Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
• Nematodes, a type of roundworm
• Acanthocephalans, a thorny-headed worm
• Platyhelminthes, a flatworm
• Cestodes, a tapeworm
• Trematodes, a flukeworm that has external suckers so it can attach to the host body
Chickens will develop a resistance to parasites over time. These microbes exist in the poultry
world just as germs and common colds exist in the human world. When a chicken is ill or
stressed, it is more susceptible to suffering from the consequences of these infestations. Para-
sites can make your bird lose weight, cause breathing problems, and block the respiratory or-
gans and airway.
Parasites can be passed from chicken to chicken indirectly. An infected chicken can shed a
worm's eggs in its excrement. Chickens tend to eat feces, and they may ingest contaminated
chicken droppings. New worms will hatch in the chicken's intestines, making that chicken its
home and beginning the cycle again.
Sometimes, there is an intermediate host body. For instance, a grasshopper may eat the chick-
en droppings infested with the parasite's eggs. Then, a chicken may eat that grasshopper,
thereby ingesting the parasitic worm and starting a new cycle. This is why it is hard to prevent
parasites entirely, and at some point in your ownership of chickens, you will encounter this
problem. By keeping your chickens' home and environment clean, including their feed and
water, you will be able to keep most illnesses at bay. Like children, chickens will get sick
from time to time. By educating yourself and spending time with your chickens, you will be
able to catch any signs of sickness in your flock. Early detection will help care for them and
potentially save their lives.
Mites and lice
Parasitic worms live inside a host's body, whereas mites and lice live outside the body. Their
damage can cause mild irritation, infection, and possibly death. They carry diseases from bird
to bird. If not treated immediately, external parasites spread quickly. Their ability to multiply,
compounded with the fact they are microscopic, makes it difficult to maintain control of these
parasites.
Mites are more active at night, which is a good time to check your birds. They come in a vari-
ety of types:
