Broiler diseases: descriptions and causes, symptoms and treatments

There are a large number of broiler diseases, each with different characteristics. They are able to provoke the appearance of various disorders. Sometimes dangerous diseases cause paralysis and even death. Timely detection of the disease and the choice of tactics for treating pathology helps to prevent such problems.

What diseases do broilers have and how to treat them?

Most often, young birds are susceptible to diseases, since at the stage of formation and development the body is most sensitive to adverse factors.

Dyspepsia

This pathology is characterized by dysfunction of the digestive organs. Symptoms often appear in day-old chicks due to dietary disturbances. Young birds are highly sensitive and require careful feed quality control.

The causes of problems include malnutrition and violation of the temperature regime. Diarrhea is considered a key manifestation of the disease. Chickens lose their appetite and mobility.

To cope with the disease, chickens are given a 0.03% soda solution. They should introduce acidobroth cultures into their diet. The menu should contain fermented milk products, herbs, vitamins, easily digestible food, meat and bone meal.

Broncho-pneumonia

This disease poses a great danger to broilers. Sick birds become untidy, lose their appetite, and their body weight decreases. Often, birds start to cough.

To cope with pathology, it is recommended to take 1.5 cups of soda ash and mix with 3 liters of hot water. Add bleach solution - 1 cup per 7 liters of water. Leave the product to brew and add water to get 20 liters. Treat the poultry house with the resulting mixture.

For the treatment of chickens, it is permissible to use Norfloxacin or Penicillin. Nettle and ginseng tinctures are suitable from folk remedies.

Hypovitaminosis

Deficiency of vitamins and microelements leads to the development of various diseases. Vitamin A deficiency is accompanied by loss of appetite, developmental arrest, weakness and decreased motor activity. As the disease progresses, digestion is disturbed and damage to the nervous system occurs.

Lack of B vitamins causes disturbances in the functioning of the digestive organs, the occurrence of conjunctivitis, developmental problems, and apathy. Treatment is with vitamin supplements.

Greens, meat and bone meal, germinated grains should be introduced into the diet of chicks.

Marek's disease

This disease is provoked by a viral infection that is present in the DNA. It causes goiter paralysis and damage to the nervous system. Symptoms of pathology include a change in the color of the iris, loss of appetite, weakness, pain in the legs, deformity of the limbs and neck.

There are no effective drugs for the treatment of Marek's disease. The virus persists for a long time in the feathers of birds. Therefore, when the first signs of illness are detected, the bird has to be slaughtered.

Coccidiosis

This infection is caused by an Eimeria tenella infection. The risk of developing the disease increases in warm and humid weather. Coccidia enters the body through water, bedding, food. When infected, the digestive organs and nervous system suffer.

1-2 days after infection, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weakness appear. The feathers become ruffled and the skin pale. Chickens die in 4 days.

To cope with the disease, drugs such as Koktsisan, Baykoks are used. Birds need to be isolated and medicines added to food and water for 4 days.

Pullorose

This is a type of salmonellosis. The causative agent of the disease is Salmonella pullorum-gallinarum. The risk of developing the disease increases in conditions of unsanitary conditions and high humidity in the chicken coop.

The key symptom of the disease is diarrhea with white impurities. Birds become depressed, lose their appetite, experience pronounced thirst. The disease is characterized by general weakness, respiratory failure, fever.

To fight the disease, antibacterial drugs are used - Biomycin and Sulfadimezin.

Infected birds are recommended to be isolated. The rest of the individuals should be treated with antibiotics and antiviral agents.

Newcastle disease

When the disease develops in birds, coughing, apathy, and impaired coordination of movements occur. They become painful and lose weight. Infected individuals often stomp in one place.

Because this is a contagious disease, it is recommended that affected birds be isolated. At the same time, there are no effective remedies for pathology.

Colibacillosis

E. coli present in chicken feces leads to the development of pathology. Infected masses can be ingested into water or food, and all chickens may be affected.

The first manifestations of the disease include diarrhea, apathy, a blue tint to the beak. Young chickens are most often affected. The cause of the pathology is a violation of sanitary conditions.

It is possible to cope with the disease only at the initial stage. For this, antibiotics are used - Enronit, Lexophone. If the entire population is infected, the birds have to be disposed of. Their meat is forbidden to be eaten.

