Learn about the veterinary topic of Mites of Poultry. Find specific details on this topic and related topics from the Merck Vet Manual.

A number of insects, ticks, and mites attack poultry either by sucking blood or by feeding on the skin, feathers, or scales on the skin. Mites and lice are the most destructive external parasites of

Mites and poultry lice are a natural part of every backyard- they travel on birds, rodents and other animals, so when your chickens become infested, it does ...

Download scientific diagram | A simplified diagram of the action of the avian digital TLM: (1) digital extension, (2) digital flexion. This shows the movement of the talon (a), flexor (e) and extensor (d) tendons, ungual phalanx (b), and the movement of the ventrally located tubercle pad (f) relative to the stationary plicated sheath (g) and phalangeal bone (c). from publication: An ecomorphological study of the raptorial digital tendon locking mechanism | Extensive adaptive radiation in hindlimb design among raptors is well known. However, the degree of variation in the structure and expression of the digital tendon locking mechanism (TLM) and its adaptive significance have received little attention. This comparative... | Ecomorphology, Tendons and Digital | ResearchGate, the professional network for scientists.

Representatives of all avian orders were studied in order to establish that the tendon-locking mechanism (TLM), consisting of local specialization of the flexor tendons and the adjacent portion of the flexor tendon sheath, is by no means rare, but rather, constitutes the prevalent condition in a large majority of the avian species sampled. The areas of tubercles on the tendons and the adjacent sheath plications intermesh with one another thereby forming a true tendon-locking mechanism that maintains the distal and other interphalangeal joints of the digits in the flexed position. The TLM seems to function not only in perching, but in a wide variety of other activities of the avian foot including swimming, wading, prey-grasping, clinging, hanging, and tree climbing. The basic structural components of the mechanism are remarkably similar in the divergent avian groups adapted for these activities. Ultrastructural detail of the TLM was studied by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Interdigital variation in distribution of the TLM in all of the digits of individuals were made as were comparisons of the interspecific distribution of the TLM. An analysis of the biomechanics involved in engaging the elements of the TLM and how they produce locking of the flexed joints of the digits includes a consideration of the roles of the podothecal pads, ungual flexor processes, and the elastic flexor and extensor ligaments of the toes. The components of the TLM are differentiated in early fetal development establishing that the TLM components are not acquired adventitiously in response to such factors as posthatching mechanical stresses.

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The provision of perches in housing systems for laying hens is meant to improve hens’ welfare by allowing a more natural behavior repertoire. However,…

Providing an inadequate poultry perch for your chicken to roost on can create its own set of health issues. Learn why a 2 x 4 isn't the perfect perch.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the shape and size of roost preferred by broiler breeder hens. The effect of roost position upon roosting …

What can I use for chicken perch? A chicken roost is a place where birds regularly gather to rest or sleep. The most common material used is wood. Generally a 2×4 inch piece of wood laid wide side up is perfect. Your roosts will need to be strong and stable. Another common problems with roosts … What can I use for chicken perch? Read More »

Passeriformes, or perching birds and songbirds, are an order of birds that includes crows, jays, starlings, wrens, cardinals, finches and many other species. It has been suggested that these birds are able to passively perch due to a tendon locking mechanism. This allows them to rest for hours in trees without falling. When the bird's foot is placed on a perch, the weight of the bird causes the tendons to pull, thus closing the toes around the perch. However, there is currently much debate about whether the mechanism is entirely passive. Recent studies argue that the mechanism must be coupled with the active contraction of muscles. This study seeks to determine whether or not the perching mechanism in Passeriformes is passive through the analysis of morphological parameters of window-strike birds. Specifically, we looked at the angular changes of the toes as well as the distance between opposing toes, both when the foot is flexed and extended. Preliminary analysis of our results indicate decrease in many of the measured angles and distances as the foot changes from the extended to flexed position. Since this data was collected on dead birds, this suggests that the perching mechanism is in fact passive.

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When I first started looking into whether or not I should use sand for my coop, I found these two opinions: Sand is the best bedding out there, and you are making a huge mistake if you use anything else for your chickens Sand is the worst bedding out there, and you are a monster if you use it

Nestera knows what your flock wants when it comes to comfortable roosting. Read our latest blog to discover the best size and shape perch for chickens.

