Vaccinating nestlings against PMV— initial mini vaccination trial results. Currently it is known that, if pigeons receive two PMV vaccinations 4 weeks apart with both being given after 8 weeks of age, 100% of pigeons will be protected from PMV. PMV is, however, a significant cause of disease and death in young pigeons less than 8 weeks of age if they are exposed to the disease before their PMV vaccination programs have been completed. Vaccinating pigeons younger than 8 weeks of age or indeed as young as 3 to 4 weeks of age may provide fanciers with an opportunity to protect their birds earlier. Up until now, however, it has not been known whether this is a feasible option.
In 2022, a mini PMV vaccination trial investigating the development of immunity in pigeons less than 4 weeks of age, following PMV vaccination, was proposed by me on behalf of the VRPB. Such a trial could only be conducted during the breeding season and so was planned for the 2023-24 season. This trial has now been successfully completed.
Fanciers may recall that in the first major PMV vaccination trial conducted in 2012 and coordinated primarily by the metropolitan federations in Melbourne, 60 pigeons were bled every 4 weeks for a year and a half. In this trial, the youngest pigeons were between 6 and 8 weeks of age. In this trial, 70% of pigeons had protective levels of immunity 4 weeks after one vaccination. When vaccinated again at this time and rechecked again after a further 4 weeks, 100% of pigeons were immune. With this information, Zoetis (the manufacturer of the PMV “ Poulvac” vaccine) was able to successfully register their PMV vaccine with the APVMA (the government authority responsible for medication registration). The registration approved the use of the vaccine for use in pigeons over 8 weeks of age. This registration effectively informed fanciers that, if they vaccinated their birds twice four weeks apart after 8 weeks of age, their birds would all be protected from PMV.
The difficulty with this registration is that there are circumstances when pigeons under 8 weeks of age are placed in high-risk PMV situations. These include youngsters sent to OLR’s and those placed into squeaker sales. Because of the need to “home” these birds, many are 4 to 5 weeks of age at this time. In fact, many organisers of such events specifically request that birds must not have dropped a flight. The recent mini trial, which I conducted on behalf of the VRPB, specifically investigated whether vaccinating pigeons at 3 to 4 weeks of age would stimulate the development of some immunity that may help protect these young pigeons. If so, vaccination at a younger age may be a useful tool in aiding to protect or reduce the severity of disease associated with PMV in these babies. Vaccinating at a younger age would be particularly useful in youngsters that were to be placed in potential situations of exposure, such as being sent to OLRs , entered into squeaker sales or indeed mix with any pigeons from another loft.
In the trial , ten 3-week-old squeakers bred from vaccinated parents and ten 3-week-old squeakers from non-vaccinated parents were selected. Initially these youngsters were bled at 3 weeks of age and then vaccinated. This initial bleed was to check for any immunity in the birds that may have been acquired from their parents or an earlier exposure to the disease. To measure the subsequent level of immunity formed after vaccination, the youngsters were then bled at 4 ,5 and 7 weeks of age. In all , therefore, we had four sets of 20 blood results, making a total of 80 tests altogether.
The test used to measure the level of immunity was an HI (Haemaglutination Inhibition) test. In the units used, an HI reading of 3 or higher is sufficient to protect the pigeon from PMV. An HI reading of 1 or 2 shows some immunity. This level will not fully protect the pigeon but will reduce the severity of the disease. For example, rather than dying, the youngster may become unwell for a period of time and then recover or the symptoms may simply be milder. An HI result of zero indicates no immunity. A bird with a reading of zero would therefore be vulnerable to the full effects of PMV.
At the time of writing, I have the initial 60 blood results but am still waiting on the final 20 results from the laboratory. The full results will be displayed and discussed next month but initial results indicate that the chicks, presumably because of the immaturity of their immune system, were not able to respond as effectively as older youngsters or mature pigeons to the vaccine. Some chicks developed no immunity. About half, however, developed some immunity. This would suggest that, although vaccinating nestlings at 3 weeks of age would not protect many of them completely from the disease, vaccination would decrease the severity of any subsequent exposure. We will need to wait for the final results but it might be worth considering vaccinating youngsters less than 4 weeks of age, if they are going into a high-risk situation.
