Chicken Diseases

Chickens are probably the least demanding and easygoing pets that you can ever have, no matter which chicken breed they belong to. As long as you feed them properly and give them their own hygienic space, they will not bother you at all. Unlike other pets who need constant care, attention, patting and pampering, chickens would want you to leave them alone most of the time! However, make sure that you give them their space and not space them out! Chickens are prone to many different types of poultry diseases, which if left unnoticed, may lead to the death of the chicken along with spreading the infection to other poultry animals as well.

List of Common Chicken Diseases

The table below will give you information about the different diseases that are commonly found in chickens, along with the respective causes and symptoms. Have a look!

Chicken Disease	Causes	Symptoms
Aspergillosis	Fungi Infection	Breathing problem Decrease in feed consumption Paralysis Skin color changes to bluish dark
Avian Influenza or Bird Flu	Virus Infection	Lesser production of eggs Respiratory distress Diarrhea Dark red/white spots on the legs and combs Secretion of blood tinged discharge from nostrils
Fowl Pox	Virus Infection	Lesions on un-feathered body areas Retarded growth Lesser production of eggs Un-thriftiness
Marek's Disease	Virus Infection	Paralysis Greenish diarrhea Irregular pupil shape or blindness Enlarged feather follicles Lameness and paleness Scaly combs Difficulty breathing
Botulism	Toxin	Paralysis Limped neck Feather follicles around the neck become loose
Salmonella	Bacterial Infection	Huddling Weakness Diarrhea Droopiness Feces are chalk white in color
Newcastle Disease	Virus Infection	Gasping Watery discharge from the nostrils Paralysis Twisted neck Swollen face Trembling
Lymphoid leukosis	Avian Leukosis Virus	Weakness Enlarged abdomen Greenish diarrhea Regression of the comb
Ulcerative Enteritis	Bacterial Infection	Lesser feed consumption Depression Dullness in feathers Watery droppings
Omphalitis	Umbilical Cord Stump	Dehydration Infection in the external navel Peritoneal inflammation with foul odor Skin edema on the ventral areas

Some other chicken diseases are:

• Infectious Bronchitis
• Infectious Coryza
• Infectious Laryngotracheitis
• Swollen Head Syndrome
• Infectious Bursal Disease
• Avian Encephalomyelitis
• Egg Drop Syndrome
• Fowl Cholera
• Necrotic Enteritis
• Staphylococcus

Symptoms Indicating Your Chicken is Sick

A healthy chicken would have clear eyes, shiny feathers, would eat properly and would move around frequently. The comb is healthy and gait is upright and alert. Mentioned below are the symptoms of an unhealthy chicken.

• Foul smell
• Presence of mites and lice
• Scaly legs
• Lesions on the chicken
• Constant weight loss
• Watery discharge from the nostrils
• Watery droppings
• Reduction in egg production
• Paralysis
• Breathing problems
• Paleness and weakness
• Sitting at a place and hardly moving around

Steps to Prevent Chicken Diseases

Providing your chickens with a healthy environment and taking care of minor things, which starts from learning how to raise chickens, would help you in preventing most of the chicken illnesses and diseases. Mentioned below are some steps that you can take to prevent the same.

• Provide them with freshwater and grains on a regular basis.
• Make sure that you provide the chickens with a well-balanced diet.
• Keep the chicken coops clean and dry.
• Make sure that the chickens have enough space to move around.
• The temperature at which the chicks are kept is also essential. It should not be less than 90 degrees F for the young ones.
• Be in touch with the local vet who is qualified to treat chicken diseases, and make it a point to get your chickens checked ones in a while, especially when you notice that they are acting unusual.

Chicken diseases can be taken care of and treated if diagnosed at an early stage. It is also advisable to keep a sick chicken away from the healthy ones as the disease may spread to the others as well.