Diarrhea in poultry birds and their treatment

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Diarrhea in poultry is one of the commonly noticed sickness or disease in any poultry farm globally. They are also common to backyard birds rearing for one purpose or the other.

Sometime this pose a little challenge to the farmer or poultry keeper, due to certain condition noticed in the dropping of their birds in the morning.

Mainly you identify any sickness in poultry birds through their droppings, some loose droppings are normal for chickens. Several times a day, a chicken passes sticky, smelly brown cecal droppings that you may mistake for diarrhea in poultry.

Droppings that look like cecal droppings should make up no more than one-third of the droppings you see in the coop under the perches in the morning.

Therefore you must be sure the condition and color of droppings in the farm to know how to address the issue of Diarrhea in poultry, in a simple way this are the common color of droppings of birds suffering from diarrhea:

You can see your chicken has diarrhea when you notice watery, loose droppings that are a white, yellow or greenish color.

Causes of diarrhea in poultry farm

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To any form of problem there must be a possible cause or causes, until you know the causes, you will not be able to control if you provide a good solution in the first instance.

Knowing the cause will help in dealing with such situation, therefore possible causes of diarrhea  in poultry are

Coccidiosis

Worm

Viruses like rotavirus and adenovirus

Kidney damage

Feed contain too much protein

Bacterial diarrhea

Illness

Now that you know the possible cause of diarrhea in poultry, you are heading to solution. The details on these causes will be publishing in our coming article.

Mode of transmission of diarrhea in poultry

You will be wonder how diarrhea in poultry is moving from one bird to the other in the poultry farm, yes they do. They main mode of transmission in the farm in through any of these means:

Through drinking water

Through dirty feeder

Through flies

Treatments

Now that you are familiar with the possible causes of diarrhea in poultry and how they move around in the farm, that how they transmit.

Dealing with this issue will be easy and possible. These are the possible and the best ways to deal with this situation.

Isolate the effected bird from among the flock

when you notice any condition that is contrary to the normal condition in your flock, the first thing to do is to isolate the affected one, this is also applicable to any bird affected by diarrhea in poultry. 

Birds with dirty vents may need to be housed individually in separate cages, because other birds like to peck at the raw area. If most of the flock is affected, leave the flock where it is and treat the whole flock.

Environment

To avoid the occurrence of any unwanted condition in your flock, try to maintain proper hygiene. Clean their cage, drinkers and feeders regularly will not allow diarrhea in poultry. Clean drinker and provide fresh, clean water.

Examine the diet, did you feed something new? Check for moldy or spoiled feed. If you have any suspicions about the feed, change it, preferably to a fresh batch of a well-known brand of commercial layer feed.

Medication on how to control diarrhea in poultry

Most feed stores sell probiotics that you can add to feed or water. The organisms in yogurt and probiotics compete with the bad bugs, and sometimes the good bugs win. Moreover, you may inform your veterinary doctor for proper attention.

Biostop is a product made from a plant extract containing tannins which helps bind up the droppings. Biostop should be given to chickens with mild cases of runny and loose droppings.

Biostop is very safe and can be given to the entire flock. It is very useful to use at the end of a course of antibiotics. Give in the bird’s drinking water daily for five days will surely control diarrhea in poultry.

Complete guides to raise broilers for just eight weeks and making MONEY

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Broilers are chickens raised mainly for meat production, this is one aspect of poultry farming system which are used to generate money in a very short time. Period requires on how to raise broiler to meet market demand are less than eight weeks and about three months.

You will be wonder how will you be making money from broiler you raised in less than eight weeks, this is possible and very simple methods are requires.

Though like other aspect of poultry farming, there are some things you need to know before you engage yourself in the business. 

This article will lay more emphasis on how to begin making money from raising broilers in less than eight weeks, these are what to do:

1. Collecting the day old chickens

2. Brooding operation

3. Correct vaccination and medication

4. Out of brooding stage

5. Marketing your young broilers

Before you continue, I will like you to take every steps seriously and do not joke with any of them. If you do, you will not get the best from your effort, because these are the steps I followed that yielded me a great result.

Don’t be confused just followed the one after the other.

