Flock Health Plan
LAYING HENS
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:
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
Route
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Disease or Condition?
Administered
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.
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Test
Frequency
How is low parasite pressure verified?
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?













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 >1% in the first week
Mortality >3% total until hens begin laying
Mortality >0.5% per month while birds in lay
Specimens collected and submitted to vet/lab
or call vet
Onset of clinical signs of disease such as
lethargy, inactivity, huddling, cough, watery
eyes, diarrhea
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Monitor birds
Diagnostics
Cull
Enhance environmental comfort (e.g. heat,
ventilation)
An unexplained change in feed/water
consumption
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Monitor rate of change
Change feed
Supplement with vitamins
Assess pasture environment (if applicable)
and barn environment
An unexplained drop in egg production
 Diagnostics – lab or vet
 Serology/blood tests
 Supplement with vitamins/calcium
Other
 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?
Internal
parasites
 Unthriftiness
 Weight loss
 Vent pecking
 De-worming
 High % of flock
affected
 De-worming is not
effective
External
parasites
 Reduced egg
production
 Increased mortality
 Feather pecking
 Poor feathering
 Scratching
 Pale birds
 Weight loss
 Insecticidal dust
 Diatomaceous Earth
 Excessive
mortality
 Chronic poor
production
 Scabs on face and legs
 No treatment
 Topical iodine
 Prevent by
vaccination
 Confirm by lab
submission
Infectious bursal
disease
(affects pullets
only; age-related
immunity)
 May see diarrhea
 Vent-pecking
 No treatment
 Prevent by
vaccination
 Confirm by lab
submission
 Tissues and
serology may be
useful
Marek’s Disease
and Lymphoid
Leucosis
 Paralysis under 12
weeks of age
 Mortality
 Emaciation
 No treatment
 Prevent Marek’s by
vaccination
 Confirm by lab
submission
 Usually no clinical
signs
 No treatment
 Prevent by cleaning
& disinfection
program and rodent
control
 Vaccination may
help
 Usually does not
cause a clinical
problem
Fowl pox
Salmonella
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Respiratory
Disease*
 Viral: ILT,
NDV, IBV, AI
 Bacterial:
Hemophilus
Mycoplasma
Reproductive
Tract Infection
Coccidiosis
(affects pullets
only – agerelated
immunity)
Fowl Cholera /
Ornithobacteria
rhinotracheale
Cannibalism
* AI:
IBV:
ILT:
NDV:
 If bacterial,
antibiotics
 If viral, no treatment;
prevent with
vaccination and a
good cleaning &
disinfecting program
 All respiratory
diseases should
be followed up
with and
confirmed by lab
submission
 Distended abdomen
 Penguin stance
 Increased mortality
 Cull affected birds
 Increased
incidence of
mortality
(usually an
individual bird
problem)
 Diarrhea
 May observe an
increase in mortality
 Amprol
 Good litter
management
 Increase ventilation
 Prevent by
vaccination
 Confirm by lab
submission or vet
 Increased mortality
 Antibiotics
 Confirm by lab
submission
(bacterial culture)
 Dead ‘pecked out’ birds
found
 Increase the space
available
 Remove birds
displaying
cannibalistic
behaviour
 SPCA Certified
producers must
contact the BC
SPCA in the event
of an outbreak
 Respiratory distress /
difficulty breathing
 May see an increase in
mortality
Avian Influenza
Infectious Bronchitis
Infectious laryngotracheitis
Newcastle Disease Virus
I have read and understood Table 2, Treatment Protocols
Initial:
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