SOME COMMON POULTRY DISEASE by ayoola najeemdeen jnr.
Common Poultry diseases are no doubt one of the major challenges facing the poultry farming business industry in Nigeria. There have been many cases where farmers lost several thousands of dollars’ worth of investments due to sudden poultry disease outbreak.
Poultry diseases are commonly caused by Bacteria, Viruses, Parasites and Fungi. Apart from this, improper poultry farm management skills, feeding of unhealthy feeds and unclean poultry environment can also leads to poultry disease outbreak.
For instance, Infectious bronchitis is a very contagious poultry disease that is spread by air, feed bags, infected dead birds, infected houses, and rodents. So therefore, farmers are advised to keep tab on their chickens for any sudden disease like this that can ruin multi-million dollars of investment.
What is poultry disease? Any condition that results in deviation from normal function. That’s simple definition for poultry diseases. Let us look at some deadly common poultry diseases, their symptoms and treatment.
In layman’s language this disease can be referred to chickenpox, but is way different from the ones which affect humans. It’s a viral and contagious disease which can spread directly or by mosquito – the basic chicken disease symptoms are the visibility of warty bumps near the legs; also, you may see the formation of lesions in the mouth area. Vaccination is the only prevention, in worst cases; it may kill the chickens too.
This is one of the chicken illnesses which are really painful and dangerous – it not only destroys the esophagus (respiratory pipe) but also spreads amongst the healthy fellows. The major symptoms include;
- Lesser egg production – the laid eggs would be dry, rough and whites would be watery
- Loss of appetite
Unfortunately, this disease is viral, so there is no such treatment for chicken recovery.
It may include even the simplest parasite which you may not even pay attention too – for example, fleas have a real enemy of backyard birds as well as other pets. You must treat these parasites with proper medication so that chickens ailments can be avoided. Proper fumigation against the following may help;
- Tics
- Mites
- Lice
Internal parasites usually refer to worms inside the body – they are of no harm usually, but in many cases they turn into bad shape. Mostly, newly born chickens are affected by this because of weak immune systems. Loss of weight, appetite or diarrhea is a clear indication that something is wrong. Take the affected bird to the vet; he may help you with this.
However, in severe cases the internal parasite may cause Coccidiosis in younger birds.If symptoms of coccidiosis are found in birds; treat them with 9.5cc of liquid amprolium (brand name Corid) per gallon of water for 4 days.the droppings will be free of blood within 24 hours however you must carry it for 3 additional days within 2 weeks.
In order to prevent your backyard from these hassles, you must carry out following instant measures;
- Keep the chicken coop clean and cool
- Always buy vaccinated chickens
- Never keep viral infected chickens with healthy ones
- You must provide herbs for chickens (for fighting with parasites in chickens by boosting their immune system)
It remains the most common yet contagious disease because it affects birds intensely – it’s fatal and still untreated. Usually it affects the younger chickens because of their weak immune systems – basically, the white blood cells begin to destroy and this leads to cancer and other fatal diseases. It is spread by the loss of feathers and dust – also, the symptoms include;
- Difficulty in breathing
- Paralyzed neck, wings and legs
- Weight loss
Feed for poultry birds must be healthy and full of nutritional value – if you fail to provide them with what their need is, they would suffer from various diseases and issues. For example, lack of calcium would result in rickets and poor bone structure. Similarly, if the birds won’t get enough energy they would not lay eggs effectively. Vegetables, fruits and grains may help to provide complete nutritional value.
Many times chickens are not able to produce eggs according to their capacity because of reproductive problems; it includes egg binding – the condition in which birds are unable to pass out eggs. Similarly, there gets inflammation in the shell gland and oviduct which is known as metritis – all this stops the egg productions and cause swollen abdomen.
This chicken disease refers to severe flu, avian influenza and respiratory track diseases – this causes severe depression and irritation in the flocks – it further makes the system complicated by slowing down egg production and collapse of the nervous system.
If you are living in colder region, you must be aware of this annoying chicken disease. Cold weather chicken breeds tend to remain protected from this because of their tendency to fight against the temperature – however, conventional types suffer from frostbite. Winterizing the chicken coop may help, in fact it would definitely help. Black spots appear in the toes, legs, combs and necks which are a clear symptom of this disease (more often in roosters because of their large comb). You need to take the birds to the vet; message with jelly or oil may not really help.
