Why Do Chickens get So MANY diseases!!!

[jak2002003]

Is it because they are more domesticated than other birds?

So far my chickens have had...

Dry Fowl Pox
Scaly leg mites
Infection Bronchitis
Eye infections
Fungal infections on the comb and wattles
Wet fowl pox
Coryza

Also they have suffered with.....

Injured legs
Dog attacks
Roosters fighting injuries.
Drowning in pond

I keep the following bird species also, which are never sick or ill (except one parakeet with scaly leg mites which recovered fully).

Guinea fowl
Quail
Budgies / parakeets
Domestic ducks
Finches
Fancy pigeons
Ring neck doves
Zebra doves
Golden pheasants
Cockatiels

I am getting really stressed out about my chickens and am thinking of stopping keeping them. I know its not anything \I am doing wrong... they have huge clean pens, top quality food and clean water with ACV in it.. Also fresh air and shelter from rain and sun.. and they are not overcrowded or stressed. They are not inbred either.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think many illnesses are much more prevalent in SE Asia.

I also think it started when large scale poultry producers started popping up and importing high producing commercial breeds like hy-line egg varieties and fast growing broilers. None of them had any resistance to local diseases. Then those diseases swept through their flocks and mutated to more virulent strains as those same producers medicated and vaccinated with a vengeance.

Additionally, chickens are probably the most populous vertebrate on the planet so more birds for the pathogens.

ETA

I've raised a lot of birds and haven't had any of those problems. In the last few years, I lost one bird to heat and one to cancer. All the rest I've lost have been to predation, i.e. mink, raccoons, dogs and hawks - in that order.

 

[dawg53]

You've pretty much answered your own question specifically with the chicken diseases and parasite problems you're experiencing. The answer is biosecurity. Somehow you've knowingly or unknowingly introduced diseases into your flock probably by carrier birds.
The diseases and parasites you mentioned are zoonotic, they can be transmitted to your other bird species.

 

[jak2002003]

You've pretty much answered your own question specifically with the chicken diseases and parasite problems you're experiencing. The answer is biosecurity. Somehow you've knowingly or unknowingly introduced diseases into your flock probably by carrier birds.
The diseases and parasites you mentioned are zoonotic, they can be transmitted to your other bird species.

The main problems seem to be coming from mosquitos and other wild birds in the area. There is no other way these diseases can be getting to my chickens. I am right out in rural land with no close neighbours.

I have been keeping all my birds for about 6 years.. and the diseases that the chickens have got have never spread to my other birds... in fact the fancy pigeons and 6 guinea fowl, live in the same enclosure as the chickens.

They all free range, so only sleep in the aviary . run at night to protect them from snakes and dogs. The aviary is predator proof and no wild birds can get into it.. or rodents.. its on a concrete base too.

.. and .. why would I be knowingly introducing diseases into my flock?!

I have not introduced new birds for over a year. I allow them to breed and I sell the surplus. They must get these disease when free ranging... but I can't understand why they get so many.. and my other birds never get them.

Chicken Canoe...
'Additionally, chickens are probably the most populous vertebrate on the planet so more birds for the pathogens.'.....

Never thought about that... seems a good explanation.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think dawg was talking about keeping so many species of birds on the same property.

 

[jak2002003]

oh.. I see.

The small birds all live together in one big aviary in the house garden..(6 meters X 3 meters. .. near the lake. Which the pair of ducks lives on. I only have a pair each of each bird., except the budgies.. of which I have 4 pairs.

The chicken coop with 8 pigeons is at the back of the property in the mango orchard. and farm area. ... and these birds never travel to the garden area or go near the aviary. The 6 guinea fowl live free range and roost in the mango trees... so only meet the chickens when they are out free ranging in the day.

The land is about 2 acres in size.. with the orchard at on side and the house and garden right at the other side, so the chickens don't get anywhere near the other aviary birds... which are all 100 percent healthy.. same as the pigeons and guinea fowl... so I recon the chickens are just weaker then these other kinds of birds.

Today 2 chickens have gone blind because of the fowl pox.. and I have been hand feeding another one for over a week. One has a broken knee joint too. I have decided to see how they go over the next 7 days.. and then I will cull them if there is no improvement and re home the healthy adult birds.

 

[dawg53]

oh.. I see.

The small birds all live together in one big aviary in the house garden..(6 meters X 3 meters. .. near the lake. Which the pair of ducks lives on. I only have a pair each of each bird., except the budgies.. of which I have 4 pairs.

The chicken coop with 8 pigeons is at the back of the property in the mango orchard. and farm area. ... and these birds never travel to the garden area or go near the aviary. The 6 guinea fowl live free range and roost in the mango trees... so only meet the chickens when they are out free ranging in the day.

The land is about 2 acres in size.. with the orchard at on side and the house and garden right at the other side, so the chickens don't get anywhere near the other aviary birds... which are all 100 percent healthy.. same as the pigeons and guinea fowl... so I recon the chickens are just weaker then these other kinds of birds.

Today 2 chickens have gone blind because of the fowl pox.. and I have been hand feeding another one for over a week. One has a broken knee joint too. I have decided to see how they go over the next 7 days.. and then I will cull them if there is no improvement and re home the healthy adult birds.

