By Umar Nsubuga
Chicken diseases or pest worms are a menace but are usually overlooked by most poultry keepers. Worms feed on the food that you give the birds. They also irritate the intestinal system interrupting normal digestion.
Jackson Male who owns a local farm says this often leads to diarrhoea. Some worms also suck blood. In the end, the birds develop what is termed secondary malnutrition.
He says the birds may have all the proper food and in the correct quantities, but the worms will make them appear ill-fed. De-worm your flock regularly.
New castle disease
Male says this disease is highly fatal causing heavy losses. It attacks chicken of all ages. It is transmitted by contact between birds. It is also spread through water and feeds. There is no cure.
Peter Mubiru, a veterinary doctor says vaccination of birds from the first day of life creates immunity to the disease.
Repeated vaccinations continue in the later life of the bird. Contact a local veterinary officer to work out a vaccination regime for your farm.
Coccidiosis
According to Mubiru, this is a disease that mainly affects young chicks. It is transmitted through the droppings of infected birds. The main sign is bloody droppings. The disease can kill more than half of the young birds.
The birds reduce on feed intake then become thin and die.
Mubiru advises farmers to ensure that the chicken house is kept dry because wetness increases the chances of infection. Place a wire mesh above the floor, so that the droppings fall through to the ground, leaving the birds dry.
The birds can be treated with drugs from the farm supply shop. Contact the veterinary officer for guidance. Several other diseases may affect your flock, but the above-mentioned are the most dangerous.
If good hygiene, medication and feeding are closely followed, there is no reason why you should not harvest lots of earnings from your birds after six.
