IACUC Learning Module - Poultry

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GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR HUSBANDRY

At the bottom of the pecking order will be a bird which is dominated by all other birds; this bird will look in pretty bad shape and needs to be closely watched.

This "low bird" needs to be euthanized if wounds are open, weight loss is profound, or if it appears injured and won’t readily move about the pen.

Fighting can occur in flocks with well-established pecking orders when just one bird is removed for only 12 hours and then reintroduced again into the flock. Fighting will not be limited to simply the bird which was removed and its "neighbors" on the pecking order, but will include the entire flock fighting to establish a new order.

In chickens, excessive fighting and sexual abuse may occur in groups of mature males and it is unwise to house them together. If a new male is introduced into a group of males with an established pecking order, the new male may be killed.

In breeding flocks there should be one male per twelve females. All flocks should be restricted to under fifteen birds since greater numbers leads to excessive feather loss, egg decline, and fighting.

Turkeys are likely to panic when any type of sudden change occurs in their environment (e.g., loud noise, a light turns on, a wild bird flies through their house).

When panicked, turkeys may trample one another and often "pile up" against the wall or in corners, with some birds smothering and killing other birds. AVOID SUDDEN CHANGES or MOVEMENTS. Whenever possible, allow, young turkey poults to be exposed to any noise, light, movement or other environmental variable that they will face as adults. The young poult is more able to learn and to be habituated to these variables.

Feed and Water

Poultry are sensitive to abrupt diet changes. When necessary, changes should be made gradually. Start by mixing small amounts of the "new" food with larger portions of the "old" food and gradually, day by day, increase the portion of the new food while decreasing the portion of the old food.

All feed must be stored in cans or bins which have tight fitting lids to prevent contamination by insects or other vermin!

Poultry must have continuous access to clean drinking water. Any method of delivery using levers or valves will require time for the birds to learn to use it. During this time of adjustment, you MUST supply water pans until all birds know the new water delivery system!

The birds currently housed at UAC are given food purchased from Arizona Feeds. Baby chicks are fed chick "starter mash," young birds are fed "grower crumbles," and adult birds are fed "egg layer crumbles" regardless of their egg production level. Hens that are producing eggs with soft shells are supplemented with oyster shell for calcium. Adult chickens housed at UAC in the production cages are on automatic water systems. All other chickens have access to gravity fed waterers that are refilled by UAC staff members each day.

Temperature, Humidity and Light Cycle

For chickens housed in areas not temperature controlled, it is important to be prepared for days with temperatures above 100^o F. Survival under these extreme conditions depends on the availability of fresh water and the ability of the birds to reach and consume the water. In addition, fans, shade and fine mist sprayers help birds to cope with these temperatures.

 

On the opposite extreme is the risk of chilling to the young chick. In natural conditions, the chick’s back and the attached lungs are warmed by laying under the breast of its mother hen. However in artificial rearing, if the chick becomes cold, the lungs are chilled and the entire respiratory process is paralyzed. It is imperative that the heat source in chick cages be frequently checked. It is equally important to provide a temperature gradient, so chicks can move either toward or away from heat.

The chicken rooms at UAC have a 12:12 light cycle, which means the lights turn on at 7:00 a.m., and turn off at 7:00 p.m. The temperature of the room is 68-70^o F with the humidity range of 30-55%.

Observation and Routine Veterinary Procedures

All birds must be observed each and every day by persons competent to determine if each bird is "normal" or showing signs of disease or distress. A healthy bird will be alert, move easily about the pen or cage, and will readily eat, drink, and defecate. All changes from "normal" are to be reported immediately to the veterinary staff or the supervisor for the facility. No matter what is wrong with a bird, it will generally show the same type of signs. The sick bird will look depressed, hunched up with its feathers fluffed out, the wings may slightly droop, and the head may be carried a little lower than normal, or tucked under a wing.

Molting is the shedding and renewal of feathers and occurs about once a year. The order in which the different sections of the bird lose their feathers is fairly defined: head, neck, body, wings and tail. Molting is a difficult time for birds, since it involves hormonal fluctuations and increased energy requirements. Eliminate stress during this time: keep temperature in a narrow range (70-80^o F), provide a high quality diet, and each day mist the birds with a fine spray or provide a pan for bathing. It takes about seven weeks for new feathers to complete their growth cycle.

Immature feathers, called pin or blood feathers, grow out of the skin rolled up in a tube-like structure called a keratin sheath. Normally, the bird will use its beak to "preen," or rub off the keratin sheath, which will allow the feather to open up. These immature feathers have a large blood vessel in their center and if the pin feather is torn or damaged, it will bleed excessively. The entire feather in its sheath must be pulled firmly from its attachment to the skin and pressure applied for a few minutes until the bleeding stops.

INFORMATION REQUIRED for EACH CAGE or PEN

At UAC, each adult bird is given an individual cage card. Baby chicks housed in the brooder are given one card per brooder shelf. The cage cards are printed with the name of the principal investigator (PI); department; phone number; grant, protocol and account number; species and strain; sex; and age or weight. If the P.I. assigns a unique number, it can be written on this card in the "remarks" section.

Eggs may be identified by hen’s number by writing on the large end of the egg with a soft lead pencil-NEVER USE INK WHICH MAY DIFFUSE INTO EGG AND HARM THE EMBRYO.

Methods of identifying individual birds include:

Floor Area

Federal law requires that Each Bird Have Enough Space to Allow for Normal Postural Movements no matter what might be the production goals or experimental constraints (they must have enough space to lie down, get up and stand without crouching, and freely flap their wings).

Handling Chickens and Turkeys:

The wings should be held together, over the back, the legs held by the fingers. A frightened or fractious bird can be calmed by covering its head with a cloth.

These birds are usually docile but they can peck, scratch, or inflict puncture wounds. Roosters may develop large "spurs" or claws on their legs which may inflect serious wounds!

Most birds will calm down when their heads or eyes are covered by a soft cloth.

At the time of capture the bird's wings must be restrained. With both hands, hold the wings down to the body of the bird. Pick the wings up in one hand, and hold them behind the bird. Restrain the legs between the fingers of the other hand.

Although turkeys are considerably stronger than chickens, they are relatively easy to handle. Small turkeys may be handled the same way as chickens. Turkeys can also be held and transported short distances by using one hand to encircle the humerus of both wings over the back while holding the legs and supporting the body with the other hand. The head may be restrained by gently placing two fingers of the hand holding the wings around the bird's neck. In larger birds it may not be possible for one person to restrain the head and body.

Transportation

Whenever a bird is carried out of UAC facilities, the bird MUST BE covered with a lab coat or sheet in order to minimize stress to the bird, to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission, and to avoid upsetting the general public.

There are several acceptable means of transporting birds from their cage to the laboratory. Always line the bottom with paper towels to soak up feces and urine.

1. Wire cage - solid or wire bottom.
2. Cat carrier - plastic "sky kennel" type carrier.
3. Cardboard box - must be large enough not to restrict movement and have ventilation holes.

Unacceptable methods of transporting birds include:

1. Carrying the birds unrestrained in your arms - the bird could get loose and escape.
2. Carrying the bird in a cloth or paper sack too hot and suffocating. (NEVER put the heat exhausted birds under a running water faucet, this only compounds the problem!)
3. Carrying the bird in a manner that restricts the bird’s movements, especially by holding the breast bone, or keel, which restricts breathing.

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