As with most farm animals, poultry and game fowls are generally affected by seasonal weather changes. To help keep them stay healthy, check out these care tips for gamefowls during the rainy season.
Health Concerns that Come with the Rainy Season
The cold and wet season triggers various pathogenic and parasitic diseases that may easily infect poultry and game fowl. Especially when the change in weather is extreme and sudden, birds can become stressed. This affects their health, and their body’s ability to deflect or withstand diseases such as the following.
- Fowl Pox is caused by pox virus, and characterized by lesions on the wattle, face, comb and legs. Transmitted by mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects, the condition is contagious and, in worst cases, may lead to death.
- Fowl Cholera is diarrhea with appetite loss, anorexia, inflammation and color changes in combs and wattles. Caused by bacteria called pasteurella multocida, fowl cholera often leads to a drop in egg production.
- Coccidiosis is an intestinal tract infection characterized by enteritis and bloody diarrhoea.
- Bursal Disease (or Gumboro Disease) is a viral infection among immature birds that are 3-18 weeks old. It is named as such because it targets the bursal component of a fowl’s immune system. Other symptoms of this disease include severe prostration, watery diarrhoea, ruffled feathers and inflammation of the cloaca.
Caring for Gamefowls During Rainy Season
The good news is that your game fowls can be kept safe from the health issues that the wet and cold season brings with it. These tips should help you.
Keep the Coop Clean
The big problem with the rainy season is the presence of moisture. Where there’s moisture, there’s bacteria. If the ground is moist, pathogens are likely to appear and propagate. This is why it’s important to keep the coop clean.
Aside from seeing to it that the coop is regularly cleaned, It would be better to do bacterial flushing every 3 weeks.
You may also want to consider a few design upgrades that ensure proper ventilation, raised floor with proper drainage, and a generous roof overhang.
Check in on the Chicks
Cool and windy is bad news for the young ones in the flock as chicks can’t create body heat. So regularly check in on them. Provide good lighting and warmth or relocate them to a more favorable place in the farm.
Ensure Good Nutrition
To generate heat and warmth, birds actually eat more. It helps to ensure that what they eat fortifies not only their performance but also their immunity to various diseases. Make sure they eat enough and eat the right nutrients. Regular use of Immune-boosting supplements is beneficial for the cold season as well.
Set and Follow a Regular Deworming Schedule
Drinking from the ground may cause intestinal worms to wreak havoc on your fowls’ health. To keep this from happening, make sure that your fowls only drink from their feeder. A deworming session (every three months) can also help in managing worms.
Read more features on pig and poultry care, and farm tips from UNAHCO.
Sources:
https://thepoultrypunch.com/2019/09/a-brief-overview-on-major-poultry-diseases-in-rainy-season/
https://www.totalgamefowl.com/gamefowls-on-rainy-season/
https://thepoultrypunch.com/2020/08/poultry-management-in-rainy-season-key-points/
