Why coccidiosis in chickens cannot be prevented

Can you recognize the symptoms of coccidiosis in your chickens? Slimming, sitting “bulging” and a sick impression. With these symptoms it is possible that your chicken has coccidiosis. Read in this blog what exactly coccidiosis is how a chicken becomes infected and why an infection cannot be prevented.

What is coccidiosis in chickens?

The single-celled intestinal parasite Eimeria is the cause of coccidiosis in chickens. This parasite is common and survives in the environment in a form (called oocyst) that is highly resistant to environmental influences. Oocysts can still cause disease problems after weeks (in manure) or months (in soil). They settle in the intestines of the chicken. This damages the intestinal wall of the chicken, resulting in poor absorption of nutrients and internal bleeding and infections. Without treatment, coccidiosis can be deadly to chickens.

Moist places around the water troughs (especially in hot, sweltering weather) are a place of contamination. But the excrement of infected chickens is also a source of infection and ensures a rapid spread of coccidiosis.

The symptoms of coccidiosis are very similar to those of a worm infestation, so it can sometimes be difficult to identify the problem. The symptoms are also not all manifested and depend on the severity of the infection.

With coccidiosis, chickens have:

• A sick look, slow
• Sit “round”
• Feel cold
• Slimming
• Have thin, bloody stools

Coccidiosis in chickens cannot be prevented

Unfortunately, it is not possible to prevent coccidiosis in chickens. It can happen to any chicken. However, the risk of the disease can be reduced by taking a number of measures:

1. Avoid a humid environment: Coccidiosis multiplies best in a warm and humid environment, so make sure the cage is clean and dry. Also make sure that the areas around the drinking bowl remain dry.
2. Increase the intestinal health of the chicken by adding Finendo + Cox & Worm to the drinking water every week. This makes chickens more resilient and less susceptible to diseases.
3. Keep the cage clean. Contamination often occurs through the faeces of chickens, so make sure that the coop is cleaned regularly and that drinking and feeding troughs are properly cleaned.
4. Do not put too many chickens in a cage. The more chickens there are on each other, the faster an infection will spread. Make sure you have enough space.
5. Note that wild birds can also carry coccidiosis contamination. Therefore, make sure that the excrement of wild birds cannot get into the run.

Coccidiosis treatment

Have your chickens contracted coccidiosis? Unfortunately, coccidiosis is a disease that is difficult to get rid of. This is because the Oocysts are insensitive to most disinfectants. This may cause the oocysts to remain in the hen house. Therefore, keeping the chicken coop clean is the most important thing in the treatment of coccidiosis, in addition to optimizing intestinal health. You can do this in a natural way with Finendo + Cox & Worm. Finendo + Cox & Worm ensures that intestinal health is optimized. As a result, oocysts and worms are less able to settle in the intestinal wall and they come out through the stool. In addition, apply the above-mentioned measures and be extra consistent with cleaning the manure. You can also use a steam cleaner for cleaning.

Conclusion:

Unfortunately, coccidiosis cannot be prevented, but by taking measures you can ensure that the risk of coccidiosis is reduced. Keep the gut health of the chickens high and that the environment around the chicken is clean and dry. Finendo + Cox & Worm is extremely suitable for preventive use to make the intestinal wall thicker so that oocysts and worms are less able to nest. You do this twice a week through the drinking water and is on a natural basis.