THESE ARE DISEASES THAT RAMPANT IN COLD OR WET SEASON IN POULTRY BIRD

Some diseases in poultry has their season, I mean those diseases do rampant in a certain season.
Poultry birds and poultry production are generally affected by seasonal climatic or weather changes. For instance, in the wet or cold season, chickens eat more feed, drink less water and huddle together to generate heat and keep themselves warm. On the other hand, chickens and other livestock birds consume less feed and drink more water in the hot season or weather in order to cool their body. Don’t be surprised that these changes affect the production of birds, most especially laying birds, as the egg production is reduced in extremely cold or hot weather.
This reduction in egg production occurs because when there are extreme cold or hot conditions, these birds are stressed, and their ability to withstand diseases or immune system is seriously affected. Some certain poultry diseases are rampant in the wet, rainy or cold seasons. That is, the onset of rain favors the propagation and spread of the causative organisms of these diseases and parasites. Hence, most poultry farmers experience high morbidity and mortality rate during this period. We’re going to discuss some of the poultry diseases that are highly prevalent or rampant in the wet, cold or rainy season.

1. Gumboro Disease or Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD)
Gumboro disease is a virulent disease that affects chicks and young birds of between 3-18 weeks of age. The causative virus attacks the bursal of a bird thereby suppressing or weakening the immune system and predisposing the birds to secondary infections. Signs of Gumboro diseases or IBD
1. Severe prostration
2. Watery diarrhoea
3. Incoordination
4. Inflammation of the cloaca
5. Soiled vent feathers
6. Vent picking

Treatment, Prevention and Control for Gumboro
Gumboro disease is highly contagious and a flock owner should expect as high as 100% morbidity rate and 20% mortality rate. This disease has no cure or treatment but it can be prevented through vaccination of birds before an outbreak occur. In a situation where the disease has already occurred within a flock, the flock should be culled and the pens should be disinfected. Gumboro Infectious bursal disease vaccine (IBDV) should be administered to chickens at their 2nd week and 4th week of age

. 2. Fowl Pox

Fowl pox is a highly contagious disease that affects poultry birds at any age. It is caused by pox virus transmitted by mostly mosquitoes and other blood sucking insects. The reason why fowl pox is prevalent during the wet season is that mosquitoes, being the vector, breed well in this season due to the abundance of stagnant water. Signs of Fowl pox The disease affects the skin, respiratory tract and upper alimentary tract, leading to the formation of wounds which later develop to thick scabs. Loss of appetite Weakness and emaciation of the body Difficulty in breathing and swallowing Stringy discharge from the nostrils Pox lesions on comb, wattles and legs Swollen eyelids Soiled feathers Treatment, Prevention and Control Fowl pox cannot be treated but the infected birds can be given antibiotics and water. The mash or feed can be mixed with water to make swallowing quite comfortable. Healthy birds must be vaccinated around their 9th week of age to provide them lifetime immunity. Isolate or cull infected birds from the flock. Also, Get rid of stagnant water or bush around the farm to control the vectors like mosquitoes. Read more information about fowl pox

3. Fowl Cholera

Fowl Cholera is a bacterial disease that affects birds of age 6 week old and above. The bacterium responsible for this is Pasteurella multocida. It is highly contagious and mortality in acute cases is high. Signs of Fowl Cholera In acute cases, birds that appear healthy die suddenly while in chronic cases the affected birds show the following: Yellow, green or grey diarrhoea Loss of appetite Laboured breathing Drooped wings and tail feathers Ruffled feathers Swelling of the leg joints, sinuses, wattle and foot pad Twisting of the neck (torticolis) Discharge from the nostril or beak Note: The above signs are also similar to those of fowl typhoid. Treatment, Prevention and Control Fowl cholera can be treated using sulfa drugs, tetracycline and erythromycin. Poultry birds can vaccinated against Fowl cholera by administering a fowl cholera vaccine. Maintain proper hygiene and sanitation. Practice a high level of biosecurity and prevent rodents, wild birds and other animals.

4. Salmonellosis, Escherichia coli, Pullorum Disease (Bacillary White Diarrhoea) These bacterial diseases affect birds of all ages. They are endemic in farms or pens with poor sanitation. They affect the digestive system of the infected birds. Signs of Salmonellosis, Escherichia coli, Pullorum Severe diarrhoea Loss of appetite Depression and emaciation Chicks suffer omphalitis White pasty diarrhoea in pullorum disease Huddle together and laboured breathing Treatment, Prevention and Control Salmonellosis, E. coli and Pullorum diseases can be treated by administering a broad-spectrum antibiotic to the infected bed and all the flock. High-level farm/pen hygiene and sanitation must be maintained. Biosecurity measures should be in place. Avoid feeding birds with contaminated feeds.