The trial was made possible through donations from fanciers , clubs and federations made to the Disease Management Fund set up by the VRPB.
Use of Pellets during racing. The Australian Pigeon Company produces a maintenance pellet. They are complete and balanced, providing everything that a pigeon needs nutritionally. Most commonly they are used in the stock loft where a pigeons protein and energy requirements are fairly stable for the 8 to 9 months that they are not breeding. Protein and energy requirements go up during breeding as do the requirements for most nutrients, in particular calcium, but to compensate for this, the birds simply eat more . Stock birds are confined to the same loft, they are not forced to exercise and food is ( usually) always available. So, pellets are a very easy way of providing excellent nutrition for them. Some fanciers are keen to also use pellets , at least as part of the ration, during racing. Their use however has 2 disadvantages during racing : - 1. A maintenance pellet cannot provide the fluctuating nutritional requirements of competing race birds. Fat and energy requirements for a race bird fluctuate, depending on how much work it is having, the distance of the race for which it is being prepared, and the weather. Grain blends need to be modified to cater for this fluctuating need. The fat and energy content of the diet is usually increased with cold weather and increased work load through the provision of high fat (e.g. safflower, hemp, linseed) and high carbohydrate (e.g. maize, wheat) grains and lowered during warm weather and times of less work. Experienced and astute fanciers can determine the exact level through watching their birds’ behaviour and monitoring weight changes through handling. If the birds appear a bit tired or light, the fat and energy content should be increased. The protein level should stay above 12% of the total diet. Total protein levels of less than 12% can lead to loss of muscle bulk. If the birds are becoming a bit light then high protein grains ( peas , vetches) can be increased in the mix. 2. Food is a principal reward for a pigeon on return from a race. For birds not accustomed to pellets they are not as palatable as grain. Providing only pellets on return may compromise the reward principle unless the bird is very hungry. In my own birds I use a proportion of APC pellets in the race mix. Like most fanciers I modify the grain blend depending on the birds fat, energy and protein requirements but include pellets as about 10% of my mix. I do this for several reasons : - a/ My babies are raised on pellets and so when they are weaned they readily recognise them. This means that their weaning into the racing loft is a little bit easier and they are more likely to eat consistently. b/ Pellets contain all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients the birds need so they are an easy way of boosting the nutritional value of a mix when blended with grains. c/ My race birds have always known pellets as part of their diet and so accept them fairly readily. When first fed the birds pounce on everything that is offered but as their appetite is satiated the majority of race birds start to preferentially select the grains and leave the pellets. I find this a useful indicator as to how much to feed them. When I have finished feeding them I usually leave some pellets in the trays . This means that no birds go hungry but they are not going to gorge on them as some birds might with a high palatability grain ( eg peanuts, safflower )
Managing Disease in Young Pigeons Many normal features of the young pigeons’ existence, such as moulting and establishing their perch in a new loft, provide unavoidable stress. Most growing pigeons can tolerate a single stress but, when stresses start to overlap, opportunistic infection can take advantage of the birds’ weakened immune system and the youngsters can become sick. In addition, in some areas the weather during the months that youngsters are weaned is changeable and humid: conditions that favour the spread of disease. Minimising stress Anything that a fancier can do to minimise stress will decrease the chance of a young bird to become sick. Ways that fanciers can minimise stress in their young birds include: • Avoiding overcrowding. Ideally, no more than 25 birds in a two-cubic-metre section. • Providing a seed mixture of good quality and in adequate quantity, given at regular intervals. The seedshould be clean, free of dusts and moulds, and contain sufficient levels of protein for growth and moulting. I workwith a basic mix of about 35% dun peas, 18% safflower, 20% corn, 12% milo, 10% wheat and 5% small seeds. • Providing grit and a pink mineral. Grit should always be in front of the growing youngster. It contains thecalcium that is vital for the formation of a healthy skeleton. A pigeon is independent at four weeks, and canreproduce at six months. This is analogous to a human being full-grown at five months of age and sexuallymature at two and a half years. With such a phenomenal growth rate, nothing must be lacking. The bones aregenetically programmed to increase in size and if