Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Symptoms: Tremors will occur and paralysis. Death is quick.
Causes: Contaminated food and water.
Treatment: There is no vaccine but you can treat sick birds with Epsom salts dissolved in 1
ounce of warm water. The bird should have this several times a day. Food and water should
be changed every day and the contamination can be cleaned with disinfectant.
Fowl Cholera
Symptoms: This disease affects birds over 4 months. They have swollen joints with green
or yellowish colored diarrhea.
Causes: Wild birds, raccoons and rats carry this disease. It can be carried on contaminated
shoes and clothing.
Treatment: It is fatal and any bird that contracts it should be killed as they will become a
carrier. Take care of contaminated clothes and shoes and have a covered run to keep wild
birds and animals out.
Infectious Bronchitis
Symptoms: The chicken will be wheezing, sneezing and have watery excretion from nose
and eyes.
Causes: It is a viral disease.
Treatment: It is very contagious and will result in 50% death rate in chicks. Vaccine should
be given to the chickens when they are 15 weeks. The hens will stop egg-laying.
Infectious Coryza
Symptoms: Chickens will have swollen heads, wattles and combs. The eyes can be so
swollen that they are shut and sticky discharge is oozing from eyes and nose.
Causes: Other contaminated birds, surfaces and the air.
Treatment: The birds will need to be destroyed.
Marek's Disease
Symptoms: Chickens under 20 weeks are infected. Tumors both externally and internally
are present. Paralysis is also seen plus irises of the eyes will turn grey.
