Common diseases of chickens
Some people raise broiler chickens not only on an agricultural farm, but also in the city on their own loggia. For many farmers, raising broiler birds at home is not just a hobby, for them it is both a food product and a livelihood. Diseases of small broiler chickens are not uncommon today. In order for the chickens' sores to pass without complications, it is necessary to know what disease symptoms can attack broilers and how to deal with various infections. Many novice poultry farmers are often lost and do not know what to do and how to deal with chick diseases. Diseases of chickens most often occur in very young individuals and prevention should be carried out from this.
Diseases of broiler chickens
In chickens, three stages of maturation can be noted in which the bird's immunity has not yet matured: from the 1st to the 5th day after birth, from the 20th to the 25th and from the 35th day for 5 days. At this time, from the first days of life, broiler birds have a dangerous period when they are most vulnerable to infections. Diseases of chickens, their symptoms and treatment are a special concern of the owner. When about 1.5 months have passed after birth, you can relax a little. After this period, day-old chicks and future laying hens become immune and the individuals grow up a little. Special differences from diseases normal adult layers and broilers were not found. What diseases of broiler chickens are there?
Aspergillosis in chickens
Diseases of baby chickens and their treatment. Aspergillosis is a fungal infection that affects the respiratory system of chickens. Birds develop wheezing, coughing, and uneven breathing. Pathogens enter the embryos through the shell. To avoid such a disease, it is worth avoiding the development of fungal diseases in the litter of chickens. Clean the areas around drinkers and feeders as often as possible. Aspergillosis occurs due to a fungus, but other pathogenic microorganisms can also provoke it.
The infection can be transmitted in a few days through infected individuals and equipment. Young animals become apathetic, lack of appetite. To treat this disease, you should contact a veterinarian who will prescribe the necessary medications. At home, from the first days of life, prevention of aspergillosis should be carried out. The house must be kept clean and regularly disinfection of premises and inventory.
Salmonnelez
Everyone has heard about this disease, even those who are not at all familiar with raising chickens. Salmonellosis is an infectious disease that can be transmitted by airborne droplets through the communication of healthy birds with infected individuals. Her symptoms are as follows:
- The eyes are swollen and watery.
- Appetite is completely absent.
- Swollen legs.
- Diarrhea.
- Slow growth.
If you find signs of salmonellosis even in one individual, it is worth drinking all the livestock with chloramphenicol.In some cases, the signs of salmonellosis may be absent altogether or be very blurred, which makes it difficult to identify such a disease. Most often, the first manifestations occur a few days after infection. Salmonellosis prophylaxis should be carried out regularly. To increase immunity, broiler chickens are given mineral supplements. Sometimes a drug such as enroflon is prescribed. More details about broiler chickens' diseases and their treatment can be found in the photo or video.
Gumboro disease
Gumboro disease in broilers at home is not uncommon. Gumboro is also often called infectious bursal disease. Gumboro mainly affects young animals between 2 and 20 weeks of age. Symptoms of this disease are accompanied by damage to the bursa, to a lesser extent, other lymphoid organs and kidneys. Gamboro broiler disease and its treatment regimen should be prescribed by a veterinarian at the first symptoms.
The infected individual should be transplanted to another room, and the chicken coop should be quarantined. Such a disease can be transmitted through one infected individual to another. Gumborough disease makes the immune system of birds vulnerable. No cure for such a disease has been invented, but regular prevention is an effective method. Many farmers supply the vaccine. For these purposes, live and inactivated vaccines are used to prevent chick diseases and symptoms.
Dyspepsia in broiler chicks
This disease affects the smallest chickens. This disease occurs among young animals quite often. In simple terms, dyspepsia is the most common indigestion in chickens and the signs that they are sick are immediately visible. The reason for this may be an improper diet that does not contain mineral supplements. With such a disease, individuals lose all interest in food, they become incredibly lethargic and inactive. The main symptom of this disease is liquid droppings with particles of undigested food. The cause of this disease can be the abuse of feed, a change in diet, as well as poor quality feed.
To prevent this disease, it is worth following a few rules.
