
camphylobacter			high		high		medium to low
amyloidosis
aspergillosis			medium		medium		medium
highly pathogenic			high		medium		medium to low
fowl plague
avian leucosis			high		high		low
bedbug infestation			high		high		low
big liver and spleen disease			high		high		low
bitting lice			high		medium		low
caecal worm			high		low		low
campylobacter infection			high		medium		low
capillariasis=hair worm			high		medium		low
cannibalism-feather pecking			high		high		low
chlamydiosis, psittacosis,			high		low		low
ornithosis
Coccidiosis			high		high		low
crop worms			high		medium		low
cryptosporidia			high		medium		low
scaly leg mites			high		medium		low
Erysipelas			high		low		low
fatty liver haemorrhagic			low		low		high
syndrome
fowl cholera,pasteurellosis			high		medium		low
fowl pox			high		medium		medium
Gape( nematode worm )			high		low		low
Gizzard Worms			high		medium		low
Heat Stress			medium		low		low
Histamonosis ( blackhead )			medium		low		low
grass string impaction			high		low		low
Infectious bronchitis			high		high		high
Infectious Bursal Disease			high		low		low
GUMBORO
Infectious coryza			medium		low		low
Infectious laryngotracheitis			medium		low		low
Marek's disease			high		medium		low
Mycoplasma gallisepticum			medium		low		low
Mycoplasma synoviae			medium		low		low
Mycotoxicosis			medium		low		low
Necrotic Enteritis			high		medium		low
Newcastle Disease			high		medium		medium
Osteoporosis, cage fatigue			medium		medium		medium
Paramyovirus 2			high		low		low
Pendulous Crop			high		low		low
Proventricular Worms			high		low		low
Red Mite			high		medium		medium
Respiratory Adenovirus			high		low		low
Respiratory Disease complex			medium		medium		medium
Round worms			High		low		low
Fowl Typhoid			High		medium		low
Samonellosis			high		medium		medium
Spirochaetosis			high		low		low
Tapeworms,cestodes			high		low		low
ticks			high		low		low
Trichomoniasis			high		medium		low
Tuberculosis			medium		low		low
Ulcerative enteritis			high		medium		low
Vibrionic Hepatitis			high		medium		low
Viral Arthritis			high		low		low

Material was sourced from the Poultry Site Disease section.  Decisions on susceptibility to disease were based on:

·         access of the hens to wild birds in regards to contracting diseases from outside

·          accessibility to soil and other hens as the means of spreading the disease rapidly through the whole flock

·         Accessibility to  grass in the case of death by compaction in the gizzard

·         In addition the ability of the operator to stop reinfection of following flocks in the case of free range is limited.

These opinions are those of the author and readers need to seek their own information before making any decisions.