The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicine Authority (APVMA) has defined food-producing animal species as any animal used to produce food for human consumption, or which is used as food for human beings, and includes any buffalo, cattle, deer, fish (other than ornamental fish), goat, kangaroo, pig, poultry, rabbit, sheep, bee,…
Even though they have been domesticated for thousands of years, different breeds of chicken have been developed under the influence of geographical isolation and selection for desired characteristics (e.g., egg laying, show quality, etc.) creating regional types (breeds) with distinct physical and behavioural traits passed on to their offspring. There…
Types of housing for chickens Chicken enclosures generally consist of a coop (a solid structure that houses the chickens at night) and an external run. The coops for night time housing of the chickens can be: Permanent, with the chickens housed on deep litter – usually on a concrete slab…
Although chickens are very social animals, the structure of their flock is based on their ability to communicate, a dominance hierarchy known as their ‘pecking order’ (in fact, it’s where the term ‘pecking order’ comes from!), and their ability to recognise other members of their flock. In these flocks, hens…
You should watch for signs of disease or distress in chickens on a daily basis. This starts with a good look at the chicken before you handle them, and then a closer exam if warranted. Looking at the chicken from the distance The examination should start with looking at the…
You are responsible for your chickens’ health and welfare, including ensuring that they have a humane death when the time comes. Ensuring a humane death requires that the method used results in rapid death, or loss of consciousness without pain, suffering, or distress followed by death. The AVMA Guidelines for…
Ideally, backyard chickens (because they usually live longer than commercial chickens) should be vaccinated against a range of diseases during their lifetime, including Marek’s Disease, Fowl Pox, and Infectious Laryngotracheitis. However, the actual diseases vaccinated against, the vaccines used, and program and timing of vaccinations will vary according to the…
As with the husbandry and management of any animal, there are disease problems associated with backyard chickens. Understanding disease We divide disease into two categories: non-infectious and infectious. Care must be taken not to confuse the words ‘infectious’ with ‘contagious.’ Infectious diseases are those caused by micro-organisms (viruses, bacteria, or…
Feathered pets are fascinating additions to the family, not to mention an incredible hobby. A 2022 report estimates that the total number of companion birds kept in Australia is approximately 3.9 million, with just over 1 million households (10.5%) owning at least one bird [1]. However, despite this popularity, bird…
The keeping of backyard poultry, once an almost universal practice in Australia, declined in the 1970s and 80s, but is now enjoying a resurgence in popularity. People are keeping poultry for food (e.g., eggs), as pets, and as show birds. The breeding of once-endangered or rare species is another area…