Botulism is a poultry disease that causes paralysis of the neck and limbs. Typically, a large number of birds are infected, and they die soon. Domestic poultry, including fowls, turkeys, waterfowl, pheasants, emus, and the majority of wild birds, are all vulnerable. Botulism occurs infrequently in poultry raised in unsanitary conditions where birds have access to rotting corpses or other polluted or decaying material. It can also happen to wild birds, especially if they feed in stagnant water holes. Partial or complete paralysis can affect birds; in some situations, only one leg is damaged, while in others, both legs lose feeling and function. As a result, the bird will be unable to stand. The disease may have a quick onset or be a gradual event that progresses slowly. Botulism-causing spores can lay latent in contaminated soil for years before germinating into toxin-producing bacteria in the presence of a suitable nutrient source and an anaerobic environment. Maggots and litter beetles that feed on infected carcasses can also contain the poison. Botulism is more common during the summer months. This organism thrives on decomposing carcasses and other decaying plant and animal debris, as well as stagnant pools infected with rotting animal or plant waste. When birds consume toxin-containing material, and if the toxin dose is high enough, the classic symptoms of botulism will ensue.