1. First step on how to raise broilers is collecting day old chickens from reliable source

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The first thing to do is getting your chicken ready and available at the right time. This is where so many people are getting it wrong, investigate the best source to get chicken from.

This determine what you will achieved t the end, try to get the best you can. If you get the breeds that will not develop well, no amount of care and attention you will give that will make them do well, just because that is the breed you get.

Broiler farming is lucrative business, venture into it will make your life better and do not consume much of your time

2. Brooding operation is another step on how to raise broilers

I will say this determine the entire project outcome, the operation here are require perfect concentration so as to come out the best result. 

Just put your mind at rest every thing you need to know about brooding operations are present in details, just click brooding operation for details and you will not miss any step.

3. Correct vaccination and medication helps on broilers production

Just like other animals in the poultry, for your broilers to do well they must be given some level of medical attention. There are some vaccines that you must administer to them, as a matter of compulsory and urgent.

Some disease are better prevented that treatment, so the best way is vaccinating them against such disease.

Aside this, so many a times, the cost of vaccination is lesser than the cost of treatment. so, on how to raise broilers, I will recommend proper medication and vaccination, consult your veterinary doctors for this operations.

4. How to raise broilers when they are out from brooding room

Now that your birds are just out of the brooding room, they need to acclimatize to their new environment, how? Just move them in and cover the whole place with nylon, the windows and doors.

But in case you make use of wire net do cover the place as well to control the amount of air that comes in and out of the place. In the process of how to raise broilers, you will allow them here for about two to three weeks plus the number of days in the brooding room, this will be around five to six weeks old.

Then you are almost done, you have a few step to go and be making your money.

5. Marketing your young broilers is another step on how to raise broilers

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This is very good important point that we need to pay more attention. In your environment you know where the big men are leaving, you will be wonder why I mention big men?

They are the set of people that can buy them from you, let me use this word, they are the targeted people so locate their route. If you are able to get one, that is good job.

Now that they are big enough, it is time to sell  your broilers, how? You this in your closet, no one knows about what your plan is?

So take them to the identify place or location, my dear reader you are almost done, in fact you are their already.

This is the stage of getting our money from selling our young broilers. Now that your broiler is between seven and eight weeks old, you need to value them base on their sizes.

How are you going to do this? Add up your expenditure to know the total amount spent on raising them to these valuable sizes in total. 

You now decide the amount you want to sell your broilers, bet it with me, if you have very big broilers at this young age you will sell one not less than N 650.If God is by your side you can sell one for N 700 to N 1000.  

If you find this article helpful, you can share with your friends and please drop your comment, thank for reading through.

Possible tips on how to boost eggs productions in the poultry

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By my confession and believe, eggs production in layers is the main purpose of raising female chicken if not the only reason.

Then, if your lady birds are not doing well, that is, not laying properly you will be confused on how to get rid of the problem.

Mind you this is not a problem, it is just a lesson to learn from. Before we continue, I will like us to talk about the main object of discussion.

What is an egg?  Egg has a protective, external, porous shell consisting mainly of calcium carbonate covered with an invisible protein barrier called the cuticle that shields the interior from bacterial contamination.

These structures, along with an inner membrane, surround a cushiony, cloudy albumen, composed mostly of water and protein.

The albumen in turn envelopes the nutrient called yolk, the egg’s main nucleus of protein, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. On average, a chicken egg contains about six grams of protein and six grams of fat.

Now that you know what the component of egg, as well you must know how valuable egg is to mans live, so getting this is not so easy.

You need to do a lot of work before getting this material from the female chicken, these are the list of tips you must follow.

1. Provision of the basic in other to how to increase eggs production in layers

What are the basic things you need to do so that the lady birds we do well, these are thing that need to be carried out on regular basis either daily or weekly. These include

Feeding to how to increase eggs production in layers
This is more than just giving your female birds any kind of feed around, you need to provide the best feed to your laying flock in other to increase eggs production in layers.

What they eat most contain all the classes of food in the require percentage or proportion. To keep its body functioning and to produce one of these self contained, nutrient-rich units each day, it is essential a laying hen receive a balanced diet with adequate levels of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals.

