After having addressed the issue of general chicken health last month, as promised we will dedicate ourselves to a brief excursus on the most common diseases of chickens . The topic would have a very wide scope, but here we will look briefly at the main pathologies that affect roosters and hens.
Diseases of viral origin
- New Castle’s disease>also defined as avian pseudopest , it manifests itself with gastrointestinal (green stools), nervous (total paralysis) and respiratory problems. It is a highly contagious disease with frequent fatal outcomes for chicken. The only way forward is prevention through vaccination .
- Alzheimer’s Marek>neural lymphomatous is transmitted from animal to animal is or even via the egg. The main symptoms are gastrointestinal (diarrhea), but mostly nervous. Strange contractions of the limbs and paralysis that progressively affects the various parts of the body are in fact the most frequent signals. It mainly affects younger specimens and the mortality rate is very high. Vaccination at a young age is the only remedy .
- Diphtheria or chickenpox>commonly we speak of smallpox if it manifests itself with skin ulcerations on the head (which can also lead to blindness), diphtheria if they also extend into the oral cavity . It is most often transmitted in summer through insect bites (or even with infection from other specimens). Preventive vaccine and iodine tincture are recommended to relieve ulcers.
Bacterial diseases
- Psittacosis>causes high fever , pneumonia , diarrhea and rapid weight loss. It is transmitted with feces and nasal and lacrimal secretions. It is very contagious and can also affect humans.
- Corzia infectious>is linked to unsuitable atmospheric and environmental agents, but it can also have an infectious nature. It is accompanied by cold- like symptoms (nasal blockages and secretions) and facial swelling . It is prevented with vaccination and treated with appropriate therapies.
- Cholera aviale>symptoms are drowsiness , diarrhea and blood in the stool , wattles cyanotic and tendency to hide their heads under their wings. It has incubation times of 1 or 2 days and contrasts with vaccines and other specific therapies.
Protozoal diseases: coccidiosis
The coccidia are protozoa (single-celled organisms) that settle in ‘ intestines of chickens causing serious disorders, especially in young people, can lead to death. The disease spreads with the faeces, but also suboptimal hygienic conditions and humidity facilitate the proliferation of these organisms.
The symptoms can be many, but it is not always guaranteed that they manifest themselves clearly. We mention some such as ruffled feathers , crouched positions , weight loss , bloody diarrhea and paralysis .
To combat it, there are vaccines and special drugs against coccidia, but a useful advice is also to keep the young specimens in a separate enclosure before putting them with the adult specimens: in this way they will gradually get used to these unwanted guests.
Parasitic infestations
- Endoparasites (worms)>is a frequent problem in cocks and hens. Worms are transmitted with faeces or through the ingestion of small invertebrates . They infest the gastrointestinal tract causing occlusions, injuries and in general weight loss and weakness. The problem is contrasted with anthelmintic drugs.
- Ectoparasites>There are many diseases and diseases of chickens caused by external parasites . We will mention only the 3 best known:
- Mange mite. It insinuates itself between the scales of the tarsi of cocks and henscausing scabs , swelling , itching , walking problems , up to compromising the general state of health. The treatment is represented by sprays or preparations of vaseline and sulfur to be applied to the paws until complete healing.
- Red mite. During the day it creeps into cracks in the chicken coop or perches , at night it attacks roosters, hens and chicks sucking their blood . They cause itching , anemia and in worst cases even lead to death. Although difficult to completely eradicate, the best remedy is to disinfect the entire chicken coop with special products.
- Pollen louse. Quite common parasite that causes hens to itch severely . It is fought with special sprays, by inserting tobacco or elderberry in the hen house (which acts as a repellent) and setting up sand baths outside the hen house.
