Chickens are sensitive poultry, prone to many infectious diseases and illnesses caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites, especially under intensive farming conditions. Vemedim will share practical and effective disease prevention techniques for chickens to help farmers proactively build and maintain a healthy flock, minimizing disease risks through the content below.
Common diseases in chickens
Mastering disease prevention techniques for chickens is a key factor in maintaining the health and stable productivity of farmers. Chickens are susceptible to disease, especially under intensive farming conditions. Some common diseases that seriously affect the health and productivity of chickens include:
- Hepatitis: Usually appears in chicks under 6 weeks old, caused by the hepatitis virus. The disease spreads rapidly through the digestive and respiratory tracts or through eggs from mother to offspring.
- Septicemia: This disease is caused by the bacterium Riemerella anatipestifer, occurs in all age groups but is most common in chicks 1-8 weeks old, especially in humid weather and prolonged rain. It spreads through the respiratory and digestive tracts or through scratches on the skin.
- Coccidiosis: A common parasitic disease caused by Eimeria species, affecting the digestive tract, causing diarrhea, stunted growth, reduced feed intake, and increased risk of death.
- Avian influenza and Newcastle disease are dangerous viral diseases that spread quickly, with symptoms including fever, weight loss, watery eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, convulsions, and mass death if preventive vaccination is not administered.
- CRD, or chronic respiratory disease: A chronic disease caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum, leading to serous fibrinous inflammation of the nasal mucosa, upper respiratory tract mucosa, and air sacs.
- Fowl cholera: An acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Pasteurella aviseptica, often occurring during the rainy season and transitional weather periods.
>> See more:
- CRD disease: Causes and effective prevention methods
- Causes and effective prevention and treatment of Newcastle disease
Disease prevention techniques for chickens
Effective disease prevention in chickens requires a combination of measures including hygiene, environmental management, nutritional supplementation, and strengthening resistance, etc. Specifically:
Building the poultry house
The poultry house should be built in a high, level, and well-drained location to avoid flooding during the rainy season. The house orientation should be suitable to reduce drafts and avoid direct sunlight entering the house.
The poultry house must be cleaned with Vemedim BKC (GSGC), ensuring ventilation and sufficient oxygen for the chickens. Installing barriers made of mesh or bamboo wood helps prevent the intrusion of animals such as rats, reducing the risk of disease transmission and damage.
Brooding method
During the young chick stage, a brooding cage should be used to ensure the best development. The floor should be lined with 7-10 cm of rice husks, enclosed with bamboo matting or similar materials, with a suitable size of about 2m x 1m, a cage height of 0.5 m, enough to hold 100 chicks.
Lighting must be evenly distributed to avoid crowding the chicks in one place. Use one infrared bulb or 1-2 75W bulbs for 100-200 chicks to keep warm and stabilize the temperature in the brooding cage.
Preparing feeders and drinkers
For chicks from 4-14 days old, separate feeders should be used; from 15 days old, hanging feeders can be used to save space and reduce disease transmission. Drinkers should be placed alternately with feeders, with clean water changed 2-3 times a day to ensure hygiene and meet the chicks' water needs for growth.
Selecting chicken breeds
Choosing high-quality chicks is an important step in creating a healthy flock. Standard chicks have straight, sturdy legs, are agile, have no curled toes, bright round eyes, fluffy feathers covering the body, a dry navel, and a soft abdomen. The source of the chicks must be clear and purchased from reputable facilities to reduce disease and ensure future productivity.
Care and feeding
The most suitable time to move chickens is early morning and late afternoon. During this time, the chickens are brooded and supplemented with vitamin C using Vemedim Aminovit along with electrolytes Vemedim Vime Tax T to enhance resistance. Two-day-old chicks can be fed cracked feed or finely ground corn; from day 3 onward, switch to industrial feed or mixed pellets.
Feed should be mixed daily with coccidiosis prevention medication, while ensuring the poultry house remains hygienic. Use metal or plastic trays, provide only a small amount of feed sufficient for the chickens to consume, and combine adequate minerals, vitamins, protein, and green vegetables. The water source for the chickens must be clean and supplied in sufficient quantities according to their daily needs.
Hygiene and disease prevention
To ensure flock health, the poultry house, feeders, and surrounding area must be cleaned regularly, following the three-clean principle: clean feed, clean housing, clean water. Implement disease prevention and treatment measures, including vaccination against avian influenza and coccidiosis, especially for free-range chickens. Periodic sanitation with Vemedim Disina and disease control help limit outbreak risks and reduce economic losses.
Chicken vaccination procedure
When administering vaccines by injection, drops, or oral dosing, it is necessary to ensure that the chickens are not sick and that weather conditions are stable. Before vaccination, chickens should be supplemented with vitamin C and electrolytes to improve resistance. The vaccine must be diluted with distilled water, saline solution, or a specialized diluent, combined with skim milk to ensure the best immune effectiveness.
When farmers apply the above disease prevention techniques for chickens in a synchronized manner, they not only protect the flock from disease but also contribute to increased productivity, reduced costs, and improved farming efficiency. Good control of factors and early detection of abnormal symptoms, followed by timely intervention, will help farmers limit disease spread and economic losses. If you need further support, please contact Vemedim for consultation.
