Poultry Management Practices! I believe you’ll agree that the stock that is best housed and fed, with the best genetic potential, will not produce efficiently and grow if they become infected with parasites and diseases.
Hence, good poultry management practices such as proper sanitation and isolation are vital parts of poultry production.
Poultry health management
To ensure effective poultry health management, the basic reason must be to prevent the onset of disease, to recognize at an early stage the presence of disease or parasites, and to treat all flocks that are infested with parasites as soon as possible and before they develop into a serious condition or spread to other flocks.
Any living or non-living organism can be a vector and bring pathogenic agents to your birds. Even the winds can blow virus particles for long distances, and these viruses can be attached to animals, dust, equipment, or people.
Disease Transmission
Good poultry management practices can prevent or control direct transmission, which happens when one diseased bird passes the cause of the disease via direct contact with a susceptible healthy bird.
Good practices also control or prevent indirect transmission, which also occurs when the causal organisms pass from one bird to another via an intermediate host such as insects, earthworms, snails, wild birds, some other object such as equipment, food or water, vehicles, people, respiratory droplets, litter or feces.
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Sanitation management
Sanitation in poultry management should also be a way of life. Sweeping the poultry house, washing the drinkers daily, and washing the feeders can go a long way to preventing several poultry diseases.
Hot water, detergent, and a brush are most effective for cleaning. Do remove as much filth, litter, organic matter, and debris as possible before trying to sanitize the surfaces of the equipment.
Chemicals will not substitute for a good cleaning program but can be used to sanitize after scraping and scrubbing the poultry house.
Making a small pool of water and disinfectant near the entry and exit of the coop to dip the bottom of your shoes is good to measure.
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Commercial food-grade sanitizer
There are many food-grade chemical sanitizers available to be used to clean surfaces. Chlorine and lye are good germicides that are relatively inexpensive but must be used carefully.
Borax is known to be effective with long-time exposure to microorganisms. Sunlight is the cheapest sanitizer available to all. However, sunlight does not penetrate well and may require days to be effective.
How to clean chicken coop
Before stocking coops, clean, dry, and sanitize them. Let your poultry houses be vacant between broods or flocks for at least two weeks.
Promptly properly dispose of manure away from pens. Manage rodents’ habitat by getting rid of their access to feed and water sources.
Isolation vs. quarantine
Isolation is a fundamental and sound principle for preventing disease in your flock.
You’re more able to take care of unwell or sick birds when you isolate them.
You’re best able to detect signs of infection, state of health, etc., when you isolate your adult birds after purchasing them for four weeks before adding them to the flock.
Quarantine the sick birds or those showing signs of infection to protect the rest of the flock. Care for the young birds first, then older birds, and finally, birds that are ill.
Final thoughts
- Yes, good sanitary and isolation practices must be at the top of the list in poultry management. The two can go a long way to preventing and controlling diseases in your flock.
- Pay attention to sanitation!
- Isolate the unwell and sick birds!
- It will help you avoid outbreaks, cut down costs, minimize risks, and increase revenues.
