Coop scoop: Maintaining backyard poultry health

A two-hour lecture on common health challenges for backyard poultry flocks, with emphasis on chickens. As backyard poultry continues to grow in popularity, there is an increased need for veterinary care for these flocks that is often provided by local small-animal clinicians. These practitioners will benefit from this practical presentation on disease recognition, simple diagnostic procedures, treatment options, proper management/husbandry, and preventive health care strategies. We will also discuss high-impact diseases such as Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease which are critically important to recognize.

This session originally was presented at AVMA Convention 2024.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss diagnostics and treatment of common backyard poultry diseases
• Examine preventive health care strategies for backyard poultry flocks
• Assess Husbandry, management, and biosecurity for backyard poultry flocks

Dr. Chris Magee is a Veterinary Medical Officer at the USDA Agricultural Research Service Poultry Research Unit in Starkville, Mississippi.  He is the attending veterinarian for the Unit, and also leads their animal welfare program. He is a former U.S. Army Veterinary Corps Officer, serving on active duty from 2013 to 2017. 

He is a 2013 graduate of Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and a 2022 graduate of the Master of Avian Health and Medicine program at the University of Georgia.