Diseases in poultry can be genetic, nutritional, or toxic. These diseases are usually caused by pathogens like virus bacteria and fungi. Diseases caused by pathogens/germs are usually very contagious. Diseases can also be internal parasites like protozoa and worms and external parasites like lice and mites. In this article, the 20 most common chicken diseases and how to prevent them will be discussed.
20 most Common Chicken Diseases you Should know and how to prevent them
1. Newcastle disease
Type: Viral
Causative agent: Virus
Signs/symptoms: Swelling around the eyes and neck, nasal discharge, greenish and watery discharge, dropping wings, reduction in egg production, paralysis, muscular tremor, dizziness, circling, shaking of the head, sudden death.
Method of transmission: Direct contact with an infected bird, contact with body fluids of infected birds
Prevention: Thorough vaccination of new birds and old flock, practice bio-security, separate infected birds from healthy ones, avoid healthy birds coming in contact with those that have not been vaccinated.
2. Avian Influenza
Type: Viral
Causative agent: Virus
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, weakness, blue/purple discoloration of combs, legs, and wattles, nasal discharge, poor egg production, swelling of comb, head, eyes, and legs, Diarrhea, conjunctivitis, sudden death.
Method of transmission: Contaminated poultry equipment, exposure of chickens to wild waterfowl, direct bird to bird contact.
Prevention: Clean poultry equipment regularly, keep your chickens housed, and prevent them from coming in contact with domestic or wildfowl, practice bio-security, disinfect farm equipment.
3. Fowl Pox Chicken Diseases
Type: Viral
Causative agent: Virus
Signs/ symptoms: Coughing, sneezing, watery eye discharge, retarded growth, scabs, difficulty in breathing.
Method of transmission: Virus ingested in birds by insects like mosquitoes, direct contact with infected birds.
Prevention: Practice effective biosecurity, vaccination, control mosquitoes in the poultry house.
4. Fowl Cholera
Type: Bacterial
Causative agent: Pasteurella multocida
Signs/symptoms: Swollen head and wattles, low feed consumption, paralysis, reduced egg production, swollen joints, purple discoloration of combs and wattles (dark heads)
Treatment: Administer antibiotics
Prevention: Proper sanitation, vaccination, practice bio-security.
5. Sudden death syndrome (SDS) or flip over disease
Signs: Unfortunately, there are no early signs of SDS. Chickens appear healthy and carry on their normal activities. When infected, they extend their necks suddenly, gasp, move their legs and flip their wings speedily. They flip over and are found dead on their backs, sides, or breasts.
Cause: High carbohydrate intake and overweighted birds
Prevention: Slow growth rate by providing a low energy diet and practicing intermittent lighting.
6. Infectious Bronchitis
Type: Viral
Causative agent: Virus
Signs/symptoms: Reduction in feed/water intake, discharge from eyes and nostrils, difficulty in breathing, gasping, reduction in egg production, thin-shelled eggs.
Method of transmission: Airborne, contact with infected birds and rodents, cold.
Treatment: Use of antibiotics, make use of heating systems.
Prevention: Vaccination, practice bio-security.
7. Laryngotracheitis
Type: Viral
Causative agent: Virus
Signs/symptoms: Coughing, shaking of the head, sneezing, gasping, eyes/nasal discharge, swelling of wattles and face, diarrhea, prostration, slow growth.
Method of transmission: Contaminated farm equipment, airborne, bird to bird transmission
Treatment: Administer antibiotics
Prevention: Completely dispose off dead birds by burning them, vaccination, bio-security programs.
8. Colibacillosis/mushy chick disease
Type: Bacterial
Causative agent: Bacteria
Signs/symptoms: Diarrhea, respiratory problems, high mortality rate, poor performance.
Method of transmission: Fecal contamination.of feed/water/eggs
Prevention: Proper vaccination, practice bio-security.
9. Aspergillosis
Type: Fungal
Causative agent: Aspergillosis spp
Signs/symptoms: Respiratory distress, difficulty in breathing, silent gasping, gurgling, death.
Method of transmission: Contaminated litter, inhalation of spores from a contaminated hatchery.
Prevention: Practice sanitation, disinfect hatching machine, provide clean water for chicken, avoid wet litter, proper ventilation.
10. Infectious Coryza as Chicken Diseases
Type: Bacterial
Causative agent: Haemophilia paragallinanim
Method of transmission: Direct contact with infected birds, airborne, contaminated water/feed.
