How to treat diarrhea in broiler chickens

Content

1 Causes of diarrhea in broilers
2 We recognize the disease by the color of diarrhea
3 Conclusion

Today, many farmsteads raise poultry, including broilers. As a rule, they buy small chickens that still have weak immunity, so they often get sick. Owners need to know how to help them in a difficult situation.

One of the most common problems is diarrhea. Moreover, the color of feces can be different, therefore, the cause of the occurrence is not the same. So you need to know how to treat diarrhea in chickens broilers in a specific case. We will try to talk about the features of diarrhea and the principles of caring for young animals.

Causes of diarrhea in broilers

Diarrhea in broiler chickens is a fairly common disease. The cause of its occurrence may be non-infectious, as well as a consequence of some kind of infection. Regardless of the nature of diarrhea, it must be diagnosed as soon as possible and treatment started in a timely manner. It should not be delayed, since the disease, if caused by an infection, spreads quickly and can destroy the entire bird flock.

So, if you see loose stool in broiler chickens, find out what is causing it. The reason could be:

in low-quality feed;
in infection.

Other causes of diarrhea

In addition to poor quality food or infection, diarrhea can be caused by other factors.Once you correct the situation, diarrhea goes away on its own:

changing dry food to wet mash;
stressful state of the bird after a fright or nervous breakdown;
colds or hypothermia due to drafts;
smoking in the poultry house also has a harmful effect on the intestines;
ingestion of poisonous plants into food causes intoxication, and, as a consequence, diarrhea in broiler chickens;
feeding from copper or galvanized dishes;
unsanitary conditions in the chicken coop.

As you can see, the list of non-infectious causes of diarrhea in broiler chickens is quite long. If you eliminate the above reasons, you can raise a healthy bird population.

Symptoms

In many cases, the cause of diarrhea can be recognized by the color of the stool and the following symptoms:

lethargy and apathy;
stool becomes white, green, or brown, sometimes with clots of mucus and blood;
broilers droop their wings, feathers become untidy;
sit motionless most of the time due to swelling of the paws;
sometimes the chickens' body temperature rises;
The cloaca sometimes even swells, and the area around it is constantly wet,

Any diarrhea causes chickens to become weak, they stop drinking and eating, resulting in dehydration, intoxication, and, as a result, death.

Determining the cause of diarrhea in broiler chickens is not easy even for experienced poultry farmers, so at the first signs and symptoms you need to contact a veterinarian.

Actions before the specialist arrives

Unfortunately, the reality is that the veterinary service in Russia does not work very well. Moreover, not every locality has veterinary hospitals. Therefore, it is not always possible to wait for an ambulance from a specialist. It's good if it arrives the next day.But you can’t tell broiler chickens about this, you can’t make them wait. You have to provide first aid yourself.

What should the owner of sick poultry do at the first sign of diarrhea in chickens:

Firstly, regardless of the nature and color of the diarrhea, suspicious chicks are transferred to another room.
Secondly, disinfect the feeders and drinking bowls, fill them with clean food and water. All succulent and wet food should be excluded from the diet and only grain should be given.
Thirdly, disinfection must also be carried out in the chicken coop where sick birds have been identified.

Well, of course, you need to observe the chickens to determine the color of the diarrhea, because it can suggest the cause of the disease and methods of treatment.

While the veterinarian is examining chicken droppings for infection, preventive measures need to be taken:

Give the chickens a solution of potassium permanganate or add an absorbent - activated carbon - to their drink.
Add chalk, gravel, and shells to the feeders.
Feed with fermented milk products, give probiotics.
Prepare wet food with rice water.
To prevent helminths, inject special medications.

Comment! Infectious diseases associated with diarrhea in chickens and adult chickens are dangerous not only for birds, but also for humans: you need to work in special clothes, which are taken off when leaving the chicken coop.

If it is not possible to cure chickens, and the number of sick poultry increases, it is best to destroy the flock, disinfect and burn the premises. Buy new chickens after some time.

We recognize the disease by the color of diarrhea

By the color of feces, you can determine the type of infection in broiler chickens and then decide how to treat:

Green, brown and white diarrhea can be caused by avian typhus or pulporesis. If the disease is not recognized and the chickens are not given the necessary medications, they may die within a week.
Yellow diarrhea can be caused by worms.
With pasteurellosis - avian cholera, the stools are green with small blood clots.
Brown stool with bloody spots may be the cause of coccidiosis.
Foamy diarrhea is observed with salmonellosis.

White diarrhea and its treatment

Liquid white stool in hens and chicks most likely indicates that the chickens are infected with Salmonella. The carriers of the infection are adult chickens, which infect the young.

Evidence of illness in chickens, in addition to diarrhea, is:

behavior unusual for chickens - slow movements, motionless image;
difficulty breathing, because of this the beak is always open;
slow growth.

Treating whitish diarrhea in broilers on poultry farms is unprofitable, because everything takes at least 21 days. In private backyards, chickens and hens are given sulfonamide drugs to combat the disease. Healthy and sick birds are kept separately and their condition is carefully monitored.

If the diarrhea is brown

Brown or dark brown stool is not always evidence of infection. Sometimes diarrhea can be caused by poor quality food. But you shouldn’t rely on this, because brown stool can be a signal that broiler chickens are seriously ill with coccidiosis. This is a disease of the warm season, and infection occurs through dirty bedding and dishes.

Diarrhea is accompanied by the following symptoms:

slowness of movement, most often the chickens sit motionless, ruffled;
the wings droop and the plumage becomes unkempt;
chickens eat poorly or refuse food altogether, but they drink water constantly;
the comb and beard turn pale due to anemia and dehydration;
mucus or bloody clots may appear in the stool;
Chickens have a fever due to diarrhea.

The appearance of blood is a most dangerous symptom, indicating that the intestinal mucosa is beginning to deteriorate; active treatment must be started.

If brown diarrhea is not accompanied by the symptoms mentioned above, then the appearance blood in stool is not associated with infection, but a consequence of injury to the cloaca, intestines, or the cause is improper feeding.

Treatment

Sick broiler chickens should be treated for coccidiosis immediately, because the disease develops quickly and death occurs within 5 days. To verify the disease, dead birds are autopsied.

If broiler chickens have brown, white or yellow diarrhea, treatment is most often carried out with antibiotics.

So for coccidiosis they use:

Cocciprodine;
Avatek 15% CC. It is given as a preventive measure from 0 to 4 months. Brown diarrhea in chickens is also treated with the same remedy;
Baycox;
Coccidiovit;
Madicox.
Amprolium 30%;
Metronidazole;
Trichopolum.

These drugs are prescribed by a veterinarian, who also explains the method of use. Any medicine must be strictly dosed. It is unacceptable to treat with the same medicine for a long time, since chickens quickly get used to it. For greater effect, drugs need to be alternated.

We raise healthy chickens:

Conclusion

Raising broilers at home is a profitable business. You can provide your family with healthy meat and eggs (although broilers are not known for their egg production).After all, feeding is carried out with natural food without any chemical additives. But you can get healthy chickens and roosters if you follow sanitary standards and buy high-quality feed.