You ASKED why your chickens get so many diseases, and I told you the reason why at YOUR request. I told you BIOSECURITY was the answer. You admitted that some of your birds are in an aviary near a lake. That's where your mosquitos come from causing dry and wet fowl pox among your birds. Who's responsibility is it that the aviary is near a lake, yours? You've admitted that you havnt introduced new birds in over a year. Did you quarantine them? Diseases can be carried on clothing, shoes, equipment, hands...easily spread to healthy chickens. Obviously there was carrier(s) in the newly introduced birds. Different diseases have different incubation and course times. Have you given thought about the fact that pigeons are vectors for canker? Yet you have them together with your chickens. Who's responsibility is that, yours?
As far as wild birds introducing Infectious Bronchitis and Infectious Coryza to your chickens...odds are that it's not possible because wild sick birds dont fly, they drop dead from those diseases. There is no human intervention to give wild birds antibiotics for those diseases.
Now you want to rehome your "healthy" chickens after Infectious Bronchitis and Infectious Coryza have run through your chickens. Those "healthy" chickens are carriers and you want to rehome them so that another flock owner will go through the same thing just like you did.
Cull them and eat them.

 

[jak2002003]

You ASKED why your chickens get so many diseases, and I told you the reason why at YOUR request. I told you BIOSECURITY was the answer.

You told me that I INTENTIONALLY introduced diseases to my pet chickens.

You admitted that some of your birds are in an aviary near a lake.(is that a crime?) That's where your mosquitos come from causing dry and wet fowl pox among your birds. Who's responsibility is it that the aviary is near a lake, yours?
The birds in the aviary next to the lake are 100 percent healthy, as I mentioned. There are few if any mosquitos in the lake.. the small guppy fish eat them and its not shallow stagnant water which mosquitos like. Its UV filtered (for the Kio Carp) and has a huge fountain in the middle.
In Thailand there are mosquitos everywhere.. even in the middle of the cities. There is no way to stop them. I am surrounded by jungle and rice fields.. I can not stop the insects coming from them. However, in theses rural areas all the farmers have chickens.. mostly free range game fowl. So I thought I could keep chickens too.

You've admitted that you havnt introduced new birds in over a year. Did you quarantine them?

Yes.. I always quarantine new birds.. for at least 4 weeks.. usually longer. But I suspect that is where the scaly leg came from.. as I read it can take several months to develop. I did not 'admit' I introduced new birds.. I stated I did. I don't have to admit it like I have done something wrong.

Have you given thought about the fact that pigeons are vectors for canker? Yet you have them together with your chickens. Who's responsibility is that, yours? I know it my responsibility.... I never said it was not. Why do you keep telling me it my responsibility.. of course it is?

My chickens have never had canker. Neither have my pigeons. My pigeon have never been sick. I have never said my chickens had canker.

Now you want to rehome your "healthy" chickens after Infectious Bronchitis and Infectious Coryza have run through your chickens. Those "healthy" chickens are carriers and you want to rehome them so that another flock owner will go through the same thing just like you did.
. Why would you presume I would do something like that? I would never inflict that on someone else.

I have a new home already for them.. with a friend who already has chickens from my flock. I only have a few adult birds at the moment. He only has 4 that he got of me a few months back. My adult birds are healthy.. because they have got over these diseases long ago.. and so have immunity to them. I will, however, cull the younger sick birds if no improvement after a week. I won't eat skinny disease ridden birds...at any rate they are Japanese Bantams and Serama.. so not much meat on them in the first place.

I have had so much bad luck with my chickens. One thing after another. If its not a disease its some predator attack, accident or fighting.

No problems with disease or injury with any of my other birds... I get so much pleasure looking after them.. and they are all pets.. even the chickens.. that's why I am happy I have found a life long home for the adults, they are very tame and healthy, so no reason to kill them.

I was just curious why chickens seem to be more prone to diseases and seem less hardy than other bird species... that is what I have found in my personal experience.

 

[Michael Apple]

I have had so much bad luck with my chickens. One thing after another. If its not a disease its some predator attack, accident or fighting.

No problems with disease or injury with any of my other birds... I get so much pleasure looking after them.. and they are all pets.. even the chickens.. that's why I am happy I have found a life long home for the adults, they are very tame and healthy, so no reason to kill them.

I was just curious why chickens seem to be more prone to diseases and seem less hardy than other bird species... that is what I have found in my personal experience.

It is a learning process for us all over time. Chickens are susceptible to diseases just as any other animal. Immunity is accomplished by the body adjusting to invasive microorganisms. Biosecurity, diet, vaccinating, are all ways that we prevent overabundance of, and the overcoming of disease. You may find some helpful information here, in addition to a local poultry improvement plan that may exist in your area: http://extension.umd.edu/sites/defa...seases-and-Their-Prevention_Tablante_2013.pdf It may be worth the money to have an avian veterinarian come to your residence to observe and recommend improvements/precautionary methods.

 

[Michael Apple]

You will also notice many posts existing on this forum by people who have obtained birds from people who have a diseased flock, and neglected to tell the unsuspecting buyers. The disease is perpetuated, and this angers those of us who see people taken advantage of, and the suffering of birds as a result. That may be why dawg53 seemed a bit short tempered on the subject, so don't take it personally.