As a general rule, Fowl cholera is usually associated with unhealthy living conditions. This disease is caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida. A fowl cholera outbreak is usually high during cold and wet weather. Fowl cholera has been traced down to the presence of rodents in the chicken coops. They spread the disease from dead birds to healthy birds. When they are in contact with improperly disposed of infectious chickens, they pass the causative organisms to healthy ones.
How to Tell Signs of Chicken Fowl Cholera
Signs of Chicken Fowl Cholera. Chickens can acquire disease if they are not well taken care of by their owners. Vaccinations are critical to Prevention. There is no breed of chickens that is not susceptible to diseases.
An unhealthy chicken will behave strangely and there are many causes. A normal hen that is not sick would scavenge for food.
While healthy chickens have bright eyes, unhealthy chickens will look dull and are less active with raffled feathers. Features you may notice are abnormal breathing, bloody stool, abnormal digestion, coughing, and abnormal-sized eggs.
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Types of Fowl Diseases
Domestic poultry is affected by different types of diseases. These diseases are either bacterial, viral or fungal that can be transmitted. When chickens drink contaminated water or dust bath in contaminated soil, they become susceptible to these diseases.
The most commonly affected avian species are chickens, turkeys, and waterfowls. Poultry diseases reduce the market value of chickens. The liver, heart, kidneys, intestine, and skin can also be affected by poultry diseases.
Abnormalities in Eggshells
which can lead to abortive eggs can also be caused by poultry diseases. Other symptoms to watch out for are tremors, arthritis, and nephrosis. In this article, we will be discussing fowl cholera and how the symptoms to look out in your poultry farm.
Poultry Fowl Cholera is an Infectious disease
that can lead to sudden and unexpected death in chickens, if not caught and addressed. Apart from your normal backyard chickens, this disease affects waterfowl and other avian species such as turkey.
that can lead to sudden and unexpected death in chickens, if not caught and addressed. Apart from your normal backyard chickens, this disease affects waterfowl and other avian species such as turkey.
If it’s not controlled after its manifestation, it will eventually lead to high morbidity and death rates. Death can even be the first sign fowl cholera if the lessons are majorly related to vascular injuries
Fowl cholera is usually associated with unhealthy living conditions. This disease is caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida. The fowl cholera outbreak is usually high during cold and wet weather. Fowl cholera has been traced down to the presence of rodents in the chicken coops.
They spread the disease from dead birds to healthy birds. When they are in contact with improperly disposed of infectious chickens, they pass the causative organisms to healthy ones. You should always try as much as possible to avoid rodents and other domestic animals from having access to your chicken coop.
If you want to avoid poultry diseases, it is important you get rid of rodents trying to access your backyard chicken farm. If you don’t get rid of them and the disease is introduced into your flock, your chickens will suffer the consequences as the disease is highly contagious.
A large amount of fowl cholera causative agent has been recorded in the do and water, wetlands are seen as short-term reservoirs. Fowl cholera surfaces in two entirely different forms: acute and chronic. Chronic fowl cholera is usually common in chickens.
It is characterized by a long illness with more localized infections. Chronic fowl cholera has been observed in turkeys.
Immediately the bacteria get introduced into susceptible flocks, an outbreak of the disease follows. Once your chickens are infected, they will die six to twelve hours after contracting the bacteria.
Turkeys
In the avian species, turkeys are more susceptible than chickens. Susceptibility in chickens depends on breeds. Some breeds are more susceptible than others. Older chickens are more susceptible than younger ones. In broiler-aged chickens, the disease is rare.
Clinical investigations depend on the course of the disease. The increased death rate is usually the first indication in acute cases.
In chickens that are affected by this disease, you would notice swelling of the face or wattles and cheesy discharge from the nostrils, eyes, and mouth. You may also notice depression and lameness
Symptoms of Cholera in Chickens
you should look out for in your chickens include diarrhea, anorexia, ruffled feathers, appetite deficiency, oral and nasal mucous discharge, cyanosis. Diarrhea manifests as a greenish watery stool.
There is also frequent hemorrhage in the anterior part of the small intestine. It also affects the gizzard and abdominal fat. Fowl cholera leads to follicle regression in layers. A lesion caused by this disease show hemorrhaging in the heart muscles.