For laying flocks older than 16 to 20 weeks, experts generally recommend a balanced layer ration containing 16 – 18 percent protein and approximately 3½-percent calcium to promote strong eggshells.

Many raisers also offer free choice oyster shell for extra calcium in case their feed falls short of this important mineral. Calcium deficiency can result in thin-shelled eggs and leg problems.

You may need to offer your birds the higher-protein feed during periods of peak egg production and when hot weather causes birds to eat less to increase eggs production in layers.

Water on how to increase eggs production in layers
Laying chickens also require a constant supply of fresh and clean water. Not only does a chicken’s body use this life sustaining liquid for numerous physiological functions, but water also comprises more than half of an egg’s volume as explain in above.

You must ensure your birds have a reliable water source during both hot and dry periods and freezing weather or their egg production will suffer.

2. Keeping the coop clean on how to increase eggs production in layers

This is another important factor that affects eggs production in laying birds. If your hens are comfortable and not stressed they will lay better.  If you free range all day, they are likely going to lay in tall grass and you will be losing those eggs.

You can still free range just later in the day after most have laid. In addition to this, if you allow your bird on the floor, there is high tendency of outbreak of diseases always and this is bad for them.

To me, battery cage is the best if you want to have maximum production from them. Regularly layering fresh litter in houses, preventing mud formation in pens and raking up droppings will help prevent your birds from tracking feces and mud into their nest boxes and onto their eggs.

Hygienic conditions promote healthier hens, as will paying attention to bio-security issues, such as quarantine periods for new fowl and limiting visits to your farm from other chicken raisers.

3. Flocks uniformity on how to increase eggs production in layers

This is an important growing parameter because you would like your birds to reach onset and peak production at the same time.

Regular segregation of smaller birds to assist them in catching up is one tool that farmers usually do. Also, having a uniform flock will help you achieve

4. Pullet management on how to increase eggs production in layers

The ability to raise pullets of good standard and quality is properly the most important aspect of poultry management to ensure a successful commercial poultry farming.

May poultry are no more working i.e they are no more in the production process as they fail to raised pullets of good standard and quality. Some are more or less productive as they failed in the aspect of raising pullets of good grade, nothing will ever make up for poor results in brooding and rearing.

While all phases of commercial poultry farming require close attention to detail, this is particularly true of brooding and pullet rising if one hopes to be continuously successful.

The basis of good egg production is a successful rearing phase, at the end of which the hen should have reached her standard body weight, with a well-developed frame and corresponding appetite or feed intake capacity.

In rising of pullets that will make you meet up with demand, that is how to increase eggs production in layers. I mean the purpose of the farming, the following point most put to action.

5. Targeted feed consumption on how to increase eggs production in layers

This is critical because you might get into trouble by the onset of lay period where the birds are expected to increase in consumption dramatically within 1 month.

If you fail to closely follow the guide feed increment from this 16th to 20th week, you might fail in achieving your peak production targets.

Hope you are delighted in reading this article, kindly drop you comment.

9 Tips for keeping healthy chickens

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No doubt about this topic, every one that keep chicken for one reason or the other want to keep the healthy one, this is good idea because it will bring out the expected result.

No one wants to keep poultry birds and want to run it without good result. Keeping healthy chickens will not just come like that but requires some minor effort to be put into practices on daily basis or weekly routines.

A few basic principles of good chicken management have a reliable impact on their healthy and longevity.  Here are number of small steps that can be taken to promote healthy chickens.

1. Provide correct and balanced feed leads to healthy chickens

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As this may sound to you haring, chicken must be feed properly and correctly to perform optimally and to be healthy. 

Well fed chickens lay more eggs, grow faster, produce better meat, and have better immune systems to fight against disease. Chickens are like kids, though you have to supervise their diets.

Even if they have a large area of land to forage on, they need at least part of their diet to come from commercial feed so they get all the nutrients they need.

Not only will they eat almost anything, whether it is nutritious or not, but a chunk of land just doesn’t provide the nutrition that chickens need. 

Unlike domestic chickens, wild chickens that get all their nutrition from Mother, nature have plenty of space to roam and hunt to meet their needs.

