Why does a broiler wheeze
Breeding broilers is a fairly common phenomenon, so every farmer involved in this type of activity must be prepared for changes in the health of the chickens. In this regard, a popular topic will be discussed below, why broilers wheeze and sneeze and how to deal with it. Sometimes serious complications are hidden behind the seemingly ordinary wheezing. So what to do if broilers suddenly wheeze?
Broilers sneeze and wheeze
What does periodic wheezing and coughing say?
Wheezing and coughing do not represent a particular disease, but are only symptoms or signs of an infection entering the body. This means that the treatment of cough without eliminating its cause is absolutely useless. Hoarse breathing is accompanied by specific sounds, and also makes it difficult for the very process of breathing in chickens and broilers. When broiler chickens sneeze and wheeze, there is a risk of contracting diseases such as:
- bronchitis any stage of severity;
- mycoplasmosis;
- colibacillosis;
- common cold.
You can learn more about what each disease is dangerous, as well as about the reasons for their occurrence and methods of treatment. Regardless of what is the cause of the cough or wheezing, it is important to transplant sick broilers to another room in order to prevent the development of an epidemic that can lead to the death of all individuals.
Broiler colds
A disease such as the common cold is the most common not only among humans. A bird can become infected with it or "catch" it after a banal hypothermia, which is often the case. In addition, the reason may lie in drafts, which very quickly destroy broilers. Despite the fact that the disease is not fatal, chickens quickly spread it among themselves. The main symptoms of a cold infection in a chicken coop include:
- the occurrence of unexpected tearfulness of the eyes;
- accumulation of mucus in the nose;
- difficulty breathing due to inflammation.
After that, the chickens broilers and sneeze. If you do not provide them with timely assistance, this can lead to the progression and spread of colds, which contributes to the emergence of more serious problems. Treatment of an early stage of a cold is not difficult for a person, but contacting a veterinarian will not be superfluous. The specialist will be able to make sure that there is a problem, and will also tell you how to treat the ailment at home.
About infectious bronchitis
Sneezing and coughing not only accompany colds, but also represent the main symptoms of bronchitis. With infectious bronchitis, the chicks' breathing is quite heavy, and the cough is frequent. In addition, there is irritation of the mucous membranes, filling with mucus in the nasopharynx, as a result of which broiler chickens are forced to breathe through the mouth. A distinctive feature of the disease is a specific wheezing, which is accompanied by bubbling sounds.Determination of the nature of sounds can only be made by a specialist. A decrease in egg production may also be a symptom.
It is appropriate to treat bronchitis only in adulthood, but when it comes to young animals, it would be more correct to plant them until they recover. The infection spreads very quickly: the virus reaches the lungs in less than one day. The infection is airborne.
The presence of bronchopneumonia in broilers
A disease such as bronchopneumonia does not affect broilers so often, but it is considered quite dangerous and destructive. The disease is not fatal, but in the case of young chickens, it can be fatal. If the treatment was not started on time, then they may begin to die in a couple of days. As for the older birds, they have some resistance. To prevent illness, you must:
- protect birds from rain, if there is an aviary, make a canopy;
- protect birds from strong winds entering the premises;
- build a quality aviaryprotected by dense material.
The main symptoms are visible immediately: a sick bird breathes very often, and its wheezing is wet in nature. Besides the fact that broilers often sneeze and wheeze, rhinitis and cough are observed. Bronchopneumonia is accompanied by a lack of appetite and lethargy. Broiler chickens breathe heavily through the mouth, not showing activity. The presence of the last symptoms indicates that the disease has reached its final stage.
Mycoplasmosis
If broilers sneeze, there may be a risk of mycoplasmosis. The main feature of the disease is that it affects almost all types of rural utensils, so anyone who is sick can spread the disease to neighbors. The symptoms of mycoplasmosis are also easily recognizable. Chicks wheeze violently due to severe respiratory damage, which distinguishes the disease from milder infections.
The cause of the disease can be both genetic and related to the use of contaminated water or through the air. The infection is instantaneous, and the strength of the infection is so great that it impairs the functioning of the reproductive organs, which leads to a decrease in the immunity and weakness of the birds. Therefore, having noticed the frequent sneezing of broilers, it is necessary to urgently call a doctor in order to prescribe treatment and prevent death.
About colibacillosis in chickens
Colibacillosis can only develop in chickens less than 2 weeks old. Symptoms are similar to those of the common cold in that birds cough, sneeze and wheeze. Experts identify 2 forms of the disease: acute and chronic. Colibacillosis is accompanied by a short incubation period lasting several days. Without starting treatment on time, the acute form is transformed into a chronic one. A distinctive characteristic of the disease is a slight increase in temperature and an increase in thirst, although there is no appetite. Chicks decrease in weight, after which they completely lose activity. It is not difficult to determine the chronic form of colibacillosis:
- birds become lethargic and inactive;
- their appearance deteriorates;
- available diarrhea;
- they refuse to feed, preferring frequent visits to drinkers;
- breathing becomes much heavier after 15-20 days, the appearance of severe wheezing is also observed;
- sometimes a crunch is heard in the chest;
- some broilers suffer from paralysis and seizures.
