Ten points of daily observation of chickens
The careful and daily observation of the chickens is an accurate way to understand the condition of the flock and discover problems in time. The key to early prevention, early detection, early isolation, and early treatment of the disease. The daily observation includes ten major points: First, observe the mental state. It is advisable to observe at any time and place during the process of entering and leaving the chicken house, first to view the group, and later to observe the individual. The mental state of the chicken is a barometer of its health. Healthy chickens are spirited and bright. When the keeper enters the henhouse, his performance is more exciting and he has to seek appetite. He can quickly respond to external stimuli. If the chicken is apathetic, turning his head around his neck or bending his head under the neck of his neck, he is stupefied, and his response to the surrounding things is lukewarm. It is often a sign of illness. Second, observe the appetite performance. Before and after feeding, healthy chickens have a strong appetite. When feeding, the food intake is strong, the food intake is fast, the food intake is large, and the feed intake of chickens remains relatively stable during a certain period of time. The chickens are often picky or refuse to feed, and the feed intake is significantly reduced. . If there is a lack of certain minerals and vitamins in the feed, or parasites on the body surface (such as feathers, chicken skin, hedgehog, etc.), or if the lighting in the chicken house is too strong, there will be differences in quail eggs, feathers, and licking. Food phenomenon. Third, observe changes in drinking water. The amount of drinking water in healthy chickens is relatively stable for a certain period of time. Increased drinking and increased drinking water are common during periods of high ambient temperatures, high feed salt content, high fever or severe diarrheal diseases. Chickens that do not have water and desire to eat indicate that the condition is serious. Fourth, observe the egg production situation. Mainly from eggshell quality, egg weight, egg production rate and other aspects, should be carried out at the same time as picking eggs. 1. Eggshell quality: Normal eggshell surface is bright, balanced in color, dense and uniform, in line with the characteristics of varieties. If the shell becomes thinner or softer and the breakage is severe, check whether the diet is deficient in calcium and vitamin D, and if the calcium to phosphorus ratio is balanced, investigate whether the flock has been frightened. If the eggs vary in size, uneven coloration, malformed eggs increase, mostly due to poor feed quality, egg drop syndrome, infectious bronchitis, avian polio. 2. Egg weight: Egg weight should be increased steadily after opening, and egg weight is stable after 35 weeks of age. If the increase in egg weight is slow or declining, and the feed intake, the number of eggs laid, etc., are basically normal, it may be related to premature production or insufficient protein in the diet. 3. Egg production rate: From the beginning of production to the peak of egg production is gradually rising. Well-fed and well-managed chickens generally start production at 20 weeks of age and reach egg production peaks at 28-32 weeks of age (the egg production rate is above 96%), are stable for 4-5 weeks, and then slowly decline (0.2%-0.5 per week) %). If the egg production on a certain day suddenly drops off, it quickly returns to its original level automatically. This is due to the fact that 5%-10% of chickens have lost production during the same period of time and are normal conditions. The rate of egg production declines significantly, and for several consecutive days, the reasons should be carefully investigated in terms of environmental conditions, management, and disease. Changes in environmental conditions are mainly seen in: sudden changes in light, such as power cuts to shorten the light time, light intensity weakened; shadow shake, firecrackers, aircraft, vehicles, strong noise stimulation; suffered cold attacks. The main management factors are: when vaccinating or disease prevention and deworming, severely catching chickens, improper use of drugs; strange humans and animals suddenly enter the henhouse, so that the flock is frightened; excessive refueling or continuous feeding for a few days, ration ingredients and The quality has changed significantly. The diseases that cause a sudden drop in egg production are mainly acute infectious diseases (such as Newcastle disease, chicken egg drop syndrome, infectious