Causes, signs and How to Prevent Coccidiosis in chickens
Kelvin Wairimu 
The demand for poultry products such as meat, eggs and manure has led to the commercialization of poultry farming. Diseases are the major challenges leading to massive deaths of many birds despite frequent vaccination.
Coccidiosis, a disease caused by parasitic infection has led to the mortality of most birds in many farms. Misdiagnosis and late detections make it hard to cure or control the infection among birds. Most may confuse it with Newcastle leading to wrong treatment and deaths.
Causes of coccidiosis in poultry
Coccidiosis gets into the bird’s body after ingesting oocysts shed by infected birds through droppings. The non-infective oocysts then change to infective sporocysts in the environment and start invading the gut cells. Infected birds start shedding oocysts themselves which can contaminate more chickens.
What are the signs of coccidiosis in chickens?
Bloody and foamy droppings combined with ruffled feathers, depression and inactivity are the major signs that differentiate coccidiosis from the rest.
Other signs include; reduced feed and water intake which leads to loss in weight gain. Diarrhoea also occurs leading to dehydration, morbidity, and in the worst cases mortality. Symptoms may take 4-7 days before manifesting.
Diagnosis of coccidiosis in chickens
Analysis of faeces to determine the presence of oocysts. Oocysts are difficult to eradicate because they can survive up to one year in the environment. Read Also:How to prevent and control mastitis in dairy cows.
How to treat coccidiosis in chickens
Strict hygiene, frequent disinfecting and vaccination will help to prevent coccidiosis.
Once infected treatment can start immediately with anti-coccidiosis to reduce damage.
Chickens droppings should be removed frequently to reduce the number of oocysts in droppings.
Where you cannot ascertain the disease is coccidiosis it is recommended to engage a veterinarian for further analysis.
Can chickens recover from coccidiosis?
After treatment with multivitamins and antibiotics,chickens may take few weeks to fully recover.
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