calcium is lacking they will not be as strong as they should be. A good brand of pink minerals will provide not only calcium but also a range of vitamins and minerals. Regular use of a water-solublemultivitamin is also useful. • Enabling adequate rest periods. The young bird must develop a bond with the loft and a perch within it, andmust feel secure when there. People tell me that pigeons get used to anything, such as backyard dogs, incinerators,and kids playing directly in front of the loft, but I think, drawing an analogy with some people that live ona busy road, that just because they get used to it does not mean they like it. • Providing a good loft. Essentially, a pigeon loft must be dry without being dusty and provide adequate ventilationwithout exposing the birds to extremes of heat and cold. • Keeping the loft clean. Regular cleaning removes germs and provides a healthier environment. • Keeping groups of young birds together. Young birds will form groups within the loft as part of their basicflocking instinct. Fanciers may note that youngsters weaned on the same day may still be sharing the same sectionwithin the loft as adults. Young birds are easily intimidated by older birds. • Controlling internal and external parasites. Both internal and external parasites drain the body of nutritionthat would otherwise be available to the growing youngster. • Correct timing of pigeon pox vaccination. The two constraining parameters are the date racing starts andthe age of the birds. Race programs in all Australian states are different. Pigeons should not be vaccinated closerthan six weeks to the start of racing, as usually scabs are carried for four to six weeks post-vaccination. Birdscarrying these scabs are infectious and therefore ineligible for competition.The pigeon pox vaccine is live and gives the birds a mild dose of the disease. In birds facing other stresses,this may be sufficient to induce clinical outbreaks of diseases such as canker or respiratory infection that werenot apparent. Obviously, this is more likely to occur the younger the pigeons are at vaccination. All young birdswithin the loft should be vaccinated at the one time. • Correct timing of PMV vaccination. In Australia a killed oil-based La Sota vaccine is used. Youngsters aregiven their first inoculation in the first weeks after weaning and a second inoculation four weeks later.Annual boosters are then given. • Checking the youngsters regularly for illness and ensuring that ill birds are separated, accurately diagnosedand treated. Beware the overuse of drugs, which can interfere with the ongoing natural exposure of thedeveloping pigeon to potentially infectious organisms. Incorrect use of drugs at this time may in fact render theteam more vulnerable to disease.Except for parasite control, avoid flock treatments in young pigeons, only treatingunwell individuals so as not to interfere with the developing natural immunity of the team as a whole. • Establishing a routine that is familiar to the young bird. Young pigeons in particular are more likely to eat and sleep well with a predictable day that follows a routine
Management of disease in youngsters Overlapping stresses in the form of environmental or management flaws, or failure to control primary diseases such as parasitism, can trigger a disease outbreak. Occasionally, in the best lofts under good managers, disease will occur despite good control of young birds’ stresses. I find it convenient to divide the diseases of young birds into four groups based on the signs observed. 1. Canker. Fanciers will be familiar with the thick yellow scum that occurs in the throat of youngsters. Affectedbirds should be separated and treated. To treat individual birds a 1/4 of a metronidazole (e.g. "Flagyl") 200mgtablet or whole carnidazole (e.g. "Spartrix") 10mg tablet once daily until well can be used. This usually takesone to three days. Alternatively, the unwell youngster’s water can be medicated with ronidazole 10% (e.g. "Turbosole")3g/2L of water. It is important, however, to ensure that the unwell youngster is still able to drink. The group ofyoungsters, as a whole, should only be treated if more than 10% of youngsters are showing signs, usually with"Turbosole" for three to four days. 2. Respiratory signs. In young birds, this usually appears as either a dirty cere or ‘one eye cold’. Severely affectedyoungsters can have trouble looking after themselves in the loft and should be separated. Mildly affected birdsare left in the loft. Unwell birds are treated with doxycycline 25mg once daily. If more cases are developing everyday, or more than 10% of youngsters are affected the flock can be given doxycycline 12% (e.g. "Doxyvet") 3g/2Lof water. However, in this situation it is likely that there is some underlying management or environmental flawwhich will need to be corrected to prevent ongoing problems. I find the presence of mucus in the throat an unreliableindicator of respiratory infection in young pigeons.All pigeons have approximately 1.5ml of mucus in the throat all the time. The level of mucus may increasewith respiratory infection but this is difficult to quantify. Similarly, I