- The temperature in the coop should be warm at all times. A lot depends on the temperature, but many novice poultry farmers forget about it.
- To combat the processes of decay in the bird's body, the most ordinary ascorbic acid will perfectly help. You can also use a solution of manganese and baking soda.
These simple manipulations will help your pets fight disease.
- Feed give chickens every four hours. The feed should be free of fats and complex proteins. Only a strict diet, and nothing else. Make sure that there are no rot and mold kernels in the feed. Also, babies always need clean and fresh water.
- Think carefully about organizing the place where your birds eat. Chickens should never get crowded, starting fights and scattering and dirtying their feed, as is often the case.
In case of indigestion, chickens will be helped by collecting medicinal herbs. The method is simple, but this does not make it less effective.
Bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia is really worth fearing, as this disease is dangerous for broilers. It entails a huge variety of various diseases, in some cases, even fatal. If this disease is not treated in time, then bronchopneumonia can develop into other, more serious diseases, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, rhinitis, tracheitis.
Birds with this disease will have a painfully unkempt appearance, severe weight loss, a complete lack of appetite, and a depressed state. If the bird begins to cough, and a slimy liquid is secreted from the nose, the disease is obvious. Although it is not an infection, massive death of birds is possible. Unfortunately, you cannot find a special drug for treatment in pharmacies.Therefore, you should immediately make the medicine yourself.
Here is the recipe for the most common medicine.
One and a half glass of soda ash must be dissolved in three liters of hot water. Next, add a solution of bleach (one glass for seven liters of water). The resulting composition must be allowed to brew, bring to a volume of twenty liters and process the room. Birds at this time are not removed anywhere. For them, nothing harmful will happen from this. For the treatment of chickens, you can use penicillin, norfloxacin, terramycin is also suitable. You can also use infusion of mummy with honey, tincture of ginseng and nettle. After a month, the chickens will start to feel much better.
Hypovitaminosis
Chickens, like humans, also need vitamins, and also due to the lack of trace elements, serious diseases can occur. These diseases are represented by a large number. Like vitamins, hypovitaminosis is named after the letters of the Latin alphabet. If the body of birds lacks vitamin A, the pathology is formed in the embryo. Such birds have no appetite, growth stops, rearing and development does not occur, weakness and inactivity are inherent in chicks.
If the disease develops, there may be a lack of digestion, as well as damage to the nervous system.
Poultry farmers often notice the lack of vitamin A when night blindness occurs. To compensate for the lack of vitamin A, herbal flour, carrots and herbs can be used. If there are not enough D vitamins in the bird's body, calcium-phosphorus metabolism is disturbed. This affects the health of their bones. Birds are weak, have diarrhea, legs shake, birds can limp severely. At home, proper feeding, breeding and keeping of birds must be observed. With a lack of vitamin, veterinarians advise adding to the main feed fish fat... In addition, walking will be very useful. Fresh air, grass, warm sun.
Lack of B-group vitamin causes the following troubles in birds
- Various apathy
- Gastrointestinal upset may occur
- Conjunctivitis
- Developmental delays
This vitamin is full of green food, sprouted grains, meat, fish, boneas well as herbaceous flour. It is a good idea to give birds complex vitamins.
Newcastle disease
Russian scientists more often call this disease a whirligig. Birds develop coughing, apathy, incomprehensible movements of coordination, wings drooping, sickly appearance, ruffled feathers, weight loss. There is something else that is characteristic of this disease. Sick individuals can stumble in the same place. Newcastle disease is considered infectious and infected individuals should be isolated from healthy chickens.
If you do not take action, then all livestock can be covered with such a disease. There are currently no special drugs for Newcastle disease. Sick birds should be immediately placed in a separate room so as not to spread the infection. You can learn more about Newcastle disease in the video.
Mycoplasmosis
Mycoplasmosis manifests itself in broilers by coughing, runny nose and lacrimation. If the disease lasts a long time, pus accumulates in the eyelid area, and tumors may appear. Even after treatment, recovered birds continue to be considered a source of infection and can infect healthy individuals simply by being around. It is necessary to treat sick birds with an antibiotic called Tylosin, and in addition, it is worth using drugs of the tetracycline group.