5. Aspergillosis

Aspergillosis is the general name given to diseases caused by Aspergillus. Due to the high humidity during the cold season, feeds or litter dampens, thus creating a favourable environment for fungus to grow and thrive. The birds also inhale aspergillus spores and these spores develop into lesions filling the lungs causing respiratory problems or discomforts. Birds under intensive management systems would experience high disease spread if the stocking density is high and ventilation is inadequate or poor. How to Manage Poultry Birds Optimally in the Cold or Rainy Season To manage poultry such as chickens, turkeys, quails, duck and pheasants during cold or rainy periods, poultry farmers have to do the following: Add oil or fat to the diet of the birds or reduce the level of nutrients that are not required by the birds to generate heat. This is necessary to avoid wastage and reduce feed production costs, since birds consume more feed to generate heat. Install electric bulbs or heater in the pen to serve as a secondary source of heat for the birds. This would help the birds drink enough water and stay warm without getting the reserved energy used up in the process. Though very rare in an intensive system but rampant in a free-range system, birds drink from the stagnant water around, thus pick up eggs of parasitic organisms such as intestinal worms. That is why it is important to deworm poultry birdseye bi-monthly with effective dewormers such as piperazine. A broad-spectrum antibiotic like oxytetracycline should be administered to the birds every month. Construct a generous roof overhang over the entrance and sides of pens to prevent rainwater from getting into the pen whenever it rains. Construct a foot dip at the entrances of the pens and a strong disinfectant solution should be in the foot dip always. If you followed all the above explanation , you can tackle and takecare of your birds during wet season. Thanks

WAYS AND HOW TO VACCINATE POULTRY BIRDS

In getting your birds strong and healthy, vaccination is one of the best way to be a good poultry farmer.
Vaccines have contributed immensely to the prevention and control of major diseases of poultry, which were previously incurable or difficult to cure. Most commercial poultry farmers, therefore, follow a vaccination program aimed at controlling these diseases. However, inexperienced poultry farmers do not know how to vaccinate their birds. Vaccines can be administered through various routes such as through:

1. Eye
2. Nostril
3. Oral route
4. Wing web
5. Vent
6. Subcutaneous
7. Intramuscular
Methods of Administering Vaccines
As the flock strength increased and commercialization of poultry keeping became the order of the day, vaccination by these conventional methods became tedious, time-consuming, labour intensive and a source of undesirable stress on the birds of the flock. Alternative routes of mass administration of vaccines were therefore explored. Some of the important points in this regard are:

Generally, mass vaccination methods result in reduced labour costs, time and stress.
A spray vaccination is more invasive and may give better results than an oral vaccination.
A fine spray is more immunogenic than a coarse spray, as it allows the vaccine to penetrate more deeply into the respiratory tract. However, a strong vaccination may be observed.

1. Drinking Water Method
It is becoming more popular these days. Vaccination against Newcastle disease, Infectious bronchitis, Avian encephalomyelitis etc. is carried out by this method. The vaccine to be used by this method is first reconstituted in distilled water in a small volume. It is then added to the water troughs or drinkers kept in the pen. The birds consume the vaccine mixed water and gain immunity. The birds have to be deprived of normal water supply for 1-2 hours, so that they are eager and quick to consume the water fortified with the vaccine.
When using this method, it must be ensured that the water consumption of the birds is adequate. It also can be ensured that only such quantity of water should be in the drinker, which would be fully consumed by the birds within 30-60 minutes.

The water meant to be used should be cool and not warm because warm water inactivates the vaccine. The water must not contain any amount of chlorine or other chemicals. The addition of skim milk to water at the rate of 500 ml of skim milk to 10 litres of water is recommended. The addition of skim milk to vaccine water is purposely for improving the viability of the vaccine by neutralizing the chlorine or any other chemical present in the water.

2. Subcutaneous and/or intramuscular route
In these methods, the vaccine is pushed into the body tissues either under the skin or into the muscle with the help of needle and syringe. These methods are still used till today. When a vaccine is used subcutaneously or intramuscularly, care has to be taken to make sure that the quantity of vaccine is kept as small as may be feasible. The ideal quantity is 0.1 ml to 0.2 ml. The maximum permissible amount is 0.5 ml. If it exceeds 0.5 ml, it will results in tissue damage at the site of vaccination and also causes unnecessary stress.