2. Healthy chickens need clean water always

Having clean water available at all times is one of the best ways to keep your chickens healthy and productive. Chickens need water available to lay well, grow quickly, and perform all of life’s functions. 

Making sure water is available, even in winter, is essential to their health. Chickens can be a bit fussy about water. They do not like water that is too warm or flavored strongly. 

If they don’t drink freely, they don’t eat as much, and that starts affecting their production and health. Make sure chickens have clean, fresh water at all time.

3. Clean coops regularly result to healthy chickens

A clean coop is a healthier one, chickens have sensitive respiratory system or track that are easily irritated by mold and ammonia from accumulated dropping. 

Therefore clean coops are less likely to house external parasites such as mites and poultry lice.

4. Cleaning and dusting areas contribute to healthy chickens

Coop cleanliness is a sure fire way to promote good health in your backyard flock. Spending a little time each day scooping up droppings and discarding loose feathers is a great way to prevent illness and promote healthy chickens. 

Soiled and wet bedding is a breeding ground for harmful disease causing organisms. Some simple tools I like to have handy are a hand shovel for scooping, a scraper for stubborn stuck on waste, a metal rake and shovel for when the bedding needs to be completely mucked out and replaced which I usually do about every month. 

My hens simply go crazy at the sight of fresh straw in their house. The Backyard Chicken Coops designs have removable metal cleaning trays, which make this process even easier; in fact it becomes a breeze to clean! 

Now, enter the mighty Apple Cider Vinegar! ACV is a wonderful natural cleaner for the entire chicken coop, feeders and drinkers. 

Just mix a few teaspoons of ACV with water in a spray bottle and then wipe off with a sponge or rag. Routine use will help to disinfect and inhibit dust, mildew, mold, and odors from forming in your coop.

5. Inspect birds or chickens regularly improve healthy chickens

Physically and behaviorally, are signs and symptoms to look for that would suggest a hen is feeling a bit under the weather.  I always do a general observation of my flock as a whole each day watching how they interact with one another and move about. 

Healthy chickens will be lively and busily pecking the ground, eating and drinking, catching up on the latest gossip, very dustily bathing, preening, and chasing flying insects that took a wrong turn, and even pecking at their flock mates just to keep the pecking order in order. 

Also, I like to do an up close and personal health check about once a week or so by picking up each hen and examining her. With some ladies this is easier said than done, I know. 

Anyway, combs and wattles should be a nice bright waxy red color and not too pale. Eyes should be clear and alert, although in this precarious position, some will appear wild eyed and crazy, but relax, I assure you, this is normal! 

Feet should be free of cuts or scrapes which could lead to infection. Lastly, gently part their feathers and downy fluff underneath and check their skin for parasites and lice.

6.  Provide suitable housing system to enhance healthy chickens

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Chicken housing needs to protect your birds from both the elements and predators. It should keep them dry and out of drafts. Housing usually consists of indoor and outdoor space. 

Make sure each large‐size chicken has at least 3 square feet of indoor space and 3 to 5 square feet of outdoor space for optimum health. Having the right housing is not only better for the chickens it is also of good benefits for you, so be sure to plan your chicken housing and get it set up before you buy the birds in other to raise healthy chickens. 

Plan the size of the housing, how you will access it to care for the birds and collect eggs, how it will fit into your yard, and how you will light it.

7. Provide supplements light when needed to keep healthy chickens

A chicken’s life cycle revolves around the amount of daylight or artificial light it receives. Chickens are prompted to lay eggs and mate when the days are long, and they molt when the days start getting shorter. 

Molting is the process by which a chicken replaces all its feathers, and it is energy intensive. When chickens molt, they usually stop laying.

8. Diseases and pests control contribute to healthy chickens

Hens that are ill or have parasites such as worms, mites or lice, do not perform optimally. Taken in conjunction with flock history and any other symptoms, a drop in egg production can indicate that hens are sick or suffering from a parasite infestation. 

In addition, parasites not only make birds uncomfortable, but carry disease and lower a chicken’s immune system response to disease. Birds carrying a heavy load of internal or external parasites produce fewer eggs, grow more slowly, and eat more feed. 