After the last symptoms appear, the broiler cannot be saved from death.
Treatment of coughing chickens
It is impossible to start treatment of chickens without establishing the correct diagnosis, since it is strictly forbidden to do it yourself, it is important to use the services of a good veterinarian on time. So, what are the means to help treat broilers from the previously described ailments?
- In the treatment of colds and bronchitis, you can use folk remedies, in particular, herbal decoctions, with which you need to properly drink the chickens.The use of medicinal inhalations is suitable, as well as the treatment of premises and chicken coops with smoke bombs with essential oils. If the chickens get sick with a cold, you can also cook nettle teas. It is also important to take care of the chicken coop. You should check if there are drafts there, if the air is too humid, if all standards are observed. If it's okay, then maybe it's time wall and floor insulation... It is recommended to treat broiler chickens for infectious bronchitis with disinfectants, for example, Lugol's solution. For the treatment and elimination of bronchopneumonia, only antibiotics are used on an individual basis.
- If the chickens become ill with mycoplasmosis or colibacillosis, it is necessary to immediately exclude the possibility of using folk remedies, stopping at a course of antibiotics. Mycoplasmosis is treated with Streptomycin, Spiramycin, Lincomycin, Erythromycin. Each remedy is strong enough that it is not used on young chickens. Young animals are treated with Tiamulin, the only safer drug. It would be appropriate to add medicines directly to food. To do this, it is enough to add only 20 g of drugs to 100 kg of feed. The duration of such a course should not be less than 5 days. When the course of taking the drugs is over, the chickens are shown to the doctor, who prescribes ways to restore productivity. To increase egg production, Tiposin is often prescribed.
- To combat colibacillosis, the administration of Biomycin, Syntomycin, Terramycin is prescribed. Treatment can be drafted by a veterinarian on an individual basis, using drugs other than the listed antibiotics. The usual treatment takes 5 days. Repetition of the disease involves taking the same means that helped initially, or using a completely new scheme.
Remember that treating young chickens antibiotics must be supervised by a specialist. Very often, the body can be so weakened that it cannot withstand the stress of medication.
Prevention of disease
A comfortable and cozy chicken coop is what you need to prevent diseases. About how they look and premises for chickens, more than one video was filmed. Firstly, the chicken coop should not have any crevices that would allow damp low air and draft, as well as cold gusts of wind, to pass through. If possible, the room should be heated using appropriate heating devices.
It is important that all necessary sanitary standards are observed regularly. We must not forget about the timely change of the litter, about checking its condition. Having felt a draft, you need to start looking for the cause of the problem and fix it. It is important to pay due attention to ensuring good ventilation, which would not cause drafts when ventilating the room.
Chickens, especially young ones, should be regularly vaccinated against the most popular and other diseases. Thanks to vaccination, you can strengthen the immune system, which will help minimize the appearance of even the most dangerous infection. When buying broilers, it is important to clarify whether the birds have been vaccinated. A second procedure is not required.
The last preventive measure is to maintain constant control over the well-being of birds. You cannot throw a chicken coop for several days. It is better to pay attention to broilers every day, so as not to spend money on treatment later. To notice deterioration in health, you can simply observe the food and fluid intake of birds, the frequency of going to the toilet, and possible changes in behavior. If desired, you can saturate the feed with mineral and vitamin supplements, having obtained the permission of a doctor in advance.
About disinfection
Disinfection of the chicken coop is what needs to be done immediately after wheezing in chickens. This is important because of the ability of some types of bacteria to exist in the environment, which can subsequently lead to re-disease.Before starting processing, you should think about how to move all living creatures to any other room that has the minimum requirements for life. Only then can you start washing the chicken coop and treating it with special preparations for disinfection.
Disinfection is carried out both with chemical preparations, which are quite toxic, and organic. In the case of the first, the chickens are started after the insecticides have completely weathered, in the second, this can be done after the end of the procedures. It is not worth using traditional medicine and non-traditional disinfectants, because they are not able to provide the necessary protection after an epidemic.
The chick owner also needs to take care of his own protection. In no case should you neglect the means of protection for hands, skin, respiratory tract, mucous membranes. The best option would be to work with gloves and protective clothing. Even organic preparations should not be allowed to come into contact with the skin in order to prevent skin damage.
Treatment of sneezing and wheezing is a mandatory and necessary procedure, because sometimes the lack of necessary measures leads to the death of birds. Having considered in detail how and with what to treat chickens at home, you can not be afraid of losing your favorite birds.