3. Scarification method
This is also an old method of vaccination into the tissues of the skin by causing superficial scarification of the epidermis. This method was originally used for carrying out vaccination against fowl pox, but this route has also been used now for protecting birds against infectious laryngotracheitis.

4. Intraocular method
In this method, the vaccine is reconstituted in a small amount and used for dropping in the eyes of birds. An ink dropper is used to apply this in drops. Once the vaccine drops into the eyes, it is absorbed and starts the immune response protecting them against the particular disease.

5. Intranasal method
In this method, the reconstituted vaccine is deposited at the two nasal openings of the birds while the birds inhale the vaccine. It is absorbed through the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and immunizes the birds.
These are all vaccination system you can use as a poultry birds keeper.

SEVEN CAUSES WHY YOU HAVE DECLINE IN EGG PRODUCTION

It can get frustrated when you are not getting the amount of eggs you expected from your hen, when you are expecting 60/eggs but you only got 20.
It is obvious that poultry farming has become so popular in different parts of the world. It is a promising agricbusiness enterprise, but poultry farmers must equip themselves with the right poultry farming information to optimize their yields. I want you to know that poultry farming is a bit tricky. Poultry farmers are faced with many challenges, but disease outbreaks are the most dreaded problem.

There are times when everything is going right but you may observe that your birds’ daily egg production is declining. This is a very serious issue that shouldn’t be taken with levity because it affects profits.

Normally, a healthy hen starts laying eggs at 18-22 weeks of age and such hen should peak her egg production at about 6-8 weeks later. If there is a drastic change in this expected egg production peak, then something is responsible. The various factors that cause a decline or reduction in egg production and the possible fixes or solutions will be discussed in this article.

What are the Causes decline of Egg Production in Poultry Production

1. Stress and Change

These two are one of the primary reasons for a drop in egg production. Most laying chickens are usually affected by sudden changes in their usual pattern such as a change of pen or nesting box’s position usually throws layers off-balance, hence reducing their egg production. Therefore, poultry farmers should avoid handling or move their birds as soon as they start laying eggs.

2. Removal of Roosters or Introduction of New Birds into the Flock

If you introduce a totally new chicken into your flock or remove the roosters from a particular flock, you’re actually giving the layers an impression that their keeper is up to something (a sort of coup d’é·tat). So you should avoid this wherever possible.

3. Overcrowding, Change in Weather, Feed composition and Time of Feeding

When you overstock, when the weather changes or when there is a change in feed composition or the time you normally feed laying chickens, then expect a reduction in egg production. Poultry farmers should look out for drastic changes in temperature like too hot or cold condition in pens or nesting boxes. In this case, the litter lining of the litter should be changed every day. Likewise, avoid any sudden change in the time you feed your laying birds and avoid changing their feed composition unnecessarily.

4. Noise and Decreased Lighting

Birds are always frightened by noises or a sight of predators. It is obvious that hens don’t want any other form of noise except the loud characteristic cooing noise made when they are about to lay. Additionally, decreased time of lighting adversely affect the perceived day length by hens. Scientifically, egg production is affected by the length of exposure to daylight. This means that increased lighting stimulates egg production. Laying hens should enjoy adequate lighting for at least 14-16 hours.

5. Poor or Unbalanced Diet

Improper diet detrimentally affects egg production. Hens need energy-, protein- and calcium-rich diets. Don’t allow these three nutrients to be lacking in the feed of your laying birds. Also, they should be provided with a nutritionally balanced feed. You may also add egg-production boosters to the drinking water. These boosters contain necessary minerals and amino-acids required during the laying period.

6. Broodiness

Broodiness often triggers a decrease in egg production. Exhibiting broodiness is normal in laying hens and it is an innate condition. However, this behavior can be discouraged by increasing artificial lighting in the laying pen.

7. Parasitism and Disease

When laying hens are disturbed by parasites such as worms or diseases such as Newcastle Diseases, their egg production is often affected. If you noticed a drop in egg production, try to see if the birds are healthy or have been infected with diseases, and take the necessary step after. Deworm your birds regularly and dust them to get rid of ectoparasites such as lice and fleas.