Keeping your birds well fed and free off both stress and disease helps their bodies repel parasites and makes them better able to tolerate any they may still contract. 

For example: if a drop in egg production follows the addition of new chickens to the flock and no other physical symptoms are noted, a communicable disease or parasite should be suspected and investigated further.

9. Vaccination

Vaccines can be given at various life stages of chickens. Many vaccines suggest an optimum age, but if the chicken does not get the vaccine then, it can sometimes be administered later. 

This situation depends on the disease you are trying to prevent. Vaccines can be given by mouth, in the eyes, in the nose, or by injection, depending on the disease they are meant to prevent. Some vaccines prevent disease in one dose; others require several doses. 

Preventing problems is always better than trying to fix them. When you purchase baby chicks, you are often offered the opportunity to have them vaccinated for a small additional fee.

How to prepare for baby chickens before they finally arrived at home

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It is good to bring home your new baby chickens, but before you do that, there is need to know what to do and how to do them.

You cannot just bring them home without preparations, not just preparation but proper preparation. Consider they are very young and tender at this stage of their lives, so they need proper attention.

Put your mind at rest, things will be fine if you carefully read and follow what is in this write up. Here is the beginning of their lives after incubation, what you will achieved at the end depend greatly on how you prepare from this stage.

This is where some of the farmers make a lot of mistakes, so to avoid shortage in raising your baby chickens from this stage, observe the following.

1.  Remember, baby baby chickens are animals not toys

As this topic indicated that they are animals not toys, they need proper care. They need feed and water at appointed time, they are not to be stressed.

Gift chicks for Easter morning squeals are a really fun idea, but only when one has actually planned on raising baby chickens, has prepared a brooder, and has purchased feed, drinker and a heat source.

For baby chicks that have to forgo proper food, water, shelter and heat to take up residence in ornament baskets of chocolate bunnies and jellybeans, Easter is no fun at all not even if they will be taking a trip to a friend’s farm later.

If you are considering buying chicks for Easter morning, understand that chicks can be contaminated with Salmonella without exhibiting symptoms of illness.

2. Do your research about baby chickens

The first thing to do is research work, this is very important as this will guide you on what to do and how to do them. 

I will even recommend that you even know the history of hatchery to get your chickens from. Ask people that are engaged in the same business you are about to do.

By so doing, you will know that the chickens are from reliable sources. Though some hatcheries are not well and properly equipped, so what they will produce will have problem.

Proper research are the answer to this question, please do some research. You and your chickens will benefit from extensive research before they arrive at your home, and they will thrive under your continued research.

Because chickens grow very fast, so does the demand for your chicken age-appropriate knowledge. Become knowledgeable long before you have to learn by doing, and you are sure to do fewer wrongs in the long run.

3. Provide warmth for baby chickens

This must not be underrated because of the important of heat. Yes, from day old they are feathers are not well formed, therefore they cannot provide for themselves the amount of heat required.

So it is important to make available a reliable source of heat for the period of eighteen days or more.

4.  Provide fresh water daily for your baby chickens

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Baby chickens need water on daily basis, not ordinary water but fresh water. Make available for these little chicken fresh water every day.

The water source should remain fresh for the chicks’ health and shallow to prevent drowning. Baby chicks have no manners and walk through everything, including their groping and their water.

Expect to clean the drinker several times per day. And to help prevent accidental drowning, which takes very little water, put marbles in the dish to prevent a chick from dipping its beak into the water further than it should go.

5. Provide quality feed for baby chickens

Do not just give them any how feed, preferably you give them high quality feed that will make them grow. The type of feed you give them has a lot to do with their lives, so prepare for this.

Baby chickens rapid growth surprises everyone raising chickens for first time. They seem to double in size every day.

The right feed for growing babies is very high in protein to support that rapid growth and the immediate feathering, which continues for several months.

6. Provide feeders for baby chickens

Feeders are of different types and come in different shapes. So you cannot use grower feeder for small baby chickens.

So you make use of the right feeders for the right birds, their feeder should be like tray, though they are available in the market. Just get them and make use of them, no problem.

