Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Spondylitis is emerging in broilers

World Poultry News: May 19, 2010: http://www.worldpoultry.net/background/spondylitis-is-emergingin-broilers-7472.html
In World Poultry Vol. 23 No. 12, 2007, we described spondylitis caused by the bacterium Enterococcus cecorum as a newly emerging disease in broiler breeders in the US. Until recently the disease was only a problem in male broiler breeders, but now we are also seeing it in flocks of broiler chickens, with many birds in the flock described as having “leg problems”.

No wonder why I feel like a chicken this week!
And at first they thought it was a just male chicken's disease.

Note the fusion:

Interesting post.

I was unaware chickens could get spondylitis.

I am sure it is still predominantly a male disease like AS

Tim

That is one sick looking chicken. If I had one like that, it would have gone to the stew pot long ago. I really feel sorry for it.
Donna

Ha, that's what I feel I look like some days

Today I feel more like the ones pictured in the article (click on link). The poor chicks look awful because their spinal cord is pinched and their legs don't work.
to all chickens w/spondylitis

this is absolutely horrible! im saddened to tears by this. i eat meat for sure but feel they deserve a wonderful life before they die :[ i havent even clicked on the link yet, not sure i will. i wonder if that means you can get diseased if you eat it...well cooked or not. the thought of helpless animals in pain whether diseased or abused is painful in my heart.

sure hope mookie doesn't get this!

poor things

Yes I know we have to eat meat, well I don't guess we have to but I can't stand for anything life wise to be mistreated or abused and I know the meat we eat horrendous things go on.

Yea, that poor little chicken that is what i feel like most of the time....sure gives you pause to think..

oh my god that is AWFUL! leg paralysis at 44, and fusion at 58 days old? Healthy laying hens live for years, 8 or 10. 58 days old is still childhood really. this is terrible. inbreeding . . . it's the same reason the royal families of Egypt had AS in ancient times.

Utterly facinating - great post, thanks for posting.

Chuck reminded me of 'Joanna' a Sussex purchased recently at the market by a chum for a neighbour. Joanna was gorgeous, wonderful plumage and sweet as could be - loved a cuddle. She was joining two other chucks, one another Sussex and t'other a red - small and fiery red who took it upon herself to set about poor Joanna. Next thing was, that Joanna was seen to have, like, stiff legs and ***hips!! Her back legs were splaying out at the back and she struggled to walk (suspiciously like AS?) I found her several times in a desp state and wanted to bring her to the vet, or...do the 'kind' deed. But, not my chuck!

She was wormed, and after that began to slightly pick up. She began to eat better, and generally perked up. But, was still 'stiff' in her hips and legs. Just as she was beginning to stand up to the vile red monster, a fox got into the coop, took out the two Sussex chucks and ran off *with the red monster - no doubt made a bit of a stringy meal. Strange the fox did not favour the plumper Sussex gals. Oh well

We are all very sad at the demise of Joanna - would have been *very interesting to see how the legs/hips panned out. But she was certainly moving better, almost normal in fact, though still perceptively stiff in hips/legs. A spondy chuck? Hmmmm...

Joanna was about 21 days old, point of lay at purchase, and the fox killed her when she was about 7 weeks old, so that would be 49 days...ties in with the article! The other Sussex was some five yrs old, in fine fettle and laying every day - yes, Joanna also did lay, this in spite of her disabilities. Good gal.