THE REALITIES ABOUT POULTRY The Modern Farm - The Realities About Poultry_Seco | Page 107

young birds, but adult birds can also be affected. Large numbers of chickens may die suddenly
without apparent symptoms.
The coccidia live in the intestine or caecum of the bird and pass out through the droppings.
They become infective in damp surroundings and are spread from bird to bird when infected
droppings are eaten. Coccidia may survive for long periods in the litter.
Good management will help prevent serious outbreaks of coccidiosis. If birds are denied access
to droppings, the life cycle will be broken. This is achieved when birds are raised on wire. Damp
litter around water troughs will allow coccidia to become infective.
Medication in feed is often necessary to prevent outbreaks of coccidiosis. Young birds raised on
the ground should be routinely treated with a coccidiostat. As the wet season provides ideal
conditions for coccidia to become infective, medication is recommended at that time.
(b) Blackhead: The protozoon that causes this disease is Histomonasmeleagridis. Both young fowls
and turkeys are affected by this protozoon but turkeys are far more susceptible and are more
likely to contract this disease when run with poultry than when run on their own. Histomonads
live largely in the caecum (blind gut) and invade other organs from there. Symptoms of
blackhead include a drooped and huddled appearance, dark colouration of the head, shrunken
comb and wattles and yellowish diarrhoea.
Living in the caecum places the histomonads in contact with the caecal worm (Heterakisgallinae)
and the eggs of the worm become infected with the protozoa. Blackhead is transmitted when
birds eat droppings containing these infected worm eggs.
Drugs are available to treat blackhead. To prevent re-infection, control caecal worms at the same
time with good management. Turkeys and fowls should not be run together.
(c) Trichomoniasis: Trichomoniasis is caused by Trichomonasgallinae. It is a disease of the upper
digestive tract. It has been found in pigeons, doves and kites but may invade hens and turkeys if
they drink infected water or eat infected feed. Affected pigeons will go off-feed, appear ruffled,
become emaciated and die, with a green yellow fluid dripping from the beak.
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