7. Provide a reasonable shelter for baby chickens

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Shelter in the form of a brooder is important for protection from predators. A brooder can be any enclosure that provides safety and security, such as an old aquarium, a converted plastic storage or a cardboard brooder system designed specifically to hold rapidly growing baby chicks.

Note: Cardboard brooders are fire hazards when paired with a heat lamp. Later, when chicks outgrow the brooder, they will need to move outside to a coop.

The big move happens sooner than you would expect, so get a coop built or delivered sooner than you think you will need it to be on the safe side.

8 Signs of unhealthy chickens

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Though I am a veterinarian, but for the past few years I have be playing with chickens on daily basis. I have study them more than any other animals, they are playful and enjoyable when you know what to do and how to do them.

On a good condition, when they are not sick, you will be happy of been with them. Mind you, they cannot speak, explain to you if they are not in good order.

As they are very difficult to diagnose in case of any issue, yet you can know they are not well ok. That is the main reason you should treat them like a young baby that knows nothing.

Despite all these, millions of people around the world are still keeping chickens for one purpose or the other.

The easiest way to identify if something is wrong is to observe your chickens closely each day and make a point of checking your chickens often so you know what a healthy chickens looks and feels like.

That way you will know when something is wrong, long before your chicken tries to tell you. These simple tips will guide you and know what to do on time, there:

1. Change in color of the comb ti identify unhealthy chickens .

This is a noticeable sign that everyone must understand, why? This part of our chicken are seen, so when anything happen to the chicken, the comb color changes.

Normally, comb color are bright and reddish in color, so when what you  are seen is different from this, definitely your chickens are sick, meaning you are having unhealthy chickens.

Comb color may change to any of these, pale bluish color, pale comb, limb without shine and many more color. So, when you see something like this, inform your vet. doctor.

2. Unhealthy chickens will not eat properly

The next thing in this category is the reaction of your chicken to feed, on a good condition, chicken should rush toward feed when you feed them.

So if you notice that some are not rushing toward feed when you make feed available for them, then something is wrong somewhere.

This behavior is highly noticed in a healthy flock. Therefore checkouts for this as a means of identify unhealthy chickens in the flock.

3. Unhealthy chickens drinking more water than expected.

You may be noticed this, and think is a normal thing for the chickens. It is good for them to drink water as this enhance the digestion process, but when you discover that they drink more water than necessary that call for your attention.

Then something is wrong, the best answer to this situation is to inform your veterinary doctor.

4.Unhealthy chickens show ruffled feathers.

Your chicken’s feathers should look strong, glossy and sleek. Unless they are molting, in which case patchy feathers is perfectly normal, and will pave the way for a shiny new coat!

When you notice ruffled feather in the flock, critically check for lice or mites in the feathers. This is a great sign that the chickens are not in right condition, keep eye on them at all time.

5. Chicken eyes.

The eyes should be alert and shiny. Unhealthy chickens eyes will usually pale and have a glazed look. Some you might see fluid come out of the eye, or mucus around the eye area.

You may also notice that they eye are dull, then this call for your attention. These showcase that they are not in good condition, please check out for any of this.

6. Sign of any injury.

Injury is another sign you need to look out for in the flock, so many thing may cause this in the flock. Injury may occur as a result fight in the flock or there is predator in the house. You must properly check out for any causes of the injury.

7. Weight lost is a sign of unhealthy chickens

To identify this issue might be a bit difficult, how will you identify this? The best answer is to carry them one after the other, how long will it take you for a very big farm.

So that is why you need not to joke with the sign listed above and the remaining in this article. Loss in weight is a good sign of illness in the flock

8. Lack of interest in the surrounding.

The last but not the least sign of unhealthy chickens is the isolation of any chicken from the flock. Chicken will isolate themselves from the flock when they lack interest in the surrounding environment.

Though on like lost of weight, you can easily identify any one that are not associate with rest of the flock. When this are noticed in the flock, something is wrong somewhere and need your attention on time before it too late.

Many of the above symptoms can be a sign of Bacterial or Viral infections.  Bacteria multiply very quickly and can spread like wild fire. 

So it is always recommended to keep your chickens in a clean environment, with clean water and feeding facilities to help prevent bacterial infestation.

