Common diseases of laying hens and methods of treatment

Pathogenic microorganisms are of particular danger to chickens, since they have a fragile, incompletely formed immune system. Therefore, in order to grow a strong healthy livestock, strong young chickens, poultry farmers must know which drugs should be used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. What are the symptoms of poultry infections? How and how to treat diseases of laying hens at home?

How do chickens become infected with viruses and bacteria?

A large number of pathogenic strains of viruses, bacteria, microbes inhabit the environment, which provoke diseases and infections of various etiologies in poultry. When entering a weakened, depleted organism, pathogenic agents spread through the bloodstream to various organs and systems, multiply rapidly, causing serious harm to the health of chickens.

Bird diseases are classified into:

Infection occurs by aerogenic contact, when eating feed contaminated with bacterial flora. Dangerous bacteria (coccidia) can be found on bedding in chicken coops, in drinking water in drinking bowls. It is worth noting that from one infected individual, the entire chicken population is gradually infected. Some birds, without showing obvious clinical signs of disease, are latent virus carriers and can infect healthy individuals.

Important! Viral and bacterial diseases, highly contagious infections of chickens can cause mortality among poultry up to 95-100%. In addition, some infections pose a danger to humans, therefore, if a disease is suspected, the treatment of chickens should be comprehensive and timely.

The main symptoms of diseases in chickens

The most dangerous diseases of chickens and their treatment should be known to everyone who decides to breed poultry. Among the main reasons for the appearance of infectious diseases can be identified: lack of hygiene in poultry houses, unbalanced diet, feeding chickens, hens with low-quality feed. The risk group includes emaciated, weakened birds, young animals with a fragile immune system. Outbreaks of most infections are most often noted in winter, in early spring. During this period, the bird does not receive enough vitamins, the overall resistance of the body decreases.

The main manifestations of infectious, bacterial, parasitic diseases in birds:

lag in growth, development;
decreased activity, drowsiness;
loss of appetite, refusal to eat;
increased thirst;
increase in overall temperature;
pallor, cyanosis, redness of mucous membranes, scallop;
vomiting, diarrhea, constipation;
the appearance of wheezing, uncharacteristic "croaking" sounds;
violation of respiratory function;
catarrhal, purulent, mucous discharge from the eyes;
pollution of down, tail feathers;
violation of digestive processes;
poor condition of feathers.

If the chicken is sick, you can determine its condition by a change in behavior, appearance. In an infected bird, the severity of characteristic symptoms depends on the form, type, stage of the disease, and the general condition of the body.

Infectious diseases

Infection of birds with an infection occurs when viruses, bacteria, pathogenic protozoa enter their body. Infectious diseases of poultry are dangerous for both chicks and adult birds. In case of diseases of laying hens, it is necessary to immediately begin the correct treatment aimed at eliminating clinical symptoms.

Important! Unfortunately, not all infectious diseases that chickens suffer from can be treated. In some cases, the infection causes the complete death of the entire livestock.

Infectious diseases of chickens:

pullorosis;
pasteurellosis;
collibacteriosis;
coccidosis;
viral gastroenteritis;
Newcastle disease;
smallpox;
Gumboro disease;
chicken typhus;
infectious bronchitis (nephrosonephritis);
tuberculosis.

Most of these infections are characterized by fulminant, rapid development, a pronounced clinical picture. In laying hens, chickens with infectious diseases, a sharp increase in temperature, severe weakness, drowsiness, and impaired coordination are noted. The bird does not eat, foamy, mucous discharges are noticeable from the beak. The chicken does not rise to its feet. Dry crusts of a yellowish-grayish color appear on the eyelids. The bird is very thirsty, makes wheezing, indistinct "croaking" sounds.

Chicken infectious diseases may also have other manifestations.

When observing the first clinical symptoms in domestic chickens, it is necessary to immediately prescribe adequate therapeutic therapy.

Colibacteriosis: symptoms and treatment

Colibacillosis is an infectious disease that is diagnosed not only in chickens, but also in other types of poultry. The infection is caused by E. coli, which affects many internal organs. In young animals, colibacillosis occurs in a subacute, acute form. An adult chicken suffers the disease most often chronically and may be a latent carrier of the virus. Treatment of sick chickens with infectious diseases should be comprehensive, timely.

Symptoms of colibacillosis:

apathy, lethargy, depression;
lack of appetite;
profuse diarrhea, green-yellow fetid diarrhoea;
shortness of breath, shortness of breath, wheezing;
temperature increase.

The disease is transmitted to humans, so if a chicken is sick with a similar infection, treatment should be prescribed immediately. From one individual, the entire brood of birds can become infected.

Treatment. At the first signs of colibacillosis, sick chickens are prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics, usually penicillin, cephalosporin, and ampicillin. A very good result is noted in the treatment of birds with biomycin, terramycin. Antibacterial drugs are added to drinking water, mixed with food. Feed chickens, chickens for 3-5 days. It is worth soldering the medicine with the entire livestock of poultry.

