Signs of Respiratory Infection

A disease-causing organism can affect more than one system, leading to a variety of different clinical signs. There is considerable overlap in the commons signs of respiratory diseases, making diagnosis difficult without a necropsy.

Common signs of respiratory infection include the following:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Rales (abnormal breathing sounds)
• Gasping
• Shaking head
• Discharge from the eyes
• Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye)
• Discharge from the nose
• Swelling of the face and/or wattles
• Bluish-purple discoloration of the face
• Retarded growth
• Inactivity
• Dirty wings (birds tend to wipe their nostrils on their wings)

Less common signs of respiratory infection include the following:

• Twisting of the head and neck (torticollis)
• Paralysis
• Diarrhea, which might be green and watery
• Swollen joints
• Lameness
• Red or white spots on the legs and comb
• Warts or scabs

Signs of Nonrespiratory Infection

Common signs of nonrespiratory infection include the following:

• Labored breathing

• Reduced water consumption
• Dehydration
• Reduced feed consumption
• Weight loss or stunted growth
• Emaciation
• Bluish-purple discoloration of the face
• Pale comb
• Small comb
• Abscessed wattles
• Discharge from the mouth
• Blindness
• Enlarged abdomen
• Navel infection
• Swollen joints
• Swollen foot pads
• Lameness
• Tremors
• Paralysis
• Twisting of the head and neck (torticollis)
• Weakness
• Diarrhea, which might be greenish
• White feces
• Bloody feces
• Pasted vent
• Watery droppings
• Thin-shelled eggs
• Shell-less eggs
• Reduced egg production
• Increased mortality
• Helicopter wings (that is, broken or twisted feathers)
• Ruffled feathers
• Foul odor
• Inactivity

NOTE It is not unusual for poultry to die suddenly without showing any signs of disease.