Heavy infestation of internal or external parasites can cause some of the above symptoms.  This can be managed with appropriate treatments. However depending on the age of your chicken, it may just plain be getting old.

Egg machines like Isla Browns don’t seem to live as long as other breeds. This is possibly due to the nature of the breed to continually lay. 

Although life expectancy varies from breed to breed, Isla browns will go down quickly, and can sometimes almost seem paralysed before they pass. 

In addition other factors like exercise, diet, coop cleanliness can contribute to the lifespan of your hens.

All the above are just general indications of bad health, some are obviously more visual and if you suspect anything Our friendly team are here to help with any questions you may have. 

If you are uncertain as to the health of your hens, then please seek Veterinarian advice.

Top 10 best breeds of poultry birds that lay more eggs

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It is good to rear chickens for any purpose, what so ever purpose you have in mind before rearing them must be accomplished. 

This is where so many people are making mistake, what they do most is that I want to rear chickens and they went ahead and do so. 

But many a times, they do fail just because they don’t know the type of breed that sweet the purposes of rearing these wonderful animals. 

Basically this write up will focus on layer and show cases  best laying hens, breed of laying bird that are very good and suitable for the purpose of laying. 

So, if you are planning of having a poultry farm for layers then you are the right place at the right time for the best laying hens. 

More over if you have one and you want to increase your flock you are also at the right place because you are not going to make the mistake you had made earlier in the business of poultry farming.

Mainly, majority of poultry farmers are into the business for the production of eggs for the populace. This will now not function well, or will not work according to the plan when the selected breeds are not performing to the expectation. 

This is among reasons why farmer should be careful when selecting which breed to rear. Some bird can lay up to 300 eggs in a year while some will only lay less than 200 eggs, hope you can now see the difference. 

Now that you have see what the difference are, you can now decide on which breed to select for laying purpose. This write up will write on the top best breed for eggs purpose, here are the list.

1. Black Australorp  one of best laying hens

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This is the first one on the list, preferably the best. This is a fantastic breed of chicken for any setting, I mean anything. 

The Black Australorp was developed in Australia using Orpington stock. It is black plumage shimmers with green in the sun. It is an excellent layer, especially during the winter months. 

A Black Australorp holds the record for highest number of eggs laid in one year, 365. This hen is great as a pet and will engage you in conversation while sitting in your lap. The Black Australorp is comfortable as a dominant hen, without being overly aggressive. 

They lay a somewhat elongated, medium sized, light brown egg. Black Australorp can be noisy, but not enough to tarnish this fine choice.

2. Hybrid is also another best laying hens

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There are many different hybrid breeds and one of the most common is the Golden Comet. Hybrids have been bred to lay huge amounts of eggs whilst only consuming small amounts of food. 

This makes them cheaper to feed than other breeds. Typical hybrid hen her expected to lay around 280 to 300 eggs per year. These eggs will be medium sized and brown colored.  

Hybrids are normally a golden, brown color with soft white tail feathers. They tend to be a very tough and resilient chicken and rarely ever turn broody. 

If you are looking for an all year round egg layer who is easy to look after, Hybrid chicken is definitely the pick for you.

3. White Leghorns among best laying hens

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Originated from Italy, the layer breed is considered by many as the best egg laying hen around. There’s a commercial strain often used in industrial scale egg production, as well as a heritage type. 

The heritage breed lays 220 to 300 large or jumbo white eggs per year, the commercial breed lays more than 300. The heritage White Leghorn likes to forage in free range situations, but their white color makes them attractive to predators. 

The commercial type has been developed for indoor egg production. Being from the Mediterranean, Leghorns are heat-tolerant, but their large combs make them prone to frostbite in frigid climates.

4.  Amerauccana

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These maybe the most fun birds to have when laying eggs. Popularly known as the "Easter Egg Chicken," these birds lay multicolored eggs that are as delicious as they are colorful. 

They tolerate all climates and do well either penned or in coups. One thing to note among this breed is the "crossed beak" genetic disorder that will affect about 1 in 100 chicks, they also named among best laying hens . 

