“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” – Benjamin Franklin
It’s clear Benjamin Franklin came from a farming family because his quote has stood the test of time and it’s as valid today as it was 200 years ago, particularly when it comes to farming. Preventing illness or disease from striking your farm is every farmer’s best defence, and the truth is any illness can spiral out of control quite quickly.
Big or small, every poultry farmer needs to worry about keeping their flock healthy. Standard biosecurity protocols are a must when it comes to keeping your birds healthy and well, with a focus on the following:
1. Keep your birds clean.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it can be especially challenging when dealing with chickens who are often housed in shared space with shared feeders and waterers. The best way to keep your birds clean is by ensuring you are clean. Disinfect boots before entering the coop, and upon leaving. Wash hands well after handling birds. Provide your birds with access to a dust bath to help keep lice at bay.
2. Keep your chicken coop and equipment clean.
That doesn’t mean you need to keep a coop so pristine you could eat off the floor, but you should change bedding regularly, and clean out the entire coop when bringing in a new batch of birds or at least once (preferably twice) a year and disinfect it thoroughly before adding new bedding. Disinfect feeders and waterers regularly.
3. Keep wild birds away.
This is tough when you’re free-ranging, but achievable. Wild birds are one of the biggest sources for illness and specifically H5N1, so keep contact to a minimum if possible. If you use an outdoor grazing area you can cover it with bird netting or chicken wire. Some old-style ideas include using reflective surfaces or mirrors on the top of the coop and around the side of the runs. “Scare Tape” is a reflective tape that is also useful for this purpose.
4. Keep visitors at a distance.
Visitors to your farm shouldn’t be allowed into poultry areas with their outdoor shoes, particularly if they also keep chickens. Illnesses are often spread through fecal matter and we all know where that ends up on a farm – the bottom of your shoes. If you must provide visitor access, use standard biosecurity methods for cleaning of footwear etc. to reduce the spread of disease.
5. Quarantine new birds before introducing them to your flock.
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs suggests quarantining for two to four weeks before integrating new birds into your flock. While quarantined, ensure there is no opportunity for cross-contamination through your contact with them or their waste.
6. Be aware of the signs of illness and quarantine at first indication.
Watch for abnormal egg production, sneezing, coughing, swollen comb, discharge from the nose or eyes, diarrhea, or unexplained death. Treat if necessary, but be aware that birds who recover from many poultry diseases become carriers for life, and the only way to prevent the spread to new birds or to the rest of your flock is by culling.
The loss of poultry to illness or disease can have a devastating impact on a small farmer’s bottom line. Don’t wait until you have a good story to tell, develop good biosecurity habits before they’re needed.
Diseases of Concern: Avian Influenza and Marek’s Disease
Avian influenza and Marek’s Disease are two diseases poultry farmers should be on the lookout for, to protect their flock and respond appropriately to outbreaks.
Avian Influenza may be more often associated with large poultry operations, but in reality this deadly disease doesn’t discriminate between large or small farms. In 2022 alone, H5N1 infected almost 200 flocks and more than 3.6 million birds across Canada, including dozens of small farms.
As with any virus, good biosecurity habits are a must in keeping it off your farm, but farmers should also be aware of the symptoms of the virus and contact a veterinarian immediately to confirm diagnosis if influenza is suspected. This virus is quite often spread by wild birds which makes prevention challenging. Symptoms include:
- Soft-shelled eggs
- Drop in egg production
- Loss of appetite
- Blueish wattles and comb
- Swelling of head, eyelids, comb
- Bloody mucous from nostrils
- Respiratory symptoms
- Lack of coordination
- Sudden death.
Marek’s Disease, on the other hand, is caused by the herpes virus and is one of the most common illnesses in small flocks. This disease has four different strains and can affect poultry’s nervous system, leading to leg paralysis, droopy wings and sometimes death. It can also cause tumours, blindness, and generally impact a bird’s immune system so they become more susceptible to illness.
An infected bird will be infected for life. The good news is chicks are vaccinated for this disease at one day old, before they even reach your farm; the bad news is even if vaccinated they can get sick anyway.
Since poultry can be asymptomatic and vaccinated poultry can still carry and spread the virus, it can spread rapidly through a flock. While the vaccine can limit the severity of the symptoms, it’s important to still watch for signs like paralysis, weight loss, irregular-shaped pupil (or grey iris), body sores, or collapsed crop. The disease can also cause skin follicles to look raised with small bumps.
If Marek’s disease has been introduced to your farm it can remain in the dander and bedding for years, making it extremely challenging to eradicate. Prevention and excellent biosecurity is key with this disease.
Biosecurity 101: It’s all part of the plan
According to the National Avian On-Farm Biosecurity Standard (NAOFBS), the principals of biosecurity are simple: prevention of disease, response to disease and recovery from an outbreak. How you achieve all three functions on your farm is called your biosecurity plan, and involves protocols that are followed as part of daily farm management.
Below are some basic principles you should be incorporating onto your farm:
Access Management
- Have a clear demarcation for controlled and restricted zones, and controlled access point
- Control the movement of people and animals between the different zones
- Have a means of restricting access to essential visitors only
Animal Health Management
- Purchase birds only from healthy sources
- Have a quarantine procedure for new birds that allows for a minimum of 30 days before introducing to your flock
- Begin flock handling with the youngest birds and end with the oldest
- Monitor flocks for any signs of disease or illness
- Allow facilities a “down time,” or period of time without birds, to break the pathogen cycle
Operational Management
- Have a plan for the proper disposal of mortalities and manure or bedding
- Ensure food and water are stored properly in a manner to reduce the risk of contamination
- Regularly remove soiled bedding