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Like all living things, chickens are affected by a range of parasites and diseases. This article takes a quick peek at a few of the more common diseases your chickens may contract.
Weather conditions: Obviously, we cannot change the weather, however we can minimise the shock extreme weather can have on the birds. In hot weather, misting the birds and sheds with cool water, providing air movement with fans (or even clever ventilation), supplying reliable and easily accessible cool drinking water will ease the stress. In cold weather, covering open sections of the shed with clear plastic, providing high carbohydrate food and closing sources of drafts all help to keep the birds comfortable. Parasites: External and internal parasites such as mites, lice and worms all help to weaken the birds' constitutions and make them more susceptible to disease. Such parasites can also be important vectors of diseases themselves. Keeping your birds free from lice, mites and fleas is an important step in preventing blood-borne virii from entering your birds' systems. Regular worming with a variety of drugs keeps their intestinal systems in tiptop shape and allows them to fully utilise their food. Overcrowding: Over-stocking the hen house is a common problem with novice poultry keepers. Birds kept in overcrowded conditions are far more prone to disease than those kept in less close proximity. Infection from outside sources: The most common source of diseases is new birds brought in from other places. Obviously, chickens are the main carriers of chicken diseases, so it is important to quarantine for a few weeks, all new stock before introducing them to your main flock. Even taking all these precautions, sometimes disease occurs anyway, perhaps carried by wild birds such as sparrows or starlings, or on the wind or even on your own shoes. Diseases are broken down into groups. These groups are classified by the various infective agents and we shall look now at the more common and important ones. Viral Diseases: Newcastle Disease is an extremely virulent disease which causes high mortality in flocks. It is spread primarily on chicken carcases and chicken meat products, however it can also be carried on clothing, by wild birds and be wind-borne. Affected birds tend to gape and salivate heavily, but without apparent respiratory distress. They usually have a fetid diarrhea of yellowish-white colour, sometimes tinged with blood. Other symptoms are twisted necks, paralysis, loss of balance and circling movements of the head. Vaccines are available, however many countries insist upon a complete slaughter of birds in affected yards to control any further outbreak. Newcastle Disease is particularly dangerous as it can affect nearly all kinds of birds.
The copyright of the article Chook Diseases in Barnyard Birds is owned by Greg Davies. Permission to republish Chook Diseases in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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