BROILER RAISING

PART FOUR

DISEASES AFFECTING BROILER CHICKEN

Broilers, like other animals, are prone to various diseases that can affect your investment. These diseases affect all types of chickens as well as wild birds.

These diseases are caused by various parasites including bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi, they also spread at a high speed and reach up to 100% of chicken deaths.

The following are the five diseases that affect broilers to a large extent and cause serious damage if not carefully monitored

NEWCASTLE DISEASE

This disease affects broiler chicken, and it is one of the most dangerous diseases because it spreads at a very high speed and causes the death of up to 100% of all the chickens you had. This disease is caused by a virus known as Para-myxo Virus.

Symptoms of Newcastle Disease

• Loss of appetite 
• Coughing Nasal discharge
• Watery eyes
• Bright green diarrhea 
• Nervous sign such as paralysis and convulsion
• Getting a series of deaths.

Treatment and methods of controlling skin disease 

This disease has no medicine, but it can be prevented by giving the chickens a vaccine from the age of two weeks onwards.

This disease can be controlled by burying dead chickens in deep pits to prevent the spread of the disease. It is also important to find a veterinary specialist and follow the instructions he/she will give you.

INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE

This disease affects chickens at a young age from 3 weeks to 6 weeks. This disease is caused by a virus known as Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV). 

Symptoms Infectious Bursal Disease

• Diarrhea white feces.
• Chicken becomes paralyzed.
• Ruffled feathers, especially in the neck.
• Blood in the chicken poop.
• Dehydration.

Treatment and ways to control Infectious Bursal Disease

There is no cure for this disease, but it can be prevented by vaccinating chickens at the age of three weeks.

This disease can be controlled by burying dead chickens in deep pits to prevent the spread of the disease. Also, high hygiene is required to prevent the spread of gum disease.

COCCIDIOSIS 

This dangerous disease is caused by a protozoan parasite and often this parasite prefers places with moisture, such as feces.

Common signs of infection include:

• droopiness and depression
• pale comb
• water, mucous and blood in the droppings (blood may be an indication of caecal coccidiosis)
• loss of appetite
• loss of condition
• ruffled feathers
• whitish soiling around the vent (more common in intestinal coccidiosis).

Treatment and ways to control Coccidiosis

This disease is treated by using medicine, the important thing is to follow the advice of a veterinary specialist. 

This infection is controlled by taking into account the high level of hygiene and not allowing moisture in the broiler house because the pathogens of this disease prefer a place with moisture.

You are advised to isolate sick chickens to prevent the spread to other chickens.

FOWL POX

Fowl pox is one of the most dangerous disease in poultry. This disease is caused by a virus and is transmitted from one chicken to another.

General symptoms of fowl pox include:

• Scabs on unfeathered areas
• Eye swelling with crusting or discharge
• Itching or rubbing face
• Pecking at lesions (feet/legs)
• Weight loss
• Anorexia (not eating)
• Difficulty breathing (open mouth breathing)

Treatment and ways to control fowl pox 

Fowl pox  has no cure because it is caused by a virus, but it is recommended to give them medicine and vitamins that can reduce the severity of the disease so that the chickens can fight the disease.

It is also recommended to give the chickens vaccinations, usually by injection. 

To prevented the spread of smallpox, make sure you separate sick and healthy chickens. Also avoid having stagnant water for a long time to remove mosquito larvae.

FOWL TYPHOID

This disease is caused by bacteria known as Salmonella gallinarum. This disease attacks large chickens to a large extent, but it also affects young chickens.

Symptoms of Stomach Fowl Typhoid

• Anorexia 
• Diarrhoea 
• Dehydration 
• Weakenes and Death 

Treatment and ways to control Stomach Fever This disease is treated using different types of medicines that will be given by a veterinary specialist.

Also, this disease is controlled by taking into account the high level of cleanliness of the sheds and equipment used for chickens.

AVIAN INFLUENZA(BIRD FLUE)

This disease is very dangerous because it spreads at a high speed and affects many chickens and even other species of birds. This disease also spreads to humans and causes death. Bird flu is spread through bird-to-bird contact as well as bird-to-human contact.

Symptoms of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

• Difficulty breathing
• Cough and sneeze
• Diarrhea.
• Chicken is exhausted and loses its appetite.
• Sudden death.
• Chickens have swelling on the head and neck
• Purple discoloration of wattles, comb, and legs.

Treatment and ways to control Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Bird flu has no cure because it is caused by a virus

 How to control it

• Report to your nearest doctor/veterinarian as soon as you notice any symptoms of bird flu.
• Prevent the interaction of visitors and devices from entering and exiting your environment.
• Bury the chicken that will come out of the chicken house that was suffering from bird flu.

WORMS

Chickens are easily attacked by many types of worms that live in their digestive system. These worms often work to suck blood or food and lead the  to weak chicken and sometimes die completely.

Symptoms worms in chicken:

• Unusual droppings such as diarrheal droppings or with yellow bubble in it.
• Chicken lose weight.
• Chickens can't breathe.
• Sometimes feces contain worms.
• The comb colour of chicken fade.

Treatment and ways to control Worms

Use drugs that will be given to you by veterinary experts, but prefer to use drugs that can kill all kinds of worms. Also make sure you give chickens drug after every three months.

In order to prevent worms, make sure you clean the broiler house, the utensils used and all the area.

Also, make sure that older and younger chickens do not live close to each other to prevent the spread of worms from the older chickens to the younger ones. 

HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASES IN GENERAL

• Make sure your environment around the sheds is clean all the time along with all the equipment you use for the chickens.
• Wash your hands with clean water and soap every time you enter and leave the chicken.
• Look closely and carefully at the health of your chickens and treat them when you see any signs of illness.
• Give information to a veterinary specialist when you see symptoms of a dangerous disease such as bird flu, to get advice on how to avoid spreading the disease.
• Take precautions when handling sick chickens, such as wearing clothes and alternative bedding, so you don't spread the disease to other chickens.
• Also, take good care of personal hygiene, such as showering when necessary, washing your clothes with soap and clean water whenever you want to serve your chicken.

Thank you for being a part of us, regards AfyaBora Nutrition Organization.

Prepared by:

Martin R Yohana

AfyaBora Nutrition Organization