There is a saying in the poultry industry: “To raise chickens well, you need to be half a veterinarian.” This means that, to raise chickens well, poultry farmers need to have at least half the disease treatment and prevention skills of a veterinarian. This is because, once a disease breaks out during chicken farming, the mortality rate can be high and deaths can occur quickly. Without the skills to diagnose and prevent diseases in chickens, it is simply impossible to raise them well! This article introduces 6 common diseases in chickens and how to diagnose and prevent them.
1. Common chicken diseases among livestock farmers: chicken colibacillosis
Chicken colibacillosis is caused by Escherichia coli. It does not refer to one specific disease, but is a collective term for a series of diseases. The main symptoms include inflammation of organs such as pericarditis and perihepatitis.
Measures to prevent chicken colibacillosis include reducing stocking density, disinfecting regularly, and ensuring that drinking water and feed are clean. Chicken colibacillosis is generally treated with medicines such as neomycin, gentamicin, and furan drugs. Adding these medicines when chicks begin eating can also provide some preventive effect.
2. Common chicken diseases among livestock farmers: infectious bronchitis in chickens
Infectious bronchitis in chickens is caused by the infectious bronchitis virus and is an acute, contagious respiratory disease. The main symptoms include coughing, tracheal rales, and sneezing.
Measures to prevent infectious bronchitis in chickens include immunizing chicks from 3 days to 5 days of age, using either vaccine drops in the nose or a double dose in drinking water. At 1 months to 2 months of age, they need another vaccination with a double dose. Currently, there is no highly effective medicine for treating infectious bronchitis in chickens. Antibiotics can be used in the early stages of an outbreak to prevent secondary infections.
3. Common chicken diseases among livestock farmers: Fowl cholera
Fowl cholera is caused by Pasteurella multocida. It is an acute infectious disease that can affect poultry such as chickens, ducks, and geese. The main symptoms are severe diarrhea and septicemia (acute form); swelling of the wattles and arthritis (chronic form).
Preventive measures for fowl cholera include good husbandry management and sanitation and disease prevention. Chicks aged 30 days can be immunized by intramuscular injection of an inactivated fowl cholera vaccine. For treatment, antibiotics, sulfonamides, olaquindox, and other medications may be used.
4. Common chicken diseases among livestock farmers: Infectious bursal disease
Infectious bursal disease in chickens is caused by the infectious bursal disease virus. Once an outbreak occurs and is left uncontrolled, it can pose a very serious threat to chicken farmers. The main symptoms are a drooping head, lethargy, ruffled feathers, closed eyelids, passing white or pale green loose droppings, followed by exhaustion and death.
Preventive measures for infectious bursal disease in chickens include disinfecting the chicken coop more thoroughly and providing ample drinking water. Add 5% sugar and 0.1% salt to the drinking water to improve the flock's disease resistance. Chicks aged 1 to 7 days should receive one dose of a live attenuated vaccine via drinking water; the flock should be immunized again at 24 days of age.
5. Common chicken diseases among livestock farmers: Newcastle disease
Newcastle disease is caused by the Newcastle disease virus and poses a serious threat to China's poultry industry because it has a very high mortality rate. The main symptoms include cessation of egg production in laying hens, lethargy, diarrhea, coughing and wheezing, difficulty breathing, green droppings, and swelling of the head and face.
Preventive measures for Newcastle disease in chickens include strengthening disinfection and promptly isolating sick chickens; chicks aged 3 days should receive intranasal immunization with the Newcastle disease–infectious bronchitis bivalent vaccine, chickens aged 10 days should receive drinking-water immunization with a monoclonal vaccine, chickens aged 30 days should receive one repeat immunization, and flocks aged 60 days should be immunized by injection with the I strain vaccine.
6. Common chicken diseases among livestock farmers: Pullorum disease
Pullorum disease is caused by Salmonella. The main affected group is chicks aged 2 to 3 weeks. Main symptoms include drooping wings, ruffled feathers, a tendency to squat, complete loss of appetite, poor energy, and passing yellow-white or green feces.
Preventive measures for pullorum disease include strengthening disinfection and promptly isolating sick chickens; when sourcing chicks, choose a breeding farm free of pullorum disease; if an outbreak occurs, promptly administer treatment via drinking water using ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, or enrofloxacin.