As a chicken owner or farmer, part of raising chickens is understanding how to recognize and treat some of chicken illnesses. Some of the common illnesses of chicken will be discussed and analyzed on this page.
1. Fowl Pox:
If you notice that your chickens begin to have white spots on their skin, scabby sores on their combs, white ulcers in their mouth or trachea, and their laying stops then you should grow concerned that your chickens are developing Fowl Pox. These are what to do when you discovered Fowl Pox in your chicken. There are treatment options for Fowl Pox. You can feed them soft food and give them a warm and dry place to try and recoup. With adequate care, there is a great chance that your birds can survive this illness. Go to nearby Vet store and get drug for fowl pox. If you would like to remove the odds of your birds even contracting this disease there is a vaccine available. If not, know that they can contact this disease from other contaminated chickens, mosquitos, and it is a virus so it can be contracted by air as well.
2. Fowl Cholera:
You should be suspicious of this disease if you see your birds begin to have a greenish or yellowish poo , when they are struggling to breathe, and have a darkened head or wattle. Fowl Cholera is a bacterial disease that can be contracted from wild animals or food and water that has been contaminated by this bacteria. But the downside to your chicken developing this disease is there is no real treatment. If by some chance your chicken survives, it will still always be a carrier of the disease. So it is usually better to put them down and destroy their carcass so it will not be passed. But there is a vaccine for your chickens to prevent the disease from ever taking hold.
3. Bronchitis
This disease hits close to home because it wiped out half of our flock when we were new to raising chickens. You’ll recognize this disease when you begin to hear your chickens sneezing, snoring, and coughing. And then the drainage will begin to secrete from their nose and eyes. When this illness comes the chicken laying will cease . But the good news is that is also a vaccine you can get to stop this disease.
4. Marek’s Disease
Marek disease is more common in younger chickens that are usually under the age of 20 weeks. So you will know that this disease has struck your baby chicks if you begin to see tumors growing inside or outside of your chick. Their iris will turn gray and they will no longer respond to light. And they will become paralyzed. Unfortunately, this disease is very easy for them to catch. It is a virus which means it is super easy to transmit from bird to bird. They actually obtain the virus by breathing in pieces of shed skin and feather from an infected chick. And sadly, if your chick gets this disease it needs to be put down. It will remain a carrier of the disease for life if it survives. There is also a vaccine for marek and it is usually given to day old chicks.
5. Air Sac Disease
Air Sac disease first appears in the form of poor laying skills and a weak chicken. As it progresses, you will notice coughing, sneezing, breathing problems, swollen joints, and possibly death. Now, there is a vaccine for this illness, and it can be treated with an antibiotic from the vet. But it can be picked up from other birds, it can be transferred from a hen that has it to her chick through the egg. So just keep an eye out for any of these symptoms so it can be treated quickly and effectively.
6. Newcastle Disease
Newcastle disease is one the most common disease in chicken, it also appears through the respiratory system. You will begin to see breathing problems, discharge from their nose, their eyes will begin to look murky, and their laying will stop. Also, it is common that the bird’s legs and wings will become paralyzed as well as their necks twisted. This disease is carried by other birds including wild birds. That is how it is usually contracted. But if you touch an infected bird you can pass it on from your clothes, shoes, and other items. The good news is that older birds usually will recover and they are not carriers afterward. But most baby birds will die from the disease. There is also a vaccine for the disease .
7. Mush chicks
This disease obviously will impact chicks. It usually shows up in newly hatched chicks that have a midsection that is enlarged, inflamed, and blue tinted. The chick will have an unpleasant scent and will appear to be drowsy. Naturally, the chick will also be weak. So this disease doesn’t have a vaccine. It usually is transmitted from chick to chick or from a dirty surface where an infected chick was. And usually, it is contracted from an unclean area where a chick with a weak immune system contracts the bacteria. There is no vaccine for this disease, although sometimes antibiotics will work. But usually, when you come in contact with this disease you will need to immediately separate your healthy chicks from the sick ones.
8. Avian Influenza
Avian Influenza is most commonly known as the bird flu. It was one of my initial fears of owning chickens because all you hear about on the news is how people get sick with bird flu from their chickens. However, after knowing the symptoms you’ll be able to put that fear to rest. You need to know how to act quickly if you are afraid your backyard birds have come in contact with it. So the signs you will notice will include respiratory troubles. Your chickens will quit laying. They will probably develop diarrhea. You may notice swelling in your chicken’s face and that their comb and wattle are discolored or have turned blue. And they may even develop dark red spots on their legs and combs. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine and the chickens infected will always be carriers. When treating this disease please use great caution because this disease can be transfer to humans .
9. Bumble foot
This is a disease that you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at when you see it. It begins by your chicken accidentally cutting its foot on something. It can happen when they are digging in the garden, scratching around in mulch, and so many other ways. But then the cut gets infected. And the chicken’s foot will begin to swell. It can even swell up the leg. So you can treat it by performing surgery , the infection will eventually take over the chicken and claim its life. Obviously, bumblefoot can happen very easily and there isn’t much you can do to prevent besides just keep a close eye on your chickens’ feet. If you notice they have a cut then be sure to wash and disinfect it. These are the most Commons chicken diseases that you should know as a chicken owner and as a farmer. If you also has any other diseases that not mentioned here please share. Thanks.
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