This Mini Series on Veterinary care of Backyard Poultry will introduce and develop the growing field of chickens being kept as pets and being presented to the small animal veterinary surgeon for veterinary assistance. We will also discuss more briefly the husbandry and diseases of ducks, swans and turkeys.

• Join David Perpiñán DVM MSc PhD Dip ECZM (Herpetology) for three 2-hour online sessions
• Comprehensive notes to downloaded
• Self-assessment quizzes to ‘release’ your 8 hours CPD certification (don’t worry, you can take them more than once if you don’t quite hit the mark first time)
• A whole year’s access to recorded sessions for reviewing key points
• Superb value for money – learn without travelling
• Watch the recordings on your iPad!
• This Mini Series was originally broadcast in April 2017

Programme

Husbandry, Basic Techniques, Preventative Medicine and Legislation

In the first session we will introduce the topic and discuss husbandry, including species, breeds, nutrition, housing, preventative medicine and normal behaviour. We will describe step by step how to perform a complete physical examination and how to do a post-mortem exam. Finally, we will review the UK legislation affecting backyard poultry, including use of medication and notification of diseases.

What you’ll learn:

• Recognise the most common species and breeds
• What is a normal behaviour and how to correct abnormal behaviours
• Handling, sample collection and basic techniques
• Overview of nutrition and nutritional disorders
• Simplified overview of normal anatomy and post-mortem examination
• What every vet needs to know about UK legislation on backyard poultry

Approach to Clinical Signs and Condition 1

In the second session we will start studying how to recognise, diagnose, treat and prevent conditions such as reproductive disease, respiratory problems, eye and sinus disorders or crop dysfunctions. We will approach every condition by recognising clinical signs and working up differential diagnoses from them. This lesson will also deal with how to deal with emergencies.

What you’ll learn:

• How to investigate unspecific signs such as lethargy, weakness, anorexia and weight loss
• How to deal with emergencies
• What to do with hens that stop/decrease egg production or produce abnormal eggs
• How to prevent and treat reproductive disease
• Approach to respiratory disease

Approach to Clinical Signs and Condition 2

In the third session we will continue working up signs such as diarrhoea, lameness, neurological disease or sudden death, in order to review diseases such as Marek’s, heart problems, pododermatitis, fractures or external parasites. We will also briefly review other less common conditions not review during the other sessions.

What you’ll learn:

• How to distinguish normal from abnormal droppings
• Understand sudden death and heart conditions
• How to deal with fractures and other musculoskeletal problems
• Developmental problems in backyard poultry
• Overview of external and internal parasites
• Brief overview of other conditions