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skin closely in a good light.
When filled with blood after
their nightly meal, they're
large enough to see easily.
Ticks are difficult to control.
You don't treat the chicken,
you treat its surroundings.
This means spraying housing
and treating pasture areas and
trimming or removing weeds
and debris around poultry
housing.
K Flies. Flies are a source of
irritation to chickens,
smallholders and neighbours,
and other livestock. They
occur in warm places. They
multiply in the bodies of dead
animals and in the droppings
of chickens.
Cleanliness is very important
in controlling parasites.
Inspect your birds regularly
for mites, ticks or fleas.
Remove droppings regularly,
once a day if possible. Clean,
wash and disinfect
cages/houses and remove
dead birds as soon as
possible.
There are various chemicals
available to kill these parasites, but you need to know
which of these parasites you
are dealing with, so that the
correct chemical can be used.
As a general rule of thumb, if
the parasite lives on and off
the chicken, for example in
cracks and crevices, then treat
the birds and the environment.
Before using any chemical
make sure that it is correct for
the parasite that you want to
kill.
There are specific methods
for the various parasites. Flies
can be controlled by good
hygiene, and by using sprays
or larvicides. Fly traps and
papers can also be used.
Using sprays (eg, Malasol l %)
or dusts (eg, Carbadust) can
control mites, ticks and fleas.
When these parasites are
seen, all chickens should be
treated. Malasol 1% can be
used on the birds and in the
houses. Carbadust should
only be dusted on the birds
and not in houses.
Chickens should preferably
be kept on concrete floors.
However, if they are kept on
sand floors, the floors can be
sprayed with Malasol 1 %.
This is to protect the chickens
from the soft tick.
Other skin problems are
caused by pox and by bites.
K Pox is a viral disease that is
transmitted by mosquitoes.
Pox sores are seen on the
unfeathered areas such as the
head, neck, feet and legs. The
sores begin as red pimples
which develop into pimples
named vesicles filled with
fluid and then pus (pustules).
Finally, as the pustules burst
open, crusts or scabs form.
There is no treatment for fowl
pox, as it is a viral disease.
The lesions can be kept clean
and free of flies if they are in
a sensitive area such as
around the eyes. Fowl pox
can be prevented by vaccination.
K Bites/pecking. Any stressrelated factor such as
41
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HEALTH
overcrowding or bringing
new birds into the flock can
cause pecking. Salt deficiency can also be a cause.
Chickens can also be seen
with bite wounds from rats.
Sometimes the colouration of
the skin indicates an underlying problem.
K Blue skin (cyanosis). This
is seen in any severe
condition of the bloodstream
when bacteria or viruses are
circulating. In diseases such
as Newcastle disease, wattles
may sometimes show a
bluish discoloration.
K Yellow skin. Yellow skin
can be normal or abnormal.
Chickens that are fed yellow
maize as part of their diet can
develop a yellow skin.
Abnormally yellow skin is
mostly seen in the case of the
disease called Aegyptionellosis, which is caused by a
blood parasite that infects the
red blood cells.
K Feather problems. Loss of
feathers can be caused by
mite infestations.