It also leads to hepatomegaly- enlargement of the liver and splenomegaly- enlargement of the spleen. The liver of a fowl with cholera turns reddish-brown and develops whitish spots. When some of these features begin to manifest in your chickens, it is good you take drastic action as chickens find it hard to manage this type of disease.
In order to prevent this, you should always adopt good sanitation practices, it is just the key out. You should always keep your hen’s coop clean and dry. Always prevent stagnant water. Fowl cholera is a deadly disease but the good thing is that it is easily avoided among another known diseases. When this disease becomes chronic, it is characterized by localized inflammation.
| Fowl Cholera Symptoms | Methods of Prevention |
|---|---|
| Abnormal Breathing | Immunizations |
| Bloody Stool | Rodent Control |
| Coughing | Removal of Dead birds |
| Abnormal Size Eggs | Contaminated Water |
| Swelling of Face / Waddles | Cleaning and Disinfecting Between Flocks |
| Yellow Discharge | Keep Coups Dry |
| Diarrhea | |
| Ruffled feathers | |
| Depression | |
| Lameness | |
| Oral Discharge | |
| Change in feeding habits |
Prevention of Cholera in Chickens
To prevent fowl cholera from striking your good-feathered friends, you should always make sure they have regular immunization and good hygiene practice. In order to control this disease, you first of all have to eradicate it.
Good biosecurity practices are the cornerstone of prevention. Prevention also relies on good sanitation, rodent control, and thorough cleanout between flocks.
There are many local signs of fowl cholera is the injury of wattles that are distended with caseous content. The causative organism of this disease is stored in the nasal choanae of the chickens.
They contaminate the forage, environment, and water with their oral discharge. Fibrinous caseous content can sometimes develop into gangrene on the skin of the chickens.
When any of the chickens die, they should be taken to see a veterinarian. Testing for, and confirmation of, cholera will be needed to appropriately treat the part of the flock that is still living.
This disease, if not treated, can spread to other animals through contaminated soil as well as direct contact. The diagnosis of fowl cholera is on the basis of the disease history, clinical signs, lesions, and the results of bacteriological findings.
You will get a promising result if you are able to keep up with fowl immunization at the age of 8-12 weeks. Sulfonamides and antibiotics can decrease the death rate, but when you terminate treatment, the disease could reoccur.
You should not just jump into using sulfonamides for fowl treatment if your chickens are mainly for egg production because they inhibit egg-laying.
Early Detection of Chicken Cholera
In order to detect fowl cholera as early as possible, examinations, surveys, and constant monitoring of the poultry farm should be carried out always. Before you slaughter an infected chicken, you should contact a veterinarian.
The veterinarian as a specialist can suggest whether you proceed or take special measures. There is a drastic increase in this disease every year as a result of incorrect waste management. Through waste screening, efficient waste management can be ensured.
At steady intervals, you should monitor your poultry for health and growth rate. One general symptom of poultry diseases is dropping. You can also observe their feeding habits. When there is a decrease in feed consumption, you would know something is wrong somewhere and the next line of action calling a veterinarian to examine and survey them.
Fowl cholera is a big threat to the food industry because if it is not properly managed, it can affect humans. In order to prevent this from happening, slaughterhouses, poultry farms and consumers must practice healthy food habits.
Other avian diseases like chlamydiosis, bird flu, and salmonellosis can also be transmitted to humans. Usually, these diseases are treated with antibiotics. Remember that, if infected, it is necessary to get proper medical attention before it becomes too serious.
It is important to buy chicken, eggs, or other poultry products after checking the health of the poultry or making sure the products come from a reputable source.
Chlamydiosis, Bird Flu and Salmonellosis
are another chicken disease aside from fowl cholera that can be transmitted to humans. These diseases can be treated with antibiotics.
It is better to get medical attention when infected because if it becomes serious, it could result in other complications which will weaken the immune system and eventually lead to death.
As a poultry farmer, make sure your farm is well kept in order to avoid these diseases. Customers will stop patronizing you the moment they discover how dirty your chicken’s coop is.
The market value of poultry products can be seriously decreased by poultry diseases. To help in decreasing incidents of fowl cholera, they should be enforced rules for waste management.
Conclusion
Cholera in Chickens is a Fatal Disease, Prevention by good Chicken Husbandry and Vaccinations by your Vet will Minimize your risk to your Flocks