bronchitis, influenza, cholera, etc.). V. Observe the state of feces. It should be observed after turning on the lights in the morning. Healthy chicken excrement normal color is grayish green or brownish, not soft or hard, heaped or thick strips, covered with a small amount of white urate. Tea brown sticky is the normal feces excreted by the cecum. White urate is less or no, indicating that there is insufficient protein in the diet. Chick pull white sticky feces, sticking anus, is the characteristics of chickens with white peony disease; pull red bloody stools, common in coccidiosis, cecal hepatitis or worms, tsutsugamushi disease; sulphur color loose stools, common in fungal poisoning. White water-like diarrhea occurs in diseases such as Newcastle disease, Marek’s disease, infectious bursal disease, and renal infectious bronchitis. Newcastle disease and yolk peritonitis also produce egg white excrement. Infectious bursal disease, bird flu, fowl cholera, etc., because the diseased chickens refused to eat for a long time, intestinal empty, secreted bile through the intestinal tract, the formation of yellow-green water feces. Carefully examine the feces, and sometimes you can find larvae and aphids. Six, observe the characteristics of the body. Chicken breasts are wide, deep, short, and round in shape overall. The healthy and productive laying hens have clear heads, and the crowns and flesh of the broiler are hypertrophic and ruddy, with long dorsal abdomen, wide interpubic distance, cloacally oval shape, and loose and moist. Low-yield chickens have a small, pale and dull pubic space, cloacally rounded, and shrinking. Diseased chickens show various characteristics. Chicken legs, fins paralyzed or circled, showing neurological symptoms, common in chicken Newcastle disease. One leg stretched forward and one leg stretched backwards to form a "fork" posture. It was found in chicken Marek's disease. "Stargazing" posture, seen in vitamin B1 deficiency. In the absence of vitamin B2, the chick's knee joint is weak, and the toes numb and curl into a fist. Chickens are susceptible to slippery skin due to lack of manganese, and their leg bones become thicker and shorter. Sputum and ankle joints are swollen and can not stand due to prolapse. Seven, observe the skin lesions. The main site of skin observation is the area where the body surface is hairless or less hairy, and the focus of observation is the skin color and skin integrity. The skin of high-producing laying hens has obvious fading, generally yellowish-white; the skin of low-producing laying hens has no obvious fading, and is generally yellowish. The chicken cocks suffering from Newcastle disease, avian flu, and fowl cholera are dark brown; the anemic cocks are pale. There were brown cauliflower-like bracts in the cockscomb, minced meat, eyelids, and oral horns, indicating that they had chickenpox; sick chickens had swelling of the head, tearing, and noodles-like secretions stuck to the nostrils, which were common in infectious rhinitis. The diseased chickens had subcutaneous effusions on the chest and abdomen and medial thighs, ulcers and scabs, which were common in staphylococcal disease. When the chicken licks the anus, the cloaca bleeds and sometimes the bowel develops. Eight, observe the characteristics of feathers. Healthy chicken feathers grow well, clean and bright, bright colors, close to the body. Fluffy feathers, drooping wings, unclean dirt, and loss of luster are the manifestations of chronic malnutrition. Feathers are inverted and it is a sign of high fever and shiver. Feathers shed, bald, and are often found in vitamin A deficiency, spotted lice, or surface parasites. In the late stage of egg production, it is a sign that the flock ages and the egg production rate declines. Nine, observe respiratory symptoms. Except for hot weather, normal chickens do not breathe. If a chicken is found to have mouth breathing, gasping, coughing, snoring, sneezing, shaking his head and throwing a nose, he should consider that the chicken has a cold or bird flu, infectious laryngotracheitis, infectious bronchitis, infectious rhinitis, chicken Respiratory mycoticosis. X. Observe the law of onset. After a chicken becomes ill, it is necessary to carefully observe the symptoms, the speed of spread, death, and treatment effects. If the sudden onset of disease, rapid spread, spread to the entire population in a few days, the mortality rate is high, it is more common in acute infectious diseases or toxic diseases, should be given great attention, for quick diagnosis, early treatment, to minimize the loss. (Source: "Rural farming technology" 2004.13)