It should be borne in mind that your birds are not completely cured, because mycoplasmosis still remains in the body for life. The best way out is to vaccinate all birds in a timely manner and isolate the sick. In order to avoid problems with the young in the future, proper care should be taken and the chicken coop should be cleaned regularly. How to treat broiler chickens with mycoplasmosis can be studied in detail in a photo or video.
Marek's disease
Marek's disease affects individuals aged from birth to 5-6 months. At an early stage, this disease does not manifest itself in any way, but then the birds develop uncoordinatedness, twisting of the fingers, and damage to the joints of the legs. A month after the disease, the birds die. Treatment of this disease is impossible, but the carcasses of these birds after heat treatment can be used for food.
For the prevention of marek disease, it is necessary to vaccinate in a timely manner, improve the maintenance, feeding and care of broilers. Joints can be affected due to a calcium deficiency in the body. Review the diet of broiler chickens.
Chicken pox
The disease is transmitted by rodents, as well as a variety of skin parasites... Raising broilers when they have chickenpox becomes impossible. This disease affects the mucous membrane, as well as the internal organs of chickens.
Distinctive symptoms of chicken pox
- Strange red spots appear, which then turn into scabs.
- Individuals may have an unpleasant odor.
- Apathy in chickens.
- Chickens find it difficult to breathe and swallow.
It is possible to treat this disease only at the initial stage, when the symptoms have just appeared, so do not waste time. For treatment, you can use galazolin, boric acid and furacilin solution. But there are farmers who prefer not to get involved with treatment, slaughtering sick birds so that the disease does not spread to other individuals.
Constipation in broilers
Constipation in young animals is quite common if the feeding regime is not followed and prohibited products are used. Constipation in young animals can be caused by the use of flour feed and the absence of gravel in the trough. Such factors as overheating or vice versa hypothermia of chicks can provoke constipation. Failure to comply with the conditions of detention can cause a lot of problems for young animals. It is very important to monitor the temperature of newborn chicks to prevent constipation.
For keeping day-old chicks use brooder or a special box that is covered with a cloth to keep warm, leaving only a small hole for air to pass through. The first days after birth, young animals are illuminated around the clock to maintain daylight hours and warmth. If the chickens are sick and growing has become difficult, then their diet needs to be revised, perhaps there is a deficiency of potassium or other trace elements.
Disease prevention
It is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later. Follow a few rules for the care and maintenance of birds at home, then raising young animals will become an easy process.
Helpful Tips for Raising Broiler Chicks
- The cleanliness of your broilers. Birds should be clean, well-groomed, well-fed. The feed mixtures should not stick to the feet. Feeding should be done with high quality and fresh food. If feed with mold is not worth giving it to broilers. For active growth, special additives can be added to the feed and vitamins.
- Disinfection of the chicken coop. Remember that your broilers need a clear area to eat and drink, and a clean sleeping area. The feeder is changed as needed. Roosts are cleaned at least once a week. From mold, you need to treat the walls and floor so that the individuals do not get sick, then the cultivation will be done according to all the rules.
- Timely quarantine of all sick chickens. This will prevent the infection from spreading to other, healthy individuals. Sick broiler chicks should be cared for regularly.
- Vaccination of all individuals. Many vaccines are given on the first and second days after the appearance of the young.
- Newborn chicks should be placed on a heated bed in a room where the air contains at least 17% oxygen and a temperature of about 30-32 degrees.
- If individuals are cramped in a small room, then in such conditions it is more likely to become infected with infectious diseases.
- You can water the young with saturated drinking water with vitamin C and glucose (ascorbic acid - 2 g / l, glucose - 50 g / l), this measure helps chickens well against diarrhea.
- To make newborn chicks feel great, special feeding can be used, about 6 times a day. The diet contains low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt and whey. Moreover, all these products should not be mixed with each other.
With all these measures, raising chickens will not seem difficult to you and you will avoid many problems.