Signs/symptoms: Face swelling, thick smelly discharge from eyes and nose, difficulty in breathing, rales, stunted growth, diarrhea, reduction in egg production.
Treatment: Use of antibiotics
Prevention: Bio-security program, proper sanitation, the new bird should be properly vaccinated, avoid high stocking density.
11. Blackhead
Causative agent: Histomonas Meleageidis
Signs/symptoms: Yellowish feces, dark red discoloration of the skin, sickly appearance, and weight loss.
Method of transmission: Consumption of infected worms and cecal worm eggs
Prevention: Effective bio-security program, deworming chickens regularly, remove wet litter, and manure.
12. Coccidiosis as Chicken Diseases
Causative agent: Eimeria Protozoan parasites
Signs/symptoms: Poor feed & water intake, diarrhea, dehydration, blood in feces, paleness of skin and comb, weight loss, death.
Method of transmission: Fecal-oral, eating contaminated feed, and water.
Treatment: Administer anti-coccidial drugs
Prevention: Avoid wet litter, maintain environmental hygiene, clean out manure daily, feeders, and waterers should be cleaned or changed regularly.
13. Pullorum disease
Type: Bacterial
Causative agent: Salmonella pullorum
Signs/ symptoms: Ruffled feathers, droopiness, difficulty in breathing, diarrhea, death of young chicks
Method of transmission: Direct bird to bird contact, from infected hen to chick, infected hatchery, contaminated equipment.
Treatment: Administer furazolidone, sulfa drugs, and gentamycin sulfate.
Prevention: Hatchery/ incubators should be free from contamination, separate diseased birds from healthy ones, vaccination.
14. Fowl typhoid
Type: Bacterial
Causative agent: Salmonella Gallinarum
Signs/symptoms: sudden mortality, greenish or yellowish droppings, thirst, paleness of comb and wattles, loss of appetite.
Method of transmission: Mechanical transmission, infected hen to a chick.
Treatment: This disease is related to pullorum disease so the same type of drugs can be administered.
Prevention: Practice thorough hygiene, provide clean feed and water.
15. Erysipelas
Type: Bacterial
Causative agent: Erysipelothrix insidiosa
Signs/symptoms: Loss of appetite, weakness, diarrhea, yellow/green droppings, swollen leg joints.
Method of transmission: Contact with infected rodents, high stocking density.
Treatment: Administer bacterin vaccine and antibiotics
Prevention: Cull diseased birds, avoid overcrowding.
16. Tapeworms intestinal disease
Method of transmission: By eating insects(host) that have the eggs of tapeworms present in them
Symptoms: Slow growth, reduced performance, and efficiency.
Treatment: Administer fenbendazole or levamisole
Prevention: Try to prevent chickens from consuming infected hosts but practicing thorough sanitation, regular vaccination.
17. Lymphoid Leukosis
Type: Viral
Causative agent: Virus
Method of transmission: Fecal-oral, mechanical transmission, direct contact with infected birds.
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, death
Prevention: Keep incubator clean, disinfection, do not stress the birds, vaccination, practice bio-security.
18. Infectious Bursal Disease
Type: Viral
Causative agent: Virus
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, Ruffled feathers, difficulty in excreting, dehydration, whitish diarrhea, slight tremor, high body temperature.
Method of transmission: Direct contact with infected birds and insects, contaminated feed and litter and air, mechanical transmission,
Prevention: Vaccination, proper ventilation/ heating, proper water intake.
19. Internal parasites
Causative agent: Worms and protozoan parasites.
Symptoms/signs: Weight loss, diarrhea, paleness of comb, loss of appetite
Method of transmission: Direct contact with infected birds, Fecal-oral transmission.
Treatment: Consult your local vet to identify the type of parasite and administer treatment.
Prevention: Clean out wastes and manure in the poultry house regularly, practice a high level of hygiene.
20. Marek’s Disease
Type: Viral
Causative agent: Virus
Method of transmission: Bird to bird transmission, mechanical transmission
Signs/symptoms: Paralysis in legs, wings, and neck, weight loss, diarrhea, difficulty in breathing.
Prevention: Early vaccination, Cull diseased birds, practice bio-security.
Watch out for these signs and symptoms among your birds. if you notice, kindly follow the above instructions. If possible, consult your vet. Thank you for reading!