As the egg production performance of your flock improves, your profits will also improve. This is the reason why you must take action whenever you notice a decline in your flock’s egg production and make sure you take prompt actions.

EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF POULTRY BIRDS , DO YOU KNOW THAT NOISE AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR BIRDS ?

There are many things many farmer or poultry keepers don't take note or observed. Have you ever tried to find out if the performance of poultry birds like broilers, layers, turkeys, quails, geese etc is affected by environmental noise ? Well, the truth is that the noise produced within or outside your poultry farm has an impact on the performances of your birds. These effects include:

1. Reduction in feed intake or consumption
Reduction in feed conversion efficiency
2. Reduction in adrenal activities
3. Reduction in intestinal relaxation
4. Internal injuries sustained when frightened by sudden noise.

All the effects mentioned above are all directly or indirectly affect the birds’ performances in terms of growth performance, egg-laying performance and livability. So, to avoid all these from happening to your birds, avoid building your poultry pens near a feed mill house, generator plant, busy road, and other sources or situations that produce heavy  noise. Ensure that your poultry is in a quiet place where there is silent every time in order for your birds to perform well and brings out best and profitable performance.
All poultry farmer should take note of this simple thing which can affects the performance of your birds.

11 COMMON DISEASES IN POULTRY BIRDS AND HOW TO DEAL WITH IT

Many poultry farmers love to see their chickens doing fine every day. As a chicken farmer, how do you feel whenever you enter the pen of your chickens are you see them doing fine and coming closer to welcome you? A fascinating and memorable feeling, right? You will also love it when your chickens lay eggs regularly as a reward for your hard work on them.

Did you know that the happy feeling above would change if the situations are different and negative? When your chickens come down with diseases, their performances are negatively impacted and because they look unhappy because of their poor state of health, you will also be unhappy.

There are some common poultry diseases that you need to know about as well as how to treat them. They are as follows:

1. Marek’s Disease

This Disease (MD) is a viral disease that affects chickens and it causes tumor. This disease affects only female chickens and occurs in chickens between 6 to 20 weeks of age. Marek’s disease is highly contagious and can be transmitted from an infected bird to uninfected birds or through the air.

These are Signs and symptoms of marek: Paralysis of the legs and wings. In the classical form of Marek’s disease, the affected chickens lie on their side with one leg stretched backward and the other leg stretched forward. In the acute form, many chickens die suddenly without showing any sign of illness while some chickens show paralytic symptoms and appear depressed before dying. Other signs include paleness, loss of weight, shrunken comb and diarrhea.

Treatment: Marek’s disease has no treatment, but to avoid the incidence of MD, day-old chicks must be vaccinated against the disease.

2. Newcastle Disease

Newcastle disease (also known as Ranikhet disease) is a viral disease that is caused by paramyxoviruses. These viruses are of various types. There are the very harmful type, moderately harmful type and mildly harmful type. This disease can be transmitted through the air, feed, water and carrier birds.

Signs and symptoms: With very harmful paramyxoviruses, the first sign is sudden death. Other signs like weakness, depression, greenish diarrhea, lying down, swelling of the face and nervous signs will also be observed. Torticollis (twisting of the neck), leg paralysis, arching of the body are some other indications of Newcastle disease. In layers, laying of soft-shelled or shell-less eggs is an early sign, followed by totally halting of egg laying. Moderately harmful paramyxoviruses are responsible for severe respiratory problems. In adult chickens, there is usually obvious decline in egg production for many months. However, the mortality rate is low. The mildly harmful paramyxoviruses may not cause any disease or just a mild respiratory problem.

Treatment: Newcastle Diseases has no treatment, but can be prevented through vaccination, maintaining a high level of farm hygiene, good management and biosecurity measures.

Also Read: Poultry Diseases that are Rampant in the Cold or Wet Season

3. Infectious Bronchitis

This is a rapid, sudden and high contagious viral poultry disease. It’s caused by a coronavirus and could be transmitted through the air, contaminated materials and carrier hosts.

Signs and symptoms: Abnormal respiratory sounds, snoring, gasping, sneezing and coughing, watery nasal discharge, ocular discharge and swelling of the face. Reduced egg production and poor eggshell quality.

Treatment: Infectious bronchitis has no specific treatment, but you can administer antibiotics in mixed infections. You should also take affected chickens to a warm, dry place to recover. Some farmers have tried warm herb tea and fresh herbs, and they claimed they worked.

