In my visit to poultry farms a day won’t pass without seeing a farmer lament about his or her chickens having respiratory infections. It’s always about complaints such as gasping,sneezing,gurgling,coughing and mucus discharge amongst the poultry flocks.
Here are some tips to help you manage these problems:
- )Always obtain hatching eggs and chicks from reputable hatcheries.Most chick suppliers are guilty of this.Why would you sell sick chicks to your fellow farmer knowing too well that they are sick?This is unethical.
- )If possible,rear chickens by age group, separating younger birds from older ones. Young chicks need time to develop immunity.In a poultry house always visit the young birds first before the older ones.This will prevent unnecessary spread of diseases.I have always pointed out this matter in my posts.
3.) Limit farm visits to prevent the spread of diseases in the farm.
If a visitor would like to see your chickens, ask them to wear protective clothing such as overall,dust coats and gumboots and request them to avoid visiting other farms a day before visiting your farm.This is to avoid high losses in your farm resulting from dangerous diseases.
4.) Isolate new birds for at least two week before mixing with the rest of your birds.You don’t just buy birds from the market or from a fellow farmer and mix it with your birds.Never be too sure about vaccination.Some farmers lie about this.Make sure you vaccinate those birds against serious infections such as newcastle disease,fowl pox,gumboro and fowl typhoid.During this time check for signs of diseases in the new birds.
5.) Maintain proper hygiene in your farm. Remove manure frequently (both viruses and parasites are shed via faeces), and immediately dispose any feed or litter (bedding material such as wood shavings)that becomes wet.Wood shavings or rice husks are better than sawdust because they produce less dust.Wet bedding/litter leads to ammonia production in the poultry house.Ammonia gas causes irritation of mucous membranes,swollen eyes and mucous discharge which may lead to respiratory infections.
6.) Ensure that there is good ventilation in buildings where you keep your flock.Make sure to use a chicken wire with small openings to bring in fresh air and take out carbon dioxide,excess heat and ammonia gas.Poor ventilation causes respiratory infections.Don’t just squeeze your birds in the structure without putting into consideration the required capacity it can hold.Some farmers overcrowd their poultry houses with so many birds such that the birds are left with no space to move,to reach to feeders and drinkers and even breath.It is better to have a few comfortable birds than thousands of unhappy and miserable looking birds.
7.)Always work with a vet.Stop buying antibiotics from the vet shops without getting diagnosis report and prescription from a vet.You risk getting antibiotic resistance amongst your birds by using antibiotics carelessly.Vets are not your enemies.Avoid quackism at all costs.
Author: Mujuni Henry
JUNIITV
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