am cautious in diagnosing respiratory infectionif the birds pant after exercise. Birds with respiratory disease may pant excessively but this is affected by toomany other factors, such as the stage of the moult, level of fitness and heat of the day, to be a reliable indicator. More than 90% of respiratory disease in young pigeons is due to chlamydia or mycoplasma. The organisms arealready in the systems of many young birds and clinical disease is triggered by stress. When the birds are stressed,the organisms increase in number and can move to several sites throughout the body, including the respiratoryand gastrointestinal tracts.During these Chlamydial flare-ups, it is important that the fancier provides a healthy loft environmentto ensure that the birds’ immune system is maximally functional in order to help control the infection. Sourcesof ongoing stress, such as overcrowding, must be eliminated. In addition, chlamydial drugs are used to control clinical disease before significant damage can be done. The aim of treatment in young birds is not to eliminatethe organism but to reduce the chlamydial level to a point where it is no longer causing problems.Even in the best managed lofts, several flare-ups would be expected in Australia between January andMay. By May, the birds are older, fitter and have finished moulting, and many problems become self-limiting.Once on treatment, birds stop shedding the organism and so recovering more severely affected birds can bereturned to the loft. Young birds in particular respond better to medication once back on their own perch andwith other pigeons. 3. Bowel signs. Look for discolored droppings with a higher than normal fluid content. Affected youngsters areusually quiet and underweight. The three most common causes are coccidia, ‘thrush’ and bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, although wormsare a problem in some lofts. Microscopic examination of a faecal smear and sometimes other tests are necessary to determine the actual problem. If coccidia is involved, then the entire group of youngsters can be given toltrazuril (e.g. "Toltravet")25mg/ml, 5ml/1L on days 1, 2, 5 and 6). This does not interfere with developing immunity. ‘Thrush’ and bacterial infections, if mild, can be successfully treated with probiotics (e.g. "Probac") ½ teaspoon to 2 litres or, if advanced, asulphur-based antibiotic (e.g. "Sulpha AVS") 3g to 4 litres for 4 days). These problems can reflect loft stresses,which will need to be corrected to stop the ongoing need for medication. 4. Very sick or dying youngsters. Here affected birds are fluffed up, reluctant to move and often underweight,with a reduced appetite. The diseases mentioned earlier can, in their most severe forms, appear like this and usuallytesting for these is done initially. However, the generalised form of paratyphoid, Aspergillus (a fungus that affects the respiratory system) and the viral diseases Herpes virus, Adeno virus, PMV , Rota and Circo virus, must beconsidered. Often, one or more birds need to be submitted for autopsy and the relevant tissue samples submittedfor examination by an avian pathologist. In this situation, it is best to seek veterinary Parasite control in youngsters Both internal and external parasites can also be a problem in youngsters. However, in a well-managed loft these should not occur in the stock loft and therefore should not be present in the weaning youngsters. They can, however, enter the loft with late returning race birds, strays and youngsters deliberately introduced. Roundworms and hairworms, if present, should be totally eliminated. A common treatment is moxidectin (2mg per ml, 5ml per litre for 24 hours in the drinking water). This will eliminate all mites including air sac mite and approximately 80% of lice. If lice are a problem, the birds may need to be dipped. This can be safely done from six weeks of age. Permethrin is commonly used. Some mites (but not lice) can survive in the cracks and crevices of the loft. In this situation the loft can be sprayed with permethrin. Pick a warm day, move the youngsters out of the section, and spray the permethrin on to the scraped surfaces and into the nooks and crannies of the loft. These will dry within a couple of hours and the youngsters can be reintroduced. Permethrin is a residual insecticide and has the advantage of controlling mosquitoes, pigeon flies, and other insects (which can carry tapeworm) for up to four months. Tapeworm, if a problem, can be treated with moxidectin combined with praziquantel. Use of medications in youngsters Many of the medications routinely used during racing can have side effects in the growing and moulting bird, compromising feather quality and bone development and interfering with the development of natural immunity. Similarly, the appearance of disease during this time is often associated with environment or management problems, which must be corrected to avoid the ongoing need for medication. Medication is usually only part of the answer to health problems in the young bird loft and is certainly not an alternative to a good loft environment and sound management practices.
