Experts in the poultry industry have time and time again emphasised that chickens should always be kept healthy, and their productivity should be a priority. This ranges from commerial layers, to broilers and broiler breeders.
In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, Retha Engels, technical advisor at Meadow Feeds, joins us to break down some of the more common chicken diseases, treatments, and overall standard practice all farmers should know and understand from the onset of their operation.
According Engels, biosecurity is of utmost importance for the health of chickens and any farm’s profitability. In the episode she explains why chickens commonly suffer from a variety of diseases and health conditions. These include parasitic diseases, nutritional or behavioural.
“Infectious diseases tend to be the most common as the spirit of relative ease between the chickens,” she says.
“Infectious diseases can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi, and they can affect the respiratory, nervous reproductive or immune systems of chickens.”
Engels further explains that a majority of the diseases can be treated with proper nutrition and a great feeding program. She shares more details in the episode.
Unpacking behavioural patterns, Engels explains that issues can be caused by birds being overly stressed. Symptoms she says include aggression, picking up feathers and other birds, eating eggs, and even cannibalism.
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Option 3: Click here to listen on Google Podcast.
ALSO READ: Chicken farm guide: Preparing the poultry house
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