Treatment of sick individuals is carried out until the complete disappearance of the clinical symptoms of an infectious disease. As an additional agent, sulfadimyzine in an aerosol can be prescribed.

Treatment of infected chickens, laying hens, roosters is also carried out with sarafloxalin, enterofloxalin, ampicillin. Since antibiotics have a negative effect on the liver, intestinal microflora, after therapeutic therapy, enzymes, immunomodulators, and probiotics are used for normalization.

The cured bird should be eliminated, kept in quarantine for some time. You should not keep healthy individuals in the same house, in the same area with chickens that have all the signs of infection.

Prevention of a viral disease implies compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules.

pasteurellosis

Pasteurellosis is a disease of infectious etiology that is very dangerous for the life and health of poultry. In chickens, chickens proceeds in an acute, subacute, less often chronic form. The virus is carried mainly by rodents, as well as recently recovered birds. Infection occurs by contact, alimentary way. The risk group includes chickens up to 2-3 months of age, small chickens in the first weeks of life.

Symptoms:

yellow fecal masses of a mushy consistency;
a slight increase in temperature;
pallor of mucous membranes;
strong thirst;
labored breathing;
complete lack of appetite;
sudden weight loss;
cyanosis of scallops;
mucous discharge from the nose.

In chickens, coordination of movements is disturbed, eyes are very swollen. Possible profuse frothy vomiting, profuse frothy fetid green diarrhea with blood impurities. A sick bird becomes inactive, sleeps most of the time, not reacting to external stimuli. The virus infects the internal organs, the liver.

Treatment. Unfortunately, treatment can only be effective in the earliest stages of the disease. Assign sulfa drugs, sulfamethazine, which need to drink the bird from 5 to 8 days. Additionally, vitamin and mineral premixes, supplements, immunomodulators, and hepatoprotectors are prescribed to poultry.

In most cases, when making an accurate diagnosis of pasteurellosis, it is best to kill the infected bird. At the first suspicion of an infection, we recommend that individuals be closed in an isolated room. Healthy individuals should not come into contact with infected chickens.

The virus is very resistant to various environmental factors, disinfectants, antibiotics. Preserved on litter, in litter, feed, drinking water, bird carcasses. The corpses of chickens sick with pasteurellosis are disposed of, burned.

In order to prevent infection of the bird with a dangerous infection, for the purpose of prevention, veterinarians recommend immunizing the entire brood of poultry with anti-rachitis serum. It is equally important to comply with sanitary and hygienic requirements, timely carry out preventive deratization in chicken coops, premises in which birds are kept.

Pulloroz

A viral disease of chickens and other bird species, which is characterized by inflammatory processes, lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. The disease affects both young and adults. If chickens are born from a laying hen with pullorosis, they are infected with a deadly infection from the first days. Chicks are born weak, exhausted, unviable.

Pullorosis in chickens occurs in an acute, chronic form, which can last a bird's life.

Symptoms:

pallor of mucous membranes, bluish scallops;
intoxication, sudden weight loss, severe exhaustion;
lowered wings;
changes in chick behavior;
fever in the early stages of the disease;
violation of normal coordination of movements;
mushy, watery, frothy, yellow or greenish stools;
shortness of breath, rapid shallow breathing.

As a rule, having noticed the first symptoms, veterinarians, experienced poultry farmers begin to act immediately, as soon as it becomes clear that the bird is sick. The sooner treatment is prescribed, the more likely it is to save the infected bird and prevent the death of the entire chicken population.

If pullorosis is suspected, sick individuals are separated from the rest of the birds and placed in quarantine. Healthy young animals should not be with infected birds, since the infection spreads among birds at lightning speed. How to treat pullorosis?

Treatment. Therapeutic therapy involves complex antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics are given to birds, biomycin, neomycin are added to feed, drinking water. In addition, furazolidone can be additionally added to the feed. The medicine can be given to sick and healthy birds for prevention.

Dosage, frequency of administration, duration of therapeutic therapy is prescribed by the attending veterinarian. Adhere to the recommended dosage, which is indicated in the annotation to the medicinal products.

Bird flu

A viral disease that occurs in poultry in a very severe form. The causative agent affects the organs of the digestive, respiratory tract. In chickens, laying hens, the disease occurs most often in an acute form. Among the main symptoms are:

labored breathing;
temperature increase;
drowsiness, apathy, lethargy;
cyanosis of scallops, earrings;
anemic mucous;
purulent, catarrhal discharge from the eyes;
cough, rhinitis.

Important! Avian influenza is the only disease of infectious etiology that practically does not affect chickens up to 15–20 days of age. Adult chickens are at risk and can catch the disease as a result of severe hypothermia.

If it is suspected that laying hens or young animals are infected with avian influenza, the bird is usually killed. The corpses of sick individuals are burned. Carry out a comprehensive disinfection of chicken coops, inventory.