To prevent Infectious Bronchitis, vaccinate your chickens against the disease and maintain proper ventilation of chicks.

4. Fowl Pox

Fowl pox is a viral disease that could be transmitted through body wounds or scratches, a vector carrying the virus (e.g., mosquitos) and through the air.

Signs and symptoms: If you notice something like pox lesions on wattles, comb and/or legs, discharge from nostrils, white ulcers or cheesy membrane in mouth, loss of appetite, decline in egg production, foamy materials in corners of eyes or white spots on the skin, your chickens are undoubtedly developing or already down with Fowl Pox.

Treatment: Since this is a viral disease, there is no exact drug. However, you should remove the necrotic membrane from affected chickens’ mouth and larynx. You can stimulate appetite with wet feed (mash) and add antibiotics and multivitamins to their drinking water. Ensure that you use good disinfectant during the outbreak of the disease.

To prevent Fowl Pox, you need to vaccinate your chickens with Fowl Pox vaccine and control mosquitoes in and around the chicken coop or pen.

5. Botulism

This is a serious disease caused by the botulism toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The disease affects the nervous system of chickens, causing body weakness and paralysis. Chickens can pick up the disease when they drink water or eat feed that has been contaminated with botulism toxin.

Signs and symptoms: If you notice that your chickens have progressing tremor that later develops into a paralysis of the body and breathing difficulty. The feathers pull out easily and the affected chickens die within a few hours.

Treatment: Administer an expensive botulism antitoxin from a vet drug store. If you’re able to diagnose or detect the disease early, mix one (1) teaspoon of Epsom salts with 3 cl of warm water. Administer the solution to the affected chickens once a day.

To prevent botulism, always maintain good farm hygiene and sanitation. Avoid feed and water contamination and all dead carcasses should be buried far from the chickens’ pen or environment.

6. Fowl Cholera or Avian Pasteurellosis

Fowl Cholera is a highly contagious bacterial disease that affects poultry birds. It is caused by Pasteurella multocida and could be transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food and water or from a carrier host chicken.

Signs and symptoms: Yellowish or greenish diarrhoea, difficulty in breathing, swollen joint, purple comb and wattle, oral, nasal and ocular discharges, ruffled feathers and loss of appetite.

Treatment: Fowl cholera can be treated with penicillin, streptomycin, erythromycin, tetracyclines and sulphonamides. You will need to administer drugs for long-term because the disease usually returns after stopping medication.

To prevent Fowl Cholera, administer F. Cholera vaccine and maintain a high level of farm hygiene and sanitation. Prevent rodents, cats and wild birds from gaining access to the pen.

Also Read: How to Vaccinate Poultry Birds

7. Infectious Coryza

Infectious Coryza or Fowl Coryza is a severe respiratory disease that affects chicken and it could be sudden. This disease is common in layers and broilers and it is caused by Haemophilus paragallinarum. It could be transmitted water contaminated with nose discharges, through the air, or through direct contact with an infected chicken.

Signs and symptoms: Swelling of the head (comb, wattle and eyes), sneezing, stringy discharge from the nose and eyes, conjunctivitis with closed eyes, difficulty in breathing and moisture under the wings. Other symptoms of infectious coryza include reduced feed and water consumption and huge drop or halt in egg production.

Treatment: Infectious Coryza can be treated with antibiotics and sulpha drugs. Oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin, trimethoprim and sulpha drug can be combined to treat infectious coryza.

Chickens can be protected from infectious coryza through vaccination. Dispose all infected chickens or those that had recovered. Sanitation and hygiene and avoid keeping chickens of different ages together.

8. Thrush

The thrush in chickens is similar to baby’s thrush. It can be contracted by chickens that eat feed or food that has grown moldy; that is, moldy feed or food. They can also contract the disease by drinking contaminated water.

Signs and symptoms: White oozy substance inside the crop of infected chickens. Increased appetite than normal. Lethargic appearance, crusty vent and ruffled feathers.

Treatment: Thrush can be treated by administering an antifungal drug. To avoid future occurrence or reinfection, discard bad or moldy feed or food and contaminated water.

9.Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD)

CRD is a mycoplasmal disease caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and it affects the respiratory tracts (including air sacs) of chickens and other birds. CRD can be transmitted through hatching eggs, direct contact with carrier birds and through inhalation of contaminated droplets, dust or feathers.

