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 after birth, you can relax a little. After this period, day-old chicks and future laying hens establish immunity and individuals grow up a little. No particular differences from the diseases of ordinary adult layers and broiler birds were 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. The pathogens enter the embryos through the shell. To avoid this 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. For the treatment of this disease, it is worth contacting a veterinarian who will prescribe the necessary medications. At home, from the first days of life, prevention of aspergillosis should be carried out. In the poultry house, it is necessary to maintain cleanliness and carry out regular disinfection of premises and equipment.
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 define 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 rare. 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 this 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
The smallest chickens are susceptible to this disease. 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, several rules should be followed.
- 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.
- Chickens are fed every four hours. The feed should be free of fats and complex proteins. Only a strict diet, and nothing else. Make sure there are no rot and mold 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, the collection of medicinal herbs will help chickens. The method is simple, but this does not make it less effective.
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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 glasses 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. 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 serious diseases can also occur due to a lack of trace elements. 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, you can use herbal flour, carrots and herbs. If there are not enough D vitamins in the bird's body, calcium-phosphorus metabolism is disrupted. This affects the health of their bones. Birds are weak, they have diarrhea, legs shake, birds can limp severely. At home, you need to observe proper feeding, raising and keeping birds. With a lack of vitamin, veterinarians advise adding fish oil to the main feed. In addition, walking will be very useful. Fresh air, grass, warm sun.
Lack of vitamin B causes the following troubles in birds
- Various apathy
- GI upset may occur
- Conjunctivitis
- Developmental delays
This vitamin is full of green fodder, sprouted grains, meat, fish, bone, and grass flour. It is a good idea to give birds complex vitamins.
Newcastle disease
Russian scientists more often call this disease a whirligig. Birds have a cough, apathy, incomprehensible movements of coordination, wings droop, a sick 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 cover such a disease. There are currently no special drugs for Newcastle disease. Sick birds should be placed in a separate room immediately 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 for 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 timely vaccination of all birds and isolation of 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 a lack of coordination, 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.
To prevent marek's disease, it is necessary to vaccinate in a timely manner, improve the maintenance, feeding and care of broilers. Joints can be affected due to calcium deficiency in the body. Reconsider 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.
- It is difficult for chickens 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 the newborn chicks to prevent constipation.
For day-old chicks, a brooder or a special box is used, which is covered with a cloth to retain heat, 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 is 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 keeping of birds at home, then raising young animals will become an easy process.
Useful 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 supplements and vitamins can be added to the feed.
- 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 the rest of the 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, you can use special feeding, about 6 times a day. The diet contains low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt and whey. Moreover, all these products should not mix with each other.
With all these measures, raising chickens will not seem difficult to you and you will avoid many problems.