Many times chickens tend to put them into trouble – for example, they would go around and intentionally put their toe on the wounds of other birds – this is how the infection develops. This tendency may develop from overcrowding, lack of feed and water, heating, improper ventilation and insufficient nesting. Therefore, you must keep the infected birds separately so that you can minimize the chances of cannibalism.
11: Fowl Cholera
You should be suspicious of this disease if you see your birds begin to have a greenish or yellowish diarrhea, if they are having obvious joint pain, if they are struggling to breathe, and have a darkened head or wattle. Fowl Cholera is a bacterial disease that can be contracted from wild animals or food and water that has been contaminated by this bacteria.
But the downside to your chicken developing this disease is there is no real treatment. If by some chance your chicken survives, it will still always be a carrier of the disease.
So it is usually better to put them down and destroy their carcass so it will not be passed. But there is a vaccine for your chickens to prevent the disease from ever taking hold.
12: Infectious Bronchitis
This disease hits close to home because it wiped out half of our flock when we were new to raising chickens. You’ll recognize this disease when you begin to hear your chickens sneezing, snoring, and coughing. And then the drainage will begin to secrete from their nose and eyes.
Their laying will cease too. But the good news is you can get a vaccine to stop this disease from impacting your chickens.
However, if you decide against that then you will need to move quickly when seeing these signs. Infectious Bronchitis is a viral disease and will travel quickly through the air.
To treat Infectious Bronchitis, give your chickens a warm, dry place to recoup. I gave my birds a warm herb tea and fed them fresh herbs, which seemed to help.
13: Infectious Coryza
You will know that your birds have caught this disease when their heads become swollen. Their eyes will literally swell shut and their combs will swell. Then the discharge will begin to flow from their eyes and noses. They will stop laying and will have moisture under their wings.
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to stop this disease.
Once your chickens contract this disease they should be put down. If not, they will remain a carrier of the disease for life which is a risk to the rest of your flock.
Be sure to discard the body afterward so no other animal becomes infected by it.
However, the light at the end of this tunnel is that even though this disease is a bacteria it only travels through contaminated water, other contaminated birds, and surfaces that have been contaminated with the bacteria.
So if you keep your chickens protected from other random chickens and keep their coop and water clean they should be safe from this disease.
14: Thrush
Thrush with chickens is very similar to thrush that babies get.
You’ll notice a white oozy substance inside their crop (which is a space between their neck and body.) They will have a larger than normal appetite. The chicken will appear lethargic and have a crusty vent area. And their feathers will look ruffled.
It is important to mention that thrush is a fungal disease. This means it can be contracted if you allow your chickens to eat molded feed or other molded food. And they can also contract the disease from contaminated water or surfaces.
Though there is no vaccine, it can be treated by an anti-fungal medicine that you can get from your local vet. Be sure to remove the bad food and clean their water container as well.
15: Air Sac Disease
This disease first appears in the form of poor laying skills and a weak chicken. As it progresses, you will notice coughing, sneezing, breathing problems, swollen joints, and possibly death.
Now, there is a vaccine for this illness, and it can be treated with an antibiotic from the vet. But it can be picked up from other birds (even wild birds) and it can be transferred from a hen that has it to her chick through the egg.
So just keep an eye out for any of these symptoms so it can be treated quickly and effectively.
16: Newcastle Disease
This disease also appears through the respiratory system. You will begin to see breathing problems, discharge from their nose, their eyes will begin to look murky, and their laying will stop. Also, it is common that the bird’s legs and wings will become paralyzed as well as their necks twisted.
This disease is carried by other birds including wild birds. That is how it is usually contracted. But if you touch an infected bird you can pass it on from your clothes, shoes, and other items.
However, the good news is that older birds usually will recover and they are not carriers afterward.
But most baby birds will die from the disease.
There is a vaccine for the poultry Newcastle disease though farmers are advised to working to rid their poultry stock of the disease all the way around.
17: Mushy Chick
This disease obviously will impact chicks. It usually shows up in newly hatched chicks that have a midsection that is enlarged, inflamed, and blue tinted. The chick will have an unpleasant scent and will appear to be drowsy. Naturally, the chick will also be weak.
So this disease doesn’t have a vaccine. It is usually transmitted from chick to chick or from a dirty surface where an infected chick was. And usually, it is contracted from an unclean area where a chick with a weak immune system contracts the bacteria.
There is no vaccine for this disease, although sometimes antibiotics will work. But usually, when you come in contact with this disease you will need to immediately separate your healthy chicks from the sick ones.
Use caution as the bacteria within this disease (such as staph and strep) can impact humans.
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