VN August 2023

Augustus 2023 33 Technical I Article before the secondary flight feathers on the wings. Primaries may begin to develop before secondary feathers, but usually mature after them. Final feather maturity is usually not complete before the bird has weaned. o Abnormalities include:  Feathers erupting in a unusual pattern e.g. in a circular pattern on the crown of the head, rather than running parallel along the line of the body  Stress bars in the opened vane  Abnormal colouring  Haemorrhage in the calamus  Dystrophic development  Droppings o The faecal portion should be relatively well-formed and not malodorous. o A degree of polyuria is normal, but this should lessen as the chick ages. Excessive or persistent polyuria warrants further investigation.  Diagnostic testing o Microbiology is an important tool in assessing gastrointestinal flora. Gram stains and cultures are frequently used to assess crop or other gastrointestinal problems. Normal bacterial flora includes Lactobacillus , Streptococcus , Staphylococcus and Bacillus spp. Low numbers of E coli are often normally cultured as well. Other Gram-negative bacilli and Candida are rarely cultured from healthy chicks. o Clinical pathology can be used readily on chicks. It is important to note that, compared to adults of the same species, chicks normally have.  A lower PCV and a higher white cell count  Total protein and uric acid are usually lower.  CK is usually higher. o Radiology is an essential tool for assessing the status of the skeletal system. Common problems • Stunting o Aetiology  Stunting is seen in the first 30 days of life. It is usually associated with: • improper feeding • poor environmental conditions • disease o Clinical signs  Subnormal weight gains  Reduced muscle mass - check toes, wings, backs  Abnormal feathering e.g. head feathers develop in a circular pattern on the crown  Over-sized head, relative to the size of the body  Eyelids fail to open normally or when expected  Delayed ear opening or narrowing of the ear canal  Chronic, recurrent infections  Constantly calling and begging for food  As the chick gets older it often develops a globose head with an elongated slender beak. The eyes may appear exophthalmic because of the misshapen skull . o Treatment  Identify and treat predisposing cause.  Correct nutritional inadequacies. o Prognosis  The prognosis is good if the problem is diagnosed early and treated aggressively. • Crop stasis (‘sour crop’) o Aetiology  generalised ileus • generalised infection • foreign bodies • chilling • heavy metal toxicosis • dehydration o crop disorders >>> 34