1. NEWCASTLE DISEASE
Newcastle disease is probably the most important disease for poultry farmers around the world. This is a production disease that causes a large number of deaths in chickens and huge losses to farmers and the industry
Because there is no treatment and the disease spreads so quickly, sick chickens should be slaughtered immediately
This disease is caused by a virus
Signs in sick chickens
A large number of chickens will die suddenly without any of the following apparent causes:
Depression
Nervous signs
Sneezing, swollen eyes, difficulty in breathing
Diarrhoea
Death
Treatment
There is NO treatment for the disease and all the chickens may die within a few days. Very few chickens survive
It is best to prevent the diseases by good management and a vaccination programme
Your animal health technician or veterinarian will give you the best advice in a Newcastle disease outbreak, especially as this is a controlled disease
Prevention
You should vaccinate all the chickens against this disease by using a good vaccination programme before any signs appear
It is a very contagious disease, which means it spreads easily to other farms. You should not visit your neighbours without washing and putting on new clothes and shoes. You should also recommend that your neighbours vaccinate their chickens as soon as possible
You should clean the chicken house thoroughly with soap and water. All equipment must be washed. Everything should then be disinfected. You should also wash and disinfect your clothes and shoes. All chicken litter or dead chickens should be burned to prevent the spread of the disease.

2. NERVOUS SIGNS AND LAMENESS
Signs in sick chickens
Signs may vary, but usually chickens lie down because they cannot stand up
They also walk with a limp or are reluctant to move
Nervous signs may include staring into the sky, not knowing where they are, pulling the head and neck over their backs, paralysis
Sores on the breast muscles from lying down
Causes
There are many different types of organisms that can cause nervous signs and lameness. These include:
Bacteria (Salmonella, Botulism)
Viruses (Newcastle disease, Mareks disease, avian encephalo- myelitis)
Fungi (Aspergillus)
Treatment
A complete hygiene and disinfection programme should be planned together with the animal health technician or veteri- narian
Antibiotics will only be effective against bacteria and can be used as recommended. If it is a viral disease, such as Newcastle disease, urgent steps have to be taken to prevent possible spread because it causes serious production losses
DROP IN EGG PRODUCTION OR QUALITY
You will notice that the hens are not producing as many eggs as they should for their age
You may see unusually-shaped eggs, eggs with no shell, soft eggs, eggs that break easily, or that have abnormal contents when you break them
Often the people buying the eggs will complain of poor quality
The only way these changes will be noticed is if you keep good records
Causes
There are many different types of organisms that can cause a drop in egg production or quality. These include:
Bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella)
Mycoplasma
Viruses (Newcastle disease, influenza, infectious bronchitis, infectious laryngotracheitis, avian encephalomyeli- tis, egg drop syndrome)
Parasites
Treatment
Your animal health technician or veterinarian may recom- mend a short course of antibiotics but usually it may only help for bacterial infections
Adding vitamins and minerals to the water or feed may help.

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