Signs and symptoms: Abnormal respiratory sounds, sneezing, nasal discharge, coughing and sneezing. Reduced feed consumption, loss of body weight and decreased egg production.

Treatment: Chronic Respiratory Disease can be treated with several antibiotics. Tylosin, oxytetracycline, streptomycin, neomycin, chlortetracycline, gentamicin, tiamulin, enrofloxacin, lincomycin, erythromycin and other related drugs can be used to treat CRD.

10. Pullorum Disease (Salmonellosis)

Pullorum disease is a bacterial disease that is caused by a bacterium called Salmonella pullorum. The disease is highly contagious and affects the blood of chickens, but characterized by white diarrhoea. This is the reason why pullorum disease is also called Bacilliary White Disease (BWD). It can be transmitted through the eggs, contaminated feed, water, litter and faeces.

Signs and symptoms: Depression and unusual huddling together, respiratory distress, white and sticky faecal droppings, loss of appetite, pale, shrunken combs with ruffled feathers and decline in egg production.

Treatment: Several antibiotics can be used to treat pullorum disease. However, furazolidone is recommended. Pullorum disease can be controlled by good biosecurity measures and ensure you procure your chicks from a reputable hatchery.

11. Bumblefoot

Bumblefoot is an infection that is caused by staphylococcus bacteria and it is usually the aftereffect when your chickens get their injured foot infected by this bacteria. The foot of the affected chicken swells up because of infection. The cut or injury to the foot could occur when the chicken is scratching the floor or a sharp object.

The only way to treat Bumblefoot is by performing surgery. It involves using a biopsy or scalpel to cut out the scab and removing the underlying infected core. After removing the core, drain the pus and soak the infected foot in warm water and Epsom Salts. Dry the foot with a clean bath towel and apply honey or any microbial and Vetericyn VF. Cover the area up with gauze and wrap with vet wrap to lock the bandage.

If bumblefoot infection is left untreated, the affected chicken may become completely lame and could also die after other tissues in the body are affected.

The best way to prevent bumblefoot is to keep a close watch on the feet of your chickens. If you observed that there is a cut on either of the feet, don’t hesitate to wash and disinfect the foot to prevent it from becoming septic or infected with staphylococcus bacteria.

General tips on chicken's house (coop) Hygienes and Ventilation

One of the most important aspects of hygiene in poultry farm is providing adequate ventilation.
You need effective window ventilation up with  home-made design which uses plexiglass (safer) and hardware cloth to protect our hens against predators. If you use the deep-litter method of bedding ventilation issues become critical. We opted not to, using shavings on planks over concrete.
Most of our manure gets scraped off platforms and there is little odor thanks to good air flow. First Aid These are what you should as your first aid tools. . ceramic heater water source magnifying glass clean rags cotton balls needle/thread rubbing alcohol tincture of iodine electrolytes on hand, also vitamins apple cider vinegar olive oil sugar electrolytes with antibiotics, would only use in certain circumstances q-tips eye droppers latex gloves blue lotion I would like to share a simple idea about eliminating 6 and 8-legged pests from the moment a coop is built, or given a thorough cleaning. Consider investing in a no-pest strip. Such strips are made of wax impregnated with pyrethins. Made by Vapona, Black Flag, Home Hardware and under various generic labels. These strips can be hung high in a coop or can be shielded from the birds using hardware cloth or metal screening.
Avoid placing over food or water. They kill fleas, ticks, lice, mites, ticks, gnats and most flies. As a preventive they are unsurpassed, and will decrease the need for dusting or spraying birds directly. Available at most hardware stores, tack shops, co-ops, feed stores and agricultural supply houses. Uses in coops, barns, restaurants, hospitals and homes. Added bonus- no fleas in your house, ever if you use them regularly.

I experienced a major problem and diseased chicks entered many backyard flocks, sat times contaminating the existing adults, though most owners saw the problem and were able to check the spread. For others, sadly, deaths and euthanasia became a priority, and vets and government officials became involved. Knowledgeable poultry owners quarantine new birds and many of us operate closed flocks, in which a group of birds enter new premises and remain with only those birds for the duration. Whether you keep chickens or other livestock, hygiene may be as simple as washing your hands between the handling of say, brooder chicks and the touching of existing animals. If you know an individual is ill, both medications and disinfectants may be needed, and all materials that come in contact will have to be clearned or in some cases, destroyed. Sometimes when you lose an animal you must do more than compost the body and you need to become informed. A sink in the coop would be a real treasure, but few of us have one.

