HAPPY BIRD, HAPPY FARMER Location: South West, Nigeria (By Joseph Okpaire)

Jeffrey Alahira

HAPPY BIRD, HAPPY FARMER (By Joseph Okpaire) Location: South West, Nigeria Time: 0600 hours Somewhere in Osun State, the phone rings and the welcoming message was “Ah! Oga Mort po o! (Oga, we recorded many dead birds this morning) and I asked “how many?” The attendant replied “mo ti ka 50 bayi” (we have […]

HAPPY BIRD, HAPPY FARMER (By Joseph Okpaire)

Location: South West, Nigeria

Time: 0600 hours

Somewhere in Osun State, the phone rings and the welcoming message was

“Ah! Oga Mort po o! (Oga, we recorded many dead birds this morning)

and I asked “how many?”

The attendant replied “mo ti ka 50 bayi” (we have counted 50 dead birds this morning and still counting).

Immediately, sleep vanishes through the window and off I go to the bathroom.

Men and brethren, this is a typical scenario in the life of a livestock farmer . There are some days, your flock will be in sync with your mood. No stress. You will find all the birds active and alert and on some other days, you find them cold, depressed and lifeless and you will be like “Ah, my village people have started again”.

With time, I have come to understand, that birds do not just fall sick. Nope. They will show you signs and symptoms. Just like when Malaria starts knocking on your door with prevailing signs such as headache and fever. The same pattern occurs with birds.

In poultry husbandry, there will be indications that your birds are about to fall sick. Hence, there is a need to be alert and observant when dealing with birds or livestock generally.

It is not like the birds will tell you:

“Oga, I’m feeling feverish” or “Oh! My legs are aching”. No! they won’t, but the signs are there.

What signs and symptoms should you look out for??

Before I proceed, it is imperative that you understand that there is a difference between management problems and health problems. Management problems in Livestock are the result of poor management practices which immediately results in a high mortality rate and once they are corrected, the casualties stop.

Health problems on the other hand, are mainly as a result of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms (commonly referred to as viruses) in the flock, that results in the continuous, daily loss of birds.

Typical case scenario of a management problem: You did not notice that the water supply to the nipple drinkers for the birds is not functioning effectively, hence, there is no water for the birds to drink for three days. Laziness and fatigue might have dulled your senses to check this regularly. Suddenly, one morning, you open your pen house to see that your birds are lifeless in the cage. I trust you will begin by casting and binding the devil.

Beloved, the devil is not involved in your case. In this case, it is clear that you have a management problem. The truth, is when mortalities are recorded in high quantities almost immediately in poultry, most times it is as a result of management problems and not health problems. Thus, the free advice I can give is, always check all management factors before seeking for health related problems.

Here is a list of some management issues you need to look out for on your farm;

Water: Is there adequate water? Is the water safe for drinking, etc.?
Feed: Is the feed palatable? Is the feed supplied in adequate amount? Does the feed contain mould, etc.?
Temperature: is the house too hot for the birds or is the house too cold? Can you stay comfortably in the house, etc.?
Lighting: is there adequate light penetration for the birds? if not, are there alternative sources of light? Is the light bright enough, etc.?
Ventilation or air flow: is the hen house stuffy, can you breathe properly in the house, do you perceive the smell of ammonia ?, Is there adequate circulation of air,what is the air flow like?
Spacing: are the birds overcrowded? Are there enough feeders and drinkers? Are the birds huddled together in one spot, etc.
Position of equipment: Are the drinkers enough for the birds? Are the feeders enough?
Territorialism: Are the heavier birds more than the smaller birds? Is pecking occurring at a high frequency, etc.?
Predators such as snakes, rats, rodents, etc. must be kept at bay.
Thieves also present a hazard, keep an eye out.

The factors listed above play a significant role in assessing the management conditions of a poultry farm. Also, some of the management problems if unchecked can lead to disease outbreaks. The following are the general signs and symptoms affiliated to diseases and infections prevalent in poultry.

Definition of terms

Disease: a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its part that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms.
Signs: something indicating the presence or existence of something else. It is an objective evidence of a disease.
Symptoms: a change in the body which indicates that a disease is present, it is a subjective evidence of a disease.
Biosecurity: measures implemented to prevent the infection of pathogens or vectors from entering and leaving the farm.
Prolapse: it occurs when the inner tissues of the cloaca protrude outside of the body.
Anorexia: poor feed intake or poor appetite.
Pyrexia: increased body temperature or fever