Smallholder Egg Production Business Farmer Paper 9

Common Poultry Diseases & Management

We have got a number of different organisms which cause diseases, which are: Bacteria, Virus, Fungi,
Protozoa and Rickettsia. Diseases without treatment are mainly caused by viruses, and to control them
there is need to follow a vaccination programme

Name Symptoms Treatment Prevention/ control

Newcastle disease Dullness, coughing, sneezing
and gasping, respiratory signs
usually develop first, followed
by nervous signs,
characterised by dragging of
feet and wings. Early loss of
appetite results in greenish
diarrhoea, the most obvious
sign of ND is very sudden, very
high mortality.
Infectious Bronchitis Chicks: heavy mortality
And respiratory problems,
gurgling and wheezing
Adults: stop laying
Fowl-pox Wart like lesions on the head,
combs and wattles, yellow to
dark brown in colour
Internal lesions (wet pox) in
the mouth, windpipe yellow
white and cheesy in
appearance.
Coccidiosis Aqueous and bloody
diarrhoea
High mortality in young birds.
None Slaughter of sick and infected
birds.
Destroy carcasses.
Disinfection of houses by strong
disinfectants such as formaline.
Quarantine of imported birds.
Vaccinate all birds.
Bio security measures should be
put in place.
None Slaughter infected groups.
Disinfection of houses.
Chick vaccination.
Local antiseptics, Systematic vaccination
vitamin A and B
Antibiotic Terramycin Disinfection of houses,
Teranox separation of and adult birds.
Use of coccidiostats.

Infectious Bursal Disease
Infectious coryza
Affected birds are listless and
depressed, pale and huddling.
Sudden onset of depression.
White watery diarrhoea soiled
vents, off feed, ruffled
feathers, reluctant to move.
Eye and nasal discharge and
occasionally swollen face
None
Give antibiotic to
prevent secondary
bacterial infections
Antibiotic in drinking
water.
Disinfect contaminated housing
using formaldehyde and or
iodine containing compounds
such as betadine solution.
All in all out approach,
disinfection of unit, vaccination.

FOWL PARASITESFor many poultry diseases there is still no treatment.

Prevention is therefore the only option!

Form ZIM 144- FP04 Reuterstraße 159, 53115 Bonn / Germany, Tel.: +49/228 915290, Fax.: +49/228 915299
November 2014 4 Otto Drive, Chisipite, Harare / Zimbabwe, Tel/Fax: +263/4 885008, e-mail: ngwenya@help-ev.de
04 882533/32 Cell 0773 330 073
There are two types of parasites that affect the well being of fowls, these are internal and external
parasites.

Internal Parasites

These are found within the intestines and external as the name denotes operates from the outside the
bird's body.

Parasites have negative implications on poultry production. Internal parasites have a tendance of feeding
on already digested feed that is ready to be used by the bird's body. This results to stanted growth, ruffled
feathers, anorexia, bloody droppings and diarrhoea in severe situations. On serious occasions if left
unattended you can reach high levels of mortality.

Among these internal parasites, the most common are tapeworms(with flat, long and segmented body),
and round worms(cylindrical and elongate but shorter in comparison with the former). Under severe
conditions these parasites can be observed in faecal samples by naked eyes.

To control internal parasites one should follow the deworming programme. This should be done
considering rotation of drugs to avoid drug resistance by parasites.

External Parasites

These suck blood from the bird's body

• Stick fast fleas- they are dark brown in colour, usually observed sticking on the face around the eyes.

Control them by huku dust or apply little paraffin

•Fowl Tampan/soft tick- Most dangerous, belongs to the family of ticks. It stays in crackes by day and
during the night comes out to suck blood on the birds. Its hard to kill, avoid cracks on the fowlrun building.
Replaster the fowlrun to kill the parasite. Always clean and disinfect the fowlrun after every batch.

All other species of fleas and lice can be killed by huku dust.

Form ZIM 144- FP04 Reuterstraße 159, 53115 Bonn / Germany, Tel.: +49/228 915290, Fax.: +49/228 915299
November 2014 4 Otto Drive, Chisipite, Harare / Zimbabwe, Tel/Fax: +263/4 885008, e-mail: ngwenya@help-ev.de
04 882533/32 Cell 0773 330 073