Chicken diseases: Part 2

Newcastle disease is very serious. However, you can prevent it by vaccinating your chickens and using good management practices.

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Newcastle disease (NCD) is the most important poultry disease in South Africa. Caused by a virus, it is highly contagious, and spreads rapidly among chickens. NCD has a high mortality rate and can affect any kind of poultry set-up, from backyard to large commercial poultry farms.

EGG PRODUCTION AND QUALITY

Newcastle disease (NCD) may result in a drop in egg production or quality. You will notice your hens are not producing as many eggs as they should for their age. You may see eggs of unusual shapes, eggs with no shells, soft eggs, eggs that break easily, or some that have abnormal contents when you break them.

Other than the virus that causes NCD, there are many different types of organisms that can cause a drop in egg production or quality. These include E. coli, Salmonella, mycoplasma, influenza, infectious bronchitis, and parasites.

Your veterinarian may recommend a short course of antibiotics if the cause is bacterial.