Vaccination of sale and show birds At the moment, I am not aware of any pigeon sales that stipulate that entered birds must be vaccinated. If we are aiming for “best practice” I wonder if this , in fact, should be the case. This should perhaps also be considered for racing pigeon shows. Some fancy pigeon show organisers already insist or at least suggest that entered birds be vaccinated. To me, it would seem strange, for example if there was a dog show and a dog with an infectious disease, showing no symptoms ,was entered that subsequentialy led to an outbreak of that disease. I think the response of many members of the public would be that of surprise that measures to minimise the risk of disease were not mandatory. I know that when I show my sheep that I have to display certification that they are free of a disease called Brucellosis and all animals are examined on entry. Any that are found with evidence of health issues are refused entry. All old birds should be vaccinated anyway and with the recent mini PMV trial indicating at least some benefit in vaccinating young pigeons I can think of no reason why vaccination of sale and show should not become mandatory.
Handy Hint from the APC A remarkably easy , effective and safe way to clean drinkers is to soak them in bleach overnight. I use a large plastic rubbish bin. Fill the bin with water , pour in a 2L bottle of bleach and then immerse the drinkers. Leave them to soak overnight. Not only will the bleach remove any biofilm on the drinkers but it is also a very effective disinfectant. The drinkers will come out sparkling clean the next morning. And the good thing is that bleach is non- toxic. Bleach is sodium hypochlorite so on exposure to air it degrades to carbon dioxide and salt ( sodium chloride). Both non- toxic breakdown products .I always rinse the drinkers before filling them but as the bleach degrades to non- toxic substances if a bit is left in the drinkers there is no harm done.
