Infectious Diseases

24.1 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Many infectious diseases in poultry can be prevented by proper sanitation and hygiene. In general, flocks which are kept separate have fewer health problems than those that mix with other flocks. To prevent almost all infectious diseases in chickens, the following rules apply:

 Prevent contact with other chickens.

 Never allow strangers/visitors inside the chicken house.

 Bury all dead chickens immediately, kill and remove weak, sick chickens from flock.

Some infectious diseases are passed from generation to generation through the egg. These are called, “egg transmitted diseases.” Even though the egg may look and taste normal, microorganisms may be there which can infect the chick. To prevent such diseases, it is necessary to test the hens. If the tests show that the hen is carrying the disease, even if she looks healthy, her eggs should not be saved for hatching.