Salmonellosis

This is an infectious pathology that can spread by airborne droplets from he althy birds to sick ones. The disease is characterized by lacrimation, loss of appetite, diarrhea, stunting, swelling of the legs.

When salmonellosis is detected, the whole livestock should be given Levomycetin. Sometimes there are no symptoms of the disease, so it can be difficult to identify it. Usually, the first symptoms appear a few days after infection.

For the prevention of the disease, it is worth using mineral supplements. Sometimes the drug Enroflon is used.

Aspergillosis

This is a fungal disease that affects the respiratory system. This causes wheezing and coughing. The pathogens enter the embryos through the shell. Prevention of fungal infections in chicken litter will help to avoid problems. Places near feeders and drinkers should be systematically cleaned.

When the disease develops, chickens become lethargic and lose their appetite. For treatment, you should contact a veterinarian who will select the best drugs.

Rickets

This disease leads to deficiency of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus. This is due to violations in the diet, rare walking of birds and close content. Pathology is accompanied by softening of the beak, gait disturbance and bouncing when walking, developmental delay, ruffled feathers.

In broiler chickens, the disease may appear on the 8-10th day of life. In the acute nature of the disease, there is a curvature of the bones, a distortion of the torso, an increase in the head against the background of a small body.

To cope with rickets, it is recommended to make adjustments to the diet of birds. At the same time, it is worth increasing the amount of grain and greenery. It is also worth giving the chicks fish and meat and bone meal, chalk, limestone. Vitamin complexes are prescribed from medicines.

Avian flu

This is an infectious disease that is transmitted to domestic chickens from wild birds. When infected, the motor activity of birds decreases, body temperature increases, thirst appears, loss of appetite is observed.

The mucous membranes turn red, diarrhea occurs, feathers become ruffled. With the development of pathology, the respiratory and digestive organs suffer. Depending on the form of the disease, death is possible in 10-100% of cases.

If signs of pathology are detected, it is worth notifying your local veterinarian. Currently, there is no effective treatment for avian influenza. The meat of sick birds should not be eaten. Because they are slaughtered and burned.

Chicken pox

Pathology is viral. You can get infected from sick birds, insects, rodents. The infection enters the body through damaged areas and mucous membranes. There are several forms of the disease:

Skin - considered the easiest. At the same time, red warts appear on open areas of the skin.
Diphtheria - is the most acute variety. In this case, the respiratory organs, esophagus, larynx, and mucous membranes suffer. Chickens cannot eat. Death occurs in 50% of cases.
Mixed - in this case, the virus infects the skin and mucous membranes.

Only the mildest form of the disease can be treated. At the same time, infected individuals are isolated and given a solution of Furacilin or Anfluron. The poultry house is recommended to be treated with formaldehyde and disinfected. He althy birds should be vaccinated immediately.

Sinusitis

This disease is spreading fast. If infected individuals are identified, they should be isolated immediately. Chickens can get infected from wild birds. Dust or objects containing a virus also cause problems.

The first symptoms of sinusitis are yawning, wheezing, coughing. In addition, chickens develop swelling of the eyelids, fluid from the eyes and nose, convulsions, sneezing, feathers on the head stick together.

If you do not start therapy in a timely manner, there is a risk of a chronic process. At the same time, birds are lagging behind in development. Antibiotics are used to treat sinusitis. The most effective drug is Terramycin. It is administered by aerosol method or placed in feed. Chlortetracycline also helps to achieve good results. The product is mixed into food or water.

What to do if the disease could not be recognized?

If you suspect a disease, you should immediately show the chickens to the veterinarian. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis after laboratory tests.

Based on the results of the research, the specialist will prescribe medications and select preventive measures for the rest of the livestock.

Prevention measures

The accumulation of chickens and the rapid change of generations lead to the emergence of various infections. To avoid problems, it is worth disinfecting equipment, drinkers and feeders in a timely manner. All these devices are recommended to be thoroughly washed and treated with special solutions.

The premises need systematic ventilation. They are recommended to be bleached and dried regularly. Particular attention should be paid to the quality of the feed. It is strictly forbidden to give sour or moldy foods to birds.

Periodically it is worth using liquid additives and monitoring the water quality. Of no small importance is the observance of the regime of temperature, illumination, humidity.

There are many broiler diseases that can lead to their death. Each pathology is characterized by certain manifestations. To cope with the problem, it is recommended to make a correct diagnosis in a timely manner and choose an adequate treatment.