1. Clean, scrub, and disinfect your poultry house on a regular basis.
Main Reason: Thorough cleanings keep bacteria, viruses, and parasites from building up, and also help deter disease-carrying rodents.
2. Never raise chickens of any age on old litter used by a previous flock of birds.
Main Reason: Litter may have a build-up of disease agents the new flock has not been exposed to. This could lead to an outbreak.
3. If you bring new poultry into your flock, especially adult birds from other flocks, do not mix them immediately with your flock. Chickens need to be quarantined in a separate house for at least two weeks.
Main Reason: The quarantine period will give you a chance to monitor the new birds for any signs of disease before they are mixed with the rest of your flock.
4. Be careful and don't allow visitors in your poultry house if they have had contact with other birds or have visited other poultry farms. Also make sure they are not wearing clothes, shoes, or other items that may have come in contact with other birds.
Main Reason: Visitors can transfer diseases from one flock to another through their clothing, shoes, and unwashed hands.
5. Try to prevent other birds like sparrows, pigeons, and other wild birds, from coming into contact with your chickens. Don't place bird feeders or bird houses anywhere near your chicken house, and use screen to prevent them from getting in.
Main Reason: Free-living birds can carry diseases and parasites to your flock.
6. Buy your chicken feed from a reliable source, and never use old or moldy feed.
Main Reason: Chickens require a nutritionally balanced feed for health and productivity.
7. Contact a local veterinarian or university extension to see if you live in an area where poultry diseases are common. If so, vaccinate chicks and pullets in your poultry.
Main Reason: Vaccinations will help the young birds develop antibodies against common poultry diseases.
8. Provide a well-ventilated but draft-free building with enough space for the number of chickens in your flock.
Main Reason: Proper ventilation reduces ammonia build-up. Making sure the coop is large enough will help prevent stress and fighting between birds.
9. Properly dispose of all dead birds and old litter.
Main Reason: Dead birds and old litter attract flies, which can carry diseases from infected to healthy birds. Preventing flies and odors reduces the likelihood of this type of disease transmission.
10. Keep all sick chickens separated from the rest of the flock.
Main Reason: Diseases can easily be spread through direct contact with infected birds. Quarantine birds showing signs of infection, and if they can't be treated, cull them from the flock to prevent the spread of disease.
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