Chickens are delicate animals that have to be looked after with the highest standards of care and attention to produce healthy eggs and meat. If they become ill due to a disease or illness, it can lead to various health complications and treatment issues. It is part of good farming practice to know the different kinds of illnesses and diseases that can harm your chickens so that you take the right preventative measures and practices to keep them healthy and happy.
In this post, we are going to shed light on some of these illnesses and diseases and what are some of the steps you can take to prevent them.
Types of poultry diseases
Fowl Pox
This is a disease that manifests in the form of white spots on the skin, or white ulcers on their trachea or mouth. Look for any of these visible signs to check if they have contracted the disease since it can cause deaths. Fortunately, there are many treatment options you can make use of to curb the effects. You should offer sick chickens a dry and warm place and soft food to recover as quickly as possible.
Fowl Cholera
This is another serious disease that can affect your chickens. It is a bacterial infection caused by certain types of food and wild animals, leading to various types of symptoms. Fowl Cholera causes chickens to experience joint pain and breathing problems. To check if they have obtained the disease, look for yellowish or greenish diarrhea.
Unfortunately, the disease does not have any permanent cure. So if one of your chickens has the disease, the best you can do is to prevent it spreading to other chickens by getting rid of their carcass. However, there is a vaccine you can make use of to prevent the disease from manifesting.
Avian Influenza
Avian influenza is mostly popular with the name ‘bird flu’. Since it is a contagious disease, it can not only affect other chickens, but also affect human beings starting with yourself. This is why it is best to check for signs of bird flu as quickly as possible to minimise the associated health risks. Some of these signs include birds not laying eggs, respiratory problems and discolored combs.
How to prevent and treat sick chickens?
There are treatments for many poultry diseases. However, it is always important to make use of preventative measures. These are as follows:
- Take precaution when adding birds: When you add new chickens to your flock, be sure not to mix them right away. Only do so when they have been quarantined properly for a minimum of two weeks.
- Keep an eye on visitors: If you have too many people visiting your farm, make sure there is no physical contact with your flock. If they are wearing clothes or items that have come into contact with chickens of other farms, in can increase the risks of poultry diseases and illnesses.
- Always use quality feed: never compromise on using old or outdated feed. Instead, always make sure they are good quality and from organic and fresh sources.