There are a lot of issues surrounding coop hygiene and one of the easiest things we can do is to wash our barn clothes regularly, especially when we know there is trouble. Gloves can be a problem and it helps to have a kind that can be wiped down easily or to keep some latex or plastic gloves on hand for situations involving extreme care. If you have a convenient hose or wash tray for boots, you can keep what's in the coop from getting anywhere else, and other things from getting to the coop. You may need a disinfectant from time to time, too. Look at it this way- what if you get new birds some day that seem okay but are diseased or contaminated in some way? Would you risk infecting the birds you have? Without a plan, every new bird becomes a possible source of trouble. Even worse, with government peering into backyard coops, the introduction of certain diseases could mean your whole flock could be forcibly culled. How awful. You might need an isolation cage or coop, it's something to plan for before you have trouble. Choose something that can be disinfected. We spot clean our coop every day. Some owners use the deep litter method but we prefer the regular removal of droppings.

You should decide that any implements you use in the coop will never be used in other parts of the barn, to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. The porch on the aisleway side of the coop now has coat hooks and other hangers where we can keep a whisk broom, a scraper, buckets,kitty litter scoop, a first aid bag and other things that are for the birds only. Feed will be kept in the feed room in rodent-proof containers, no loose bags open or not are ever kept in other animal coop.. It's important to design your coop in such a way that panels can be unscrewed to inspect wall cavities for pests, and you want to do this so that you don't damage your materials. In cold climates insulation is a must, and you can use the fibreglass/vapor seal/tuck tape method with screwed (not nailed) panels.

Another thing you can do is to caulk cracks and seams, and there are products that can easily be peeled away if you have to open a section of wall. Read the instructions though, you should not apply these with birds nearby. Caulking is a concern. Sometimes you can caulk from the back side of a panel if it's under construction and there are products like Draft-Stop that can be peeled away if you ever have to remove a section. By the way, if you use shavings in the coop and discover that some bales are extra-heavy, they are probably filled with sawdust, from the end of a run at the mill. Next time, ask to put them back and get bales of average weight, and you'll have less dust in the coop. And once or twice a year I shoo the hens out into the run and close the pop door so that I can use the shop vac to get rid of grooming dust, spider webs and debris in nooks and carnnies.

The dropping have some food-grade diatomaceous earth underneath and some leftover seed from wild birdseed treats. I use a paint scraper and a catch bucket to clean up daily, getting most of the droppings that would dampen or foul the coop. Most lime or limestone garden products are alkaline and are designed to neutralize soil acids (sweeten soil). They will burn and I can only imagine the horror of destroying the skin on the feet of chickens. I also avoid masonary products like mortar and quickline. Another item we use is a pest strip to kill flies. We don't have major problems because most of the biting flies will not remain in the shade of a barn, but in August or September we might hand a pyrethin wax strip . Pest Strip. It's good for three months, can be hung over poultry (avoid directly over food/water) and will work on most kinds of insect parasites. Be sure to check any rain barrels of other collection dishes that hold liquids for mosquito larvae- change water as often as you feasibly can! Food storage is a critical subject too. Whichever you choose, keeping food from contamination and any kind of spoilage is vital. If a bag gets wet and you can't use the feed immediately, you may have to get rid of it. And remember not to dump bad food near the coop, or you may attract rodents. If you need them raccoon straps are available at hardware stores. Never use feed which has gotten damp or moldy. If a feed source has had mopisture problems from leakage or flooding, reconsider buying even if the feed seems dry- spores can collect along seams and in the bottom and poison your birds before you know the cause.
These are little I can share for now, more articles on coop hygiene are on the way.

HOW TO RAISE QUAIL AS A POULTRY FARMER OR AS A PET

Many poultry farmers are mostly concentrate on chicken and turkey , but there are many other birds which are lucrative and profitable , quail is one of those profitable birds that can earn you more money in your farm.
Quail is a collective name for several general of mid-sized birds.

Quail are a small, short tailed game bird resembling partridges but are smaller and stockier. 130 species in all over the world, 95 Old World and some 36 New World Quail. Quail have been kept in captivity for meat and eggs since the Egyptian times. In fact they even have their own hieroglyph! Japanese Quail or Coturnix Quail as they are also called were a very common bird to keep back in those days. As these quail migrated through out the area, the Egyptians found they were easy to catch. So it only made sense to keep them captive and breed them for their eggs and meat.