A National conference The pigeon conferences held in Adelaide and Melbourne in 2022 and 2023 respectively have been great successes on a number of levels. I think however that there are a couple of things that can be done that can make these potentially annual events even better. 1/Rather than being independently conducted by local organisations I think they should be organised by the ANRPB. Each year in Australia there is a show and mini conference conducted for the breeders of fancy pigeons . The show rotates through the larger pigeon keeping states and is conducted under the auspices of the Australian National Pigeon Association (ANPA ). ANPA is the national body which represents the breeders of fancy pigeons in Australia. Each year the show is hosted by a local state body on behalf of ANPA. In this way , even though these annual events are conducted locally by different state groups, they provide a national unity for all of the members they represent. A similar system would work well in the racing community. I feel that the last thing we all need is local groups operating independently. There needs to be a combined sense of purpose. An annual national conference would provide an ideal platform for the ANRPB to explain to the racing fraternity what had been achieved in the previous year and what their plans were for the coming year. This in turn would help guide the sport and provide fanciers with a common sense of purpose 2/ Most conferences, including the two recently conducted in Adelaide and Melbourne generate funds. The ANRPB should decide how these funds are spent. Certainly local and interstate clubs and federations can make suggestions but the final decision should be that of the fanciers representing all fanciers nationally. The reason for this is, that if the ANRPB members are doing their job , they should be in a position , being privy to correspondence affecting the sport nationally, to decide how the money could be best spent. We had an unusual situation after the Melbourne conference. As many fanciers would be aware the VRPB has been seeking funds for veterinary investigations for about 2 years . Investigations that would benefit all fanciers. These were summarised again in last month’s Journal . After the completion of the Melbourne conference, in November last year, there were a variety of suggestions as to how spare funds should be spent. Suggestions from the local committee that organised the event included dividing the money up and giving it to clubs and also donating it to human prostate research. I have spoken to several of the fanciers that were on the local committee. None of the ones I spoke to had heard of the proposed VRPB veterinary investigations that had stalled for lack of funding. One suggested that I should promote these more – despite them being regularly mentioned in the Journal for 2 years. The Melbourne convention was great in that it did provide funds for the VCAT hearing discussed in earlier Journals however the uncertainty over what to do with any spare funds highlighted the benefits in a combined approach to pigeon issues. Local groups organising local events can never achieve as much as a combined national approach. 3/ A national conference should pursue “gold standard” practices and require that birds presented for sale be PMV vaccinated. Organising a conference is a lot of work and one should never criticize the fanciers who are prepared to put in this work. If these conferences are however to continue as national events then I think the above suggestions should be considered.
Disease after squeaker sales I have had several fanciers contact me over the last 2 months about disease outbreaks in their young bird lofts after introducing youngsters purchased at squeaker sales. Typically some birds die while others develop a thirst, fluid filled crops and very watery droppings. PMV is the most likely cause in this situation. In this situation the best thing to do is immediately PMV vaccinate all birds and then, in the face of such an outbreak, bring the second vaccination forward and give it just 2 weeks later. These days the most expedient way to confirm the diagnosis is to organise for a PCR test on droppings. Fanciers can collect the PCR sample and forward to their vet or alternatively send droppings from affected birds to their vet who can then collect the PCR swab. PCR swabs are forwarded to the lab for testing. Results are usually available in about a week.
Vet Questions 1/ I have accidentally frozen my bottle of PMV vaccine. It says on the label “Do not freeze”. The vaccine is expensive and I would prefer not to discard it. Will it still be OK to use? . I rang the manufacturer of the vaccine , Zoetis about this. Their answer was that they don’t know if the vaccine will still work after freezing. This trial work has not been done .Put simply, this means that no one has deliberately frozen the vaccine, let it thaw and then run a vaccine trial to see if the vaccine still works. Trials are expensive and so it is safer for the manufacturer to simply say “ don’t use it because we don’t know if it will work or not”. Getting PMV into a loft where the birds are not vaccinated can have catastrophic consequences. Apart from many birds dying, many survivors are permanently compromised. Even though the vaccine is expensive, the risks associated with the vaccine not working are too high for me. If there is any doubt that the vaccine may not work I would “ wear” the cost and buy a fresh bottle.
2/ I am a specialist avian veterinarian practicing in New York. I need a little help with the significance of this faecal result. I recently sent some pigeon droppings to the lab and got this result Blastocystis sp. present, many (>30) Entamoeba polecki-like present, rare (1-2) The pigeons were losing weight, not acting right but have stabilized now and doing well. Any thoughts on the significance of these parasites? Both of these organisms are uncommonly identified in birds in Australia and my experience with them is limited. Blastocystis is thought to be present in large numbers in some bird populations. Many birds that carry this organism in their gut show no symptoms. The development of symptoms is dependent on a number of factors most notably the general health of an infected bird. Symptoms , usually diarrhoea and lethargy, are more likely to occur in birds with compromised immune systems. Because of the many inherent stresses associated with racing and the immaturity of many race birds I view this as a potential pathogen and consider it best treated if identified. Treatment would be particularly indicated if the birds are showing clinical symptoms consistent with an active infection. Entamoeba is less commonly associated with disease but if identified in race birds I would also treat it for the same reasons as above It is always hard to decide whether something is part of the normal biota, a potential pathogen only or actively pathogenic. One could always do a treatment trial and monitoring the response – particularly if the birds are immunosuppressed.
