Tips to Help You Prevent Killer Poultry Infections in 2021

First, we wish to start off by wishing you a happy new year. The previous year may have troubled your poultry farming but it is our prayer that 2021 will be kind enough to let you chase your dreams and succeed beyond your expectations.

To start us off this year at Poultry Farming Indepth is a compilation of these simple tips by poultry expert Okuta Ngura. Okuta is a renowned poultry farming expert supporting poultry farming across East Africa.

Here are simple farm practices that will help you prevent infections on your poultry farm. Remember, wading off infections will help you cut down on losses that may arise from the death of birds and medication expenses.

1. Always obtain hatching eggs and replacement stock for your flock from a reputable hatchery or dealer. A reputable dealer will most be known for healthy stock and well-vaccinated birds.

2. If possible, house chickens by age group, separating younger birds from older members of the flock. Young poultry require time to develop immunity. Older birds can easily harm the young ones.

3. Limit farm visitors’ access to your flock to prevent the spread of infectious agents. If a visitor would like to see your chickens, ask them to wear freshly laundered clothes and clean footwear and request that they avoid contact with any other birds the day of their visit.

4. Quarantine new flock members for at least three weeks. During this time, ask your veterinarian to visit your farm.

5. Provide clean living quarters for your flock. Remove manure frequently (both viruses and parasites are shed via feces), and immediately discard any feed or bedding that becomes wet. Coarse bedding is preferable to fine as it produces less dust.

6. Ensure good ventilation in buildings where you keep your flock.

7. After returning from agricultural shows quarantine chickens and other poultry for two to three weeks and monitor them closely for any signs of illness or disorders. The combination of a large group of birds and close quarters makes agricultural shows common sites for the transfer of communicable organisms, resulting in respiratory outbreaks.

In addition to practising good biosecurity, consider putting a vaccination program in effect with your flock. This is particularly valuable in preventing outbreaks of viral infection, for which there is no treatment.

Do you have any questions regarding this article? Kindly reach out to Okuta Ngura on +254729568151 for poultry consultancy.