Newcastle disease (Newcastle disease)

One of the most common infectious diseases of chickens, which is very often diagnosed in veterinary practice in young and adult birds. The infection affects the entire body, disrupting the functioning of internal organs and systems. In laying hens, chickens that are ill in an acute form, malfunctions in the functioning of the central nervous system, digestive organs, and urinary tract are noted.

The infected bird is severely emaciated and weakened. Among the main symptoms can be noted:

impaired coordination of movements;
lowering of the wings;
increased thirst;
lack of a swallowing reflex;
blue scallop, anemic mucous membranes;
wheezing, croaking sounds made by a sick bird;
refusal of food, violation of digestive processes.

If the chicken is accurately diagnosed with Newcastle disease, then the infected bird is burned, the corpses are disposed of, since no treatment has been developed. For prevention purposes, there are special means for birds, but they do not provide 100% protection against infection. The main prevention is the correct balanced feeding, compliance with the rules of hygiene and sanitation.

Infection of healthy individuals occurs through close contact with an infected bird. The carriers of the infection are rodents, sick birds, bloodsucking insects, food contaminated with bacteria, water.

In patients with smallpox, chickens note:

corneal lesions;
poor condition of the feather cover;
exhaustion, apathy, weakness;
the presence of pathological skin growths;
the presence of red, brown, small in diameter scaly spots;
labored breathing.

When swallowing, the bird experiences discomfort, pain, does not eat. Perhaps fever, severe thirst, drowsiness.

Therapeutic therapy is effective only at the initial stage of infection of birds with smallpox. Apply in a complex means for external, internal use. The affected areas on the skin are wiped with a 3-5% solution of furacilin, 2% boric acid. Rashes are lubricated twice a day with glycerin, galazolin. Assign complex systemic antibacterial agents.

Gumboro disease

One of the most terrible, incurable infections that a laying hen can get. All internal organs, systems of the bird's body are affected, including lymph nodes, muscle structures, in which multiple hemorrhages are noticeable. The disease proceeds without any pronounced clinical symptoms. Initial diagnosis is difficult.

Most often, Gumboro disease occurs in hens under the age of 5 months. On the fifth day after the onset of symptoms, the infected bird dies. Treatment is not provided. A sick bird goes to the slaughter.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis of chickens, chickens is a deadly, zooanthroponotic infection that affects poultry of any age. Infection from individuals infected with tubercle bacillus can be transmitted to humans. Bacteria are localized in the lungs, upper respiratory tract of an infected bird.

In chickens, laying hens, body temperature rises. The bird is very weak, does not eat, is exhausted. Earrings, scallop pale, cyanotic. A sick bird quickly loses weight. When the dead carcasses are opened, tubercles are visible on the lungs - small dense nodules.

Treatment of birds with tuberculosis has not yet been developed. The carcasses of dead individuals are disposed of, burned. Chicken coops and poultry houses are being disinfected.

Worm infestations

A strong helminthic invasion can cause blockage, intestinal obstruction, and provoke intoxication of the body. Young growth loses weight, does not eat, lags far behind in growth and development from their healthy peers. In laying hens, egg production is reduced.

Noncommunicable diseases

Important! Non-infectious diseases of laying hens appear most often in winter. The reason is a poor-quality diet, lack of lighting, lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet.

In the pathogenesis of non-communicable diseases lies hypo-, beriberi, unbalanced diet, poor-quality nutrition, feeding birds with low-grade green fodder. Non-communicable diseases occur against the background of weakened immunity, due to the lack of proper hygiene and sanitation in chicken coops.

Chickens, young poultry are at risk. Dangerous lack of lighting, improperly equipped ventilation, non-compliance with zoohygienic standards.

When feeding poultry with low-quality feed, individuals do not receive the required amount of minerals, vitamins, bacteria accumulate in the goiter, forming an obstruction. A sick chicken has difficulty swallowing food. In laying hens, egg production is significantly reduced. Young growth is weakening, not gaining weight, lagging behind in development. The body does not absorb nutrients from food.

The death of infected birds occurs instantly. At the same time, the characteristic symptoms of the disease are not always clearly expressed.

Among the most common non-contagious diseases of chickens, they are diagnosed with atony goiter, gastroenteritis, dyspepsia (indigestion), cloacitis, bronchopneumonia of non-infectious etiology, keratoconjunctivitis, hypo-, beriberi.

Disease prevention

To prevent the development of viral and bacterial infections, poultry farmers should consult with veterinarians regarding preventive manipulations. Think over the diet of poultry, provide birds with high-quality feed, create optimal conditions for keeping.

If the bird is sick, does not eat, there are other clinical symptoms, signs of infectious diseases are noticeable, in order not to miss precious time, not having one hundred percent certainty in the diagnosis, we recommend contacting veterinarians, ornithologists. If incurable infections are suspected, sick birds are eliminated.