Hoop Coop Guide Master Materials List 2- 4"x6"x16' 12- 2"x6"x10' 5- 4"x4"x6' 15- 2"x4"x8' 5- 52" Combo/Cattle Panels 2- 48"x50' ½"x ½" Rolls of Hardware Cloth (3 rolls recommended) 3- 1lb. Boxes of 1 ½" Galvanized Fencing Staples 2 ½ lbs. of...

Aart's Hoop Coop / Chicken Tractor I've always been intrigued by the livestock panels as a structural material for a coop, and love the curved Quonset hut type imagery. Also like the idea of a chicken tractor to spread their industry and...

Hummingbirds are territorial and will use this swing as a perch to watch over their food source. Simply place this swing near hummer feeders and enjoy watching them sit and swing! Metal Durable and attractive Will not rust or rot Imported 0.15" D x 9.25" W x 9.50" H

Hey, guys. I have a five month old chicken that isn’t walking. He was fine Saturday and then all of a sudden, he was walking on his hawks and then not at all. His feet are curling and he can’t control his legs below the hawk. He can sit up on them but he’s very shaky when he does. We’ve been to...

Leg splints for chickens

Hens reared in aviaries (AVI) as pullets have improved spatial abilities compared to hens reared in non-enriched cages (CON). However, this effect on behavior has been shown only to 23 weeks of age. Lohmann LSL-Lite hens were reared in either CON or AVI until 19 weeks of age and then moved into enriched colony cages (ECC) containing two elevated perches of different heights (n = 6 ECC/treatment). Focal hens (3 per ECC) were fitted with tri-axial accelerometers to record acceleration events at 21, 35, and 49 weeks of age. Video recordings from each age were used to identify behaviors associated with acceleration events as well as the proportion of hens utilizing perches. CON hens experienced more acceleration events (p = 0.008) and more collisions (p = 0.04) than AVI hens during the day at 21 and 35 weeks of age. The total proportion of hens perching at night was similar between treatments across most time points, but fewer CON hens used the high perch compared to AVI hens throughout the study (p = < 0.001). Rearing in aviaries influences hen behavior out to peak lay for collisions and out to mid-lay for perch height preference in ECC.

A short practical book of guidelines and advice to good welfare practice in broiler chicken farming. Broiler Chickens distils academic research into applied advice on the farm for industry and farm workers.

"Perches should be free of sharp edges and of a size that can be readily gripped by the claws but large enough in diameter that the bird’s toenails do not damage its footpad" "gently lifting broiler chicks resulted in a heightened willingness of chicks to ap-proach people and reduced fear responses after stressful events, but stroking chicks did not " "Laying hens prefer to dustbathe in fine-particle, friable substrates, such as sand and peat moss, than in coarse-particle substrates, such as wood shavings or sawdust, or Astroturf" "Once out- breaks of feather pecking and cannibalism start, they are difficult to control because the behaviors are socially transmitted among birds in the flock; therefore, it is best to prevent their occurrence through early intervention." "Providing floor-housed chickens with cover in the form of overhead vertical panels has been shown to improve pen usage, increase resting and preening be- haviors, and decrease the number of times that birds disturb one another " "provision of shelters and canopies on free-range areas has been found to increase range use by chicken" "Other constraints on enrichment are related to facility design, cost, sanitation, ease of man- agement (including the amount of time and effort that caretakers must put into maintaining the enrichment program)"

"25 cm is suggested as the minimum HD between laying-hen perches, 30 cm being preferable, and large HD’s such as 60 cm being ecessive." " thermally cooled perches used during a mild summer with 4 h of acute heat stress did not affect hen performance"

As indicated in the introduction, a second major topic regarding broiler welfare is the stocking density at which the birds are kept, usually expressed in

KBF prevalence is often described using nonspecific phrases such as “over 85%” or “up to 90%.”

the fearfulness of hens in cages, as measured by the TI test, increased considerably with time. The lower fearfulness shown by hens in aviaries suggests that this important aspect of welfare is more secured in avian'es than in cages.