3/ I have 24 pairs of stockbirds. They are all well but in one pair the droppings around the nest are very wet and smelly. What would cause this ? Research has shown that the wet nests observed with certain feeding pairs when their youngsters are about ten days old are associated with changing hormone levels in the parents. A hormone called prolactin, produced in the parents, triggers the production of the parents’ crop milk. After 10–14 days of feeding their nestlings, crop milk production ceases and prolactin levels fall. Falling prolactin levels lead to a number of physiological changes including the development of a thirst in certain birds, with the result that some birds feed a very watery meal to their youngsters. This fluid is, in turn, passed by the youngsters in their droppings, leading to a wet nest. The significance for us as fanciers is that such youngsters fail to thrive on these dilute watery meals. As a result, they may not grow properly and become vulnerable to secondary infections, in particular wet canker and E. coli. Problems can be decreased by supplementing the parents with probiotics and water-soluble sugar-free multivitamins so that the water they then feed to their youngsters, in turn, contains these. Youngsters from such nests should be regularly checked for canker and, if canker is observed, dosed daily with a canker medication until well. Any condition that makes the parents thirsty will also predispose pairs to wet nests. This will make them drink more water, with the result that they feed more water to the babies which, in turn, causes the youngsters to pass wet droppings. Things that will make stock birds thirsty include: • Incorrect use of grits or medication. Because of the minerals that grit contains, in particular calcium, it isimportant that feeding stock birds have grit in front of them all of the time. However, poor-quality grits willcontain an excessive level of salt. Because the birds eat the grit to gain access to the minerals it contains, they areforced to take in the salt and therefore develop a thirst. Many medications, such as multivitamins and antibiotics,contain high levels of sugar, which, if inappropriately used, can also create a thirst. Also, some medications, inparticular antibiotics, if used incorrectly, can cause diarrhoea, which also can create a thirst. • Diseases. Any inflammatory condition of the crop, stomach or bowel causes fluid to be lost and will create thirst. In feeding stock birds, the usual problems here are wet canker, coccidiosis or bacterial infections, in particular E. coli. If wet nests are a problem, it is best to have a dropping analysed by an avian vet. In the absence of testing,treat affected pairs for canker. If there is no response, a probiotic in the water or on the feed may help. • The pigeon fly. The small flies with prominent wings and legs that pigeon fanciers see in nest boxes are a specific pigeon pathogen called Pseudolynchia canariensis. Their lifecycle is fascinating in that the maggots grow and pupate in the droppings around the nest bowl. The adults are blood-suckers, feeding on the youngsters in the nest,with their saliva giving the youngsters diarrhoea to facilitate the development of the flies’ maggots. It is best to steer away from the older, more toxic insecticides, such as the organophosphates and hydrocarbons. Permethrin, which is a synthetic pyrethroid, is commonly used. This comes in a variety of forms including water-soluble powders and solutions. Solutions are easier to use. It is good practice to spray the nest boxes with permethrin solution before mating. However, if necessary, after normal cleaning and temporarily removing the birds, boxes can be sprayed during breeding.
4/ I have a stock hen that is always tapping her feet. I have sprayed her for lice. Could this be due to coccidia? Could it be due to internal discomfort? I don’t think this is internal. I think that something is on her skin or feathers that is bothering her. One of the feather mite species would be top of the list for me . The live in the feather follicle and spraying or even dipping wont kill them. When you have finished breeding 5ml/1L of moxidectin should get rid of them. Or , if you wished to treat her now, 1/4ml of neat moxidectin to her orally would be OK.