Backyard Poultry

Practice backyard poultry biosecurity

Avian influenza (AI) continues to be a serious threat to all poultry in Tennessee and across the United States. It makes no difference whether you have three backyard chickens or 300,000 commercial chickens, they are all at risk of AI unless proper biosecurity practices are in place and followed... Continue reading...

Gangrenous dermatitis a threat to broiler chickens

Gangrenous dermatitis (GD) was first reported in the United States in the early 1930s (Niemann, 1930). Although GD has been recognized for many years as a sporadic disease, the prevalence and severity of this condition has increased over the past two decades in the U.S. and elsewhere (Gornatti-... Continue reading...

Coccidiosis in backyard poultry flocks

It is vital that backyard poultry keepers across Tennessee have a basic understanding of common poultry diseases because it gives small flock owners the ability and knowledge to recognize, treat and hopefully prevent future disease outbreaks. Perhaps the most common disease affecting small poultry... Continue reading...

Marek's Disease in backyard poultry flocks

Backyard poultry flocks have become a popular pastime for folks across Tennessee in recent years, especially since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some people enjoy watching the various personalities of their chickens interact with their flock mates. Others enjoy the experience of gathering... Continue reading...

Backyard chickens and mycoplasma gallisepticum

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) was first described in turkeys in the United States in 1905 and is today the most problematic and economically significant of all the poultry mycoplasmal pathogens. MG is a slow-spreading infection that often goes undetected by flock owners, and infected birds may... Continue reading...

Fowl pox in backyard poultry flocks

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in keeping small backyard poultry flocks by both urban and rural residents across Tennessee. These small flocks are kept for a variety of reasons including food (meat and eggs), entertainment, shows, exhibitions and fairs, 4-H/FFA projects, etc... Continue reading...

Newcastle disease in backyard flocks

The number of backyard chicken enthusiasts has exploded in recent years, particularly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mail order hatcheries and feed stores across the country have seen sales of chicks to first-time customers expand tremendously. Tennessee is no exception to this backyard... Continue reading...

Internal parasites of poultry

A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism of a different species, known as the host, and benefits by deriving nutrients to the detriment of the host. Parasites typically do not kill their host through diseases but do generally depend on the host to complete their life cycle.... Continue reading...

Backyard chickens and salmonella

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of Americans in urban, suburban and rural areas have started raising backyard chickens. While there are many benefits to enjoy from backyard chickens and other poultry, it’s important for those with backyard poultry to take... Continue reading...

Raising your own backyard chickens in Tennessee (https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/D168.pdf)