A Simple Guide to Managing Village Poultry in South Africa/Health
From Poultry Hub
Health
- Cleanliness is the key to healthy chickens. Only healthy birds will lay many eggs and grow well.
- To keep birds healthy, you must provide them with clean water. Clean the water and feed troughs and clean the hen house often.
- Birds should be inspected daily to see if any are sick.
- Sick birds should be removed from the rest of the flock and housed separately and given fresh water and extra food. If they are small they should be kept warm and dry. If they do not recover in 4 - 5 days you must kill and bury them far away.
- A young sick bird will not eat. It will have puffed up feathers and may have wet and bloody droppings. Old, sick birds may have dirty feathers around the vent (backside). There may be sores on the comb and wattles. Some birds may not be able to walk well. Weak legs and curled toes may be the problem. If they cannot walk well you should kill them, as they will eventually die anyway.
- Any chicken that dies should be removed immediately and burnt or buried. Do not eat it because it may make your family ill.
- Your poultry must be kept healthy if they are to grow well and lay many eggs. Some diseases are in your village all the time and your birds must be protected by vaccination.
- Newcastle Disease can suddenly kill off all your birds and it is very important to vaccinate against this disease before they get sick. You will need to get information from the local poultry advisory officer about vaccinating the birds. If you don’t, you may suddenly lose your entire flock.
- In the case of several sick birds, you should seek advice immediately from someone who is an expert on poultry diseases. You may then have to try special medicine for your birds.
See Also
- A Simple Guide to Managing Village Poultry in South Africa - Background & Introduction
- A Simple Guide to Managing Village Poultry in South Africa - Housing
- A Simple Guide to Managing Village Poultry in South Africa - Breeding and Hatching
- A Simple Guide to Managing Village Poultry in South Africa - Rearing and Management
- A Simple Guide to Managing Village Poultry in South Africa - Feeding
