Cases of intestinal intussusception in young fowls

In a flock of 1017 pullets aged 7 weeks feeding was reduced from 2 to 0.5 bags a day due to feed scarcity. The pullets became weak and some died 5 days later. Necropsy showed duodenal coccidiosis, often an empty gastro-intestinal tract and intussusception of the ileum near the ileocaecal junction. The tips of the caecae and/or their mesentery were often telescoped into the ileum. Affected areas were inflamed, necrotic and often gangrenous and sloughing. On another farm with 328 pullets of 12-weeks-old intussusception of the ileum near the ileocaecal junction was again observed when feeding was reduced from two bags in 3 days to 1 in 5 days. The caecae and/or their mesentery were also involved. Examinations for coccidiosis gave negative results. These observations indicate that starvation may cause intestinal intussusception in fowls.