  How to raise or keep Quail?

Quail are quickly becoming a common species of poultry in many backyards across the world. They are mainly kept for meat or eggs but also as pets and the entertainment value of this fun little bird. They are easy to maintain, can be kept in smaller spaces than other larger poultry, they are quieter than other species of poultry and let's face it, they are just so darn cute!

Few reasons that make sense as to why you might like to keep this little bird:

1. Unlike Chickens or other poultry, for some reason, Quail usually don't fall into that category of "Poultry" when it comes to city ordinances and laws. They just don't see them as "poultry". So more often than not, those of you that are not allowed to keep Chickens, Ducks or Geese in your town, city or HOA, you can keep Quail. Of course you will definitely want to contact your City  agents on all the laws and regulations on keeping quail in your area.

2. There are health benefits to keeping Quail as well. Especially the eggs. Quail eggs have been used for eons to treat various ailments in the human body such as Asthma, Coughs, and Allergies. Many people are allergic to Chickens and their eggs. Chicken eggs can cause itching, nausea and even vomiting. Not so with quail eggs. They are not only allergy free but they help to fight allergy in your body due to a special protein they contain known as Ovomucoid. So those of you that are allergic to Chicken eggs, you will be able to eat Quail eggs. The eggs are also known to improve your memory, boost your immune system, they are rich in iron and contain so many more vitamins and minerals that aid in good health.

3. By raising your own quail for meat, you know what you are eating. No mystery meats there! Quail can dress up nicely for the table. A Jumbo Coturnix Quail can weigh in at nearly 14 ounces, and a Jumbo Georgia Giant Bobwhite can yield up to 16 ounces! While Bobwhites take much longer to grow won't be ready for butchering until 14 to 16 weeks of age or sexually mature until 6+ months of age, Coturnix Quail are fast growers and can be ready for the table at 6 to 8 weeks of age and laying by 9 weeks of age.

4. Quail are just fun little birds to keep as pets as well! While they may seem aloof at times and most of them do not like to be cuddled or held like many other species of poultry, Quail are smart birds and can learn their names, come when called, eat from your hands and can even be trained to do certain things. Give them a healthy diet, an environment conducive to good mental health, a clean area and you will have happy healthy quail no matter why you are keeping them.

Where to get baby Quail or Adult Quail

Unfortunately, Quail are not as common as Chickens so you may have to do a bit of work to find them. Some feed stores like Tractor Supply will carry Quail chicks in the springtime. So it is best to call ahead and find out if your local feed store is going to carry them. Some feed stores will even special order them for you. Hatching eggs are available online, however, I do try to sway people from purchasing hatching eggs from unknown breeders. I have found that people selling online can be selling eggs from Quail with a lot of genetic issues, deformities and the hatch rates on these eggs is very poor. So be aware if you turn to these sources, but sometimes there is no other place to go. Most people do not ship adult Quail as they just do not do well being shipped. You can always get your quail from local store or farmer who are raising quail.
Many large hatcheries around the country also sell eggs and chicks, although they do have high quantity orders, many times 100+ chicks
There are many Quail hatcheries around the country that sell quality eggs and chicks. I have never dealt with any of these hatcheries, but if you do your research you can find quality dealers. And don't forget the local Quail Farms. I got my start in Quail from a local guy and his Quail Farm.

My advice

Quail can be such a fun little bird to keep. If you keep them properly, they can bring you years of enjoyment and profit. Just remember, healthy happy quail start with good stock. This is an area you should never overlook and need to do your homework before you purchase eggs, chicks or adult birds. Genetic issues are very common in overly bred Quail from breeders that are not experienced enough. Obtain all birds or eggs from a good quality breeder or hatchery. The average lifespan of captive kept Quail is 2 to 5 years, depending on their health, their environment and how they are kept. However, they have been known to live 7 to 8 years. Quail are seasonal layers which means they lay during their natural breeding season of spring through fall. The average healthy hen will lay about 100 eggs during this time. You can use "force laying" during these off seasons with extra lighting, however, you will be shortening their lives and cause more stress to the hens physically.

Another thing to take into consideration is that Quail have lost that instinct to brood their own eggs. It can and does happen occasionally, but generally brooding has been bred out of them. Since they will not set long enough to hatch a clutch of eggs, you will need an incubator.

So consider raising some Quail in your farm, feel free to ask question on this blog and you can also post your experience in raising quail below for other poultry keepers to know from you. Thank y