Flock Health Plan
BROILER CHICKENS
Date of last review:
For SPCA Certified producers: Completion of this document provides the Certification Body
with the Flock Health Plan that is required of all producers. Please read the entire document
before completing it. Any additional information pertaining to flock health planning should be
attached to this document. All information submitted at this stage is for office and
assessment use only and will be treated in the strictest confidence. The information will
be used for no other purpose than for SPCA Certified registration and assessment.
General Information
1) Farm Name:
2) Breeds / types (breeding company) of birds used in production:
3) Sources of birds and chicks:
4) Do you have a regular working relationship with a veterinarian?
Yes
No
5) Please provide the name and contact information of your regular veterinarian(s):
6) Do you have planned health visits or do you only call your vet when you need assistance
with a problem?
7) Explain reason for the last visit, the outcome, and when it occurred:
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8) Are you planning on any changes to production and management that may impact flock
health (e.g. a change in feed, change in breed, etc.)?
Yes
No
If yes, describe:
Diseases or Conditions in the Flock
1) Is the flock monitored for the following WHO/OIE reportable diseases?
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Avian chlamydiosis
Avian infectious bronchitis
Avian infectious laryngotracheitis
Avian influenza
Avian mycoplasmosis (M. gallisepticum)
Avian mycoplasmosis (M. synoviae)
Fowl cholera
Fowl typhoid
Infectious bursal disease (Gumboro disease)
Marek's disease
Newcastle disease
Pullorum disease
Other
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
2) How have you developed a routine medication and vaccination program, cleaning and
disinfection program and treatment protocols for common conditions? With the assistance
of a veterinarian? Other?
3) List the diseases and conditions that you know are in the flock. Indicate what is done to
monitor, control and prevent them.
Appropriate preventive measures, including
immunization, may assist in reducing the necessity for treatment. Refer to Table 2
‘Treatment Protocols’ for guidance.
Disease or Condition
Methods of Monitoring, Control and Prevention
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4) Please provide the name and address of the laboratory to which you would send birds or
samples for diagnostic testing, if required.
5) Describe your cleaning and disinfection process for the different sections of your barn.
Include the names of products and concentrations used.
Disease Control and Record Keeping
1) Do you have written, up to date on-farm medication records?
Yes
No
2) Do you keep written, up to date mortality records on farm?
Yes
No
3) Outline Your Vaccination Program
Refer to Table 2 ‘Treatment Protocols’ for guidance. You may opt to append your copy
rather than fill out the table.
Age
Name of Vaccine
Vaccinated for What
Disease or Condition?
Route
Administered
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4) Outline your de-worming program. You may opt to append your copy rather than fill out the
table.
Age
Parasite / Product
For What Parasite?
Route
Administered
5) Describe your external parasite control program. You may opt to append your copy rather
than fill out the table.
Age
Parasite / Product
For What Parasite?
Route
Administered
6) List any tests (and frequency of testing) done to verify that parasite pressure is low. You
may opt to append your copy rather than fill out the table.
Test
Frequency
How is low parasite pressure verified?
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7) When confronted with a change in health status (birds getting sick or dying, not eating or
showing other new signs) what actions do you take?
8) Are sick and/or injured birds segregated from the rest of the flock?
Yes
No
a) If yes, how many segregation areas are available?
b) Where are the segregation areas located in relation to the main flock?
c) Describe staff habits when moving between sick and healthy birds (change of footwear,
use of hand sanitizer, etc.)
9) If sick/treated birds are not segregated, how are they identified to ensure that no residues
occur when selling them?
10) What is your protocol for humanely euthanizing sick birds?:
Introduction of Birds
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1) Is there any certification of the health history and vaccination status of new birds brought to
the farm?
Yes
No
2) If yes, specify what records come with the birds on entry to your farm (e.g. vaccination and
treatment records)?
3) Are these documents kept on file?
Yes
No
4) Do new birds have a vaccination status similar to your flock?
Yes
No
5) Is there a discussion between your vet and the vet from the other farm to ensure the
compatibility of the health status?
Yes
No
6) Are newly introduced birds monitored for the following WHO/OIE reportable diseases?
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
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Avian chlamydiosis
Avian infectious bronchitis
Avian infectious laryngotracheitis
Avian influenza
Avian mycoplasmosis (M. gallisepticum)
Avian mycoplasmosis (M. synoviae)
Fowl cholera
Fowl typhoid
Infectious bursal disease (Gumboro disease)
Marek's disease
Newcastle disease
Pullorum disease
Other
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
7) Are newly introduced birds kept separate from the main flock for a period of time when they
first come to the farm?
