Every year, thousands of birds fall victim to this disease. The birds can have the virus, but not the viral infection. When they only have the virus, their bodies act as incubators for the disease. It is spread when infected feces are spread into the food supply. Fowl Cholera is caused by a bacterium.
Birds begin dying of fowl cholera four to nine days after exposed to the virus.
At the onset of this disease, it kills very rapidly. It kills so rapidly that sick birds may not be noticed as being sick. In the late stages of this disease, the virulence goes away and sick birds might be watched for many days before they succumb. Because of the mucous in the respiratory tract, sick birds breathe difficultly. A watery gray, yellow, or green diarrhea may not happen.