1. Poultry Improvement Project Disease Prevention

2. Diseases Causes are from: Hereditary Physiological Nutritional Animate –Examples include bacteria and protozoan Managerial Others –Poisons, dusts, etc.

3. How Diseases Spread? By introducing diseased birds to healthy flocks. By introducing healthy birds who may be carriers to healthy flocks. Contact with objects that have the disease on them such as water dishes, crates, and feeders.

4. Carcasses of dead birds that have not been disposed of properly. Impure water, such as surface drainage water. Rodents and free-flying birds. Insects; for example fowl pox is commonly transmitted by the mosquito. Shoes and clothing of people. Contaminated feed and feed bags. Contaminated soil or litter. Airborne (especially in large #’s of chickens)

5. Vaccinations A vaccination is like an insurance policy. For viruses it is one of the best ways to control disease. When to Vaccinate: »Purchase day-old chicks vaccinated at the hatchery against Marek’s Disease. »Vaccinate for Newcastle at 7 days and at 4 weeks of age.