Yes
No
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If yes, describe quarantine protocols for each bird type (e.g. chicks, pullets, etc.) brought to
farm from other farms. Please include staff habits when moving between new birds and
main flock, the number of days new birds are quarantined, and where they are isolated in
relation to the main flock.
Bird Type
Quarantine Protocols
& Staff Habits
Number of
Days in
Quarantine
Location in Relation
to Main Flock
8) When introducing birds from another farm, what other procedures do you follow to ensure
that diseases are not introduced (e.g. transfers at the road, cleaned and disinfected
vehicles, etc.)?
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Table 1. Bird Health Response Plan
Trigger for Investigation
Response Plan
An unexplained increase in mortality
Excessive rates include:
Mortality > 0.5% in the first 24 hours
Mortality > 1% in any given week
Onset of clinical signs of disease such as
reduced activity, huddling, cough, watery
eyes, diarrhea, weakness or paralysis
An unexplained change in feed / water
consumption
Other
Specimens collected and submitted to vet /
diagnostics lab or call vet
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Monitor birds
Diagnostics
Cull
Enhance environmental comfort (e.g. heat,
ventilation)
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Monitor rate of change
Change feed
Supplement with vitamins
Assess pasture environment (if applicable)
and barn environment
 Investigate as appropriate
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Table 2. Treatment Protocols
Illness
Signs to look for
Treatment protocols
When would a vet
or other expert be
contacted?
 High early mortality
 Mushy, rotten chicks
 Cull
 High Dead on
Arrivals
 Mortality > 1% in
1st week
 High mortality
 Cull
 +/- antibiotics
 Mortality > 1% per
week
 Diarrhea
 Ill thrift
 Amprol
 Excessive
mortality
 No response to
treatment
Infectious bursal
disease
(IBD)
 May see diarrhea
 Lethargy
 Mortality
 No treatment
 Prevent by
vaccination, isolation
and a good cleaning
and disinfection
program
 Confirm with
serology or lab
submission
Marek’s Disease
 Paralysis
 Skin lesions at
processing
 No treatment
 Prevent by
vaccination
 Confirm with lab
diagnostics
Salmonella
 May observe diarrhea
 May see an increase in
mortality
 Cull
 Cleaning and
disinfection program
 Confirm by lab
culture
Mites
 Feather loss or
scratching
 Skin irritation
 Diatomaceous Earth
Respiratory
Disease*
ILT, IBV, AI,
NDV
 Respiratory
distress/difficulty
breathing
 May observe an
increase in mortality
 No treatment
 Cleaning and
disinfection
 Vaccinate if unable
to clean out
Bacterial
infection:
Yolk sacculitis
Bacterial
infection:
Ecoli septicemia
Coccidiosis
 Confirm by lab
submission or
serology
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Ascites/
Congestive
Heart Failure
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Water belly
Blue birds
Lethargy
Difficulty breathing
Mortality following cold
nights
 Cull
 Increase heat
 Mortality > 1% per
week
 Increased mortality at
2-4 weeks of age
 No treatment
 Mortality > 1% in
one week
Lameness
Paralysis
Cull and further
investigate cause (e.g.
feed error, botulism,
Marek’s Disease)
Contact the vet if >
1% of flock is
affected
Lameness
Sick bird (bird reluctant to
walk but also showing
clinical signs of illness –
e.g. watery eyes, diarrhea
etc.)
See Table 1 and 2
Contact the vet if >
1% of flock is
affected
Lameness
Angular leg deformities
Cull
Contact the vet if >
1% of flock is
affected
Lameness
Infectious arthritis (joints
feel warmer than rest of
leg)
 Treatment with
appropriate antibiotic
under supervision of
vet
 Prevent by good
litter management
and low ammonia,
which reduces
chance of foot pad
dermatitis and hock
burns
Contact the vet if >
1% of flock is
affected
Lameness
Rickets
 Will affect a greater
number of birds and
present relatively
quickly
 Birds walk gingerly and
/ or stand up, take a
few steps and sit down
Supplement with
vitamin D or general
Contact the vet if >
vitamin supplement and 1% of flock is
observe for
affected
improvement for 3 days
Inclusion Body
Hepatitis
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Birds laying on hocks
(kinky back)
Cull
Contact the vet if >
1% of flock is
affected
For more information on signs of lameness and other relevant information for broiler chickens,
also see the BC SPCA lameness factsheet
* AI:
IBV:
ILT:
NDV:
Avian Influenza
Infectious Bronchitis
Infectious laryngotracheitis
Newcastle Disease Virus
I have read and understood Table 2, Treatment Protocols
Initial:
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