Amerauccana lay about 250 eggs in a year, as well they start laying at a very good age. They produce the first egg ever in the age between 25 to 30 weeks which is typically good for them.

5. Rhode Island Red

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Rhode Island Red’s originated from America and are known as a dual purpose’ chickens. This means they can be raised for either eggs or meat. 

They are one of the most popular backyard chicken breeds because they are tough and lay lots of eggs. Rhode Island Red lay up to 250 eggs a year. 

These eggs are brown and medium sized. Contrary to their name, Rhode Island Reds actually have brown and black feathers giving them a dark appearance. 

They are more than capable of looking after themselves, and are well known for being tough. Rhode Islands are very friendly and are commonly picked by first time chicken keepers and they are one of best laying hens.

6. New Hampshire Red

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Are you thinking about getting a Rhode Island Red? How about trying a New Hampshire Red instead? This is a very handsome red bird. 

They look similar to a Rhode Island Red, but a little larger with a smaller comb-developed for cold New Hampshire winters. These are nice, calm, red hens that will sit in your lap. 

They are non aggressive and good layers of light brown eggs. This American heavy is winter hardy and a great triple-purpose bird.

7. Sussex Chicken Breed

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Like the Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire Red, the Sussex is a dual purpose hen which means they can be raised for either eggs as well as meat. 

Sussex is easily capable of laying 250 eggs a year. The color of the eggs will vary from brown through to creamy white. Sussex breed has eight different colors, the most common one being a pure white body with black neck and tail feathers. 

They are a very calm breed who would happily free range in a garden without destroying it. If you want a tame breed which would eat from your hand the Sussex is for you.

8.  Golden Laced Wyandottes is another best laying hens

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These big birds are very good egg layers, but the large size will also be good for the pot, if need be meaning are for dual purpose also like the ones mention above. 

They are gentle, calm and are terrific foragers, which means they are some of the best chickens for free range. The extremely beautifully colorful chickens are a sight that few can resist, and they tend to be broody, so if you allow a clutch of eggs to hatch for a sustainable flock, the hen will do a good job with the chicks. 

The annual egg production of this breed is about 200, which is not too bad. The amazing thing about this breed also in the ability to start laying early than many other breeds, they start laying between 18 to 20 weeks of age, that is great. You can go for this breed.

9. Hamburg best laying hens

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The Hamburg also spelt Hamburgh is a chicken native from Germany and is one of the most attractive chicken breeds around. They lay around 200 eggs per year. 

These will be small to medium sized eggs and will have a white glossy shell. Hamburg feathers resemble the coat of a Dalmatian and are white with black feathers. 

Hamburgs also have another color variation which is black with golden tipped feathers. Hamburgs need lots of space to roam around in and do not do well inside a chicken pen. 

They are known to be aggressive in small spaces and are much better as a free range chicken.

10. Buff Orpington

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This is a really sweet breed of chicken. The hens are super friendly and decent layers of medium sized brown eggs also found among best laying hens. 

Even the roosters are friendly. They have a calm disposition and are more comfortable just being one of the flock, not the leader. I put this breed in 10th because of their predicable broodiness.

Count on Buff Orpingtons to go broody several times a year. This is hard on the hens and frustrating to the owners, and reduces egg production. 

If you want to hatch eggs, or expand your flock naturally, these are your girls. They lay about 200 eggs per annum.

Finally, this are list of top 10 laying breeds of birds that you can go for whenever you want stock your farm. Do not mind to drop you comment about this write up.

Step by step guides on how to make money (50,000 Naira) from five turkeys after 4 months

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This is not surprising, it was just like a dream when I invested just about N 35,000 on five turkeys for just four months and gained N 50,000 when I sold them.

You might be thinking how I perform this, it is real not a magic. Keep reading I will explain in details on how I come about this wonderful idea.

The Idea came to me few days when my bank account was credited with less than N 500 over N 50,000 for some months. Then a friend just called me while are you wasting your time in keeping money in bank, I replied how? 

We are not on that, but he opened my inner mind on how to make money in just few months. Now, the details are as follow:

 Get a place to keep them (Turkeys) is a way to make money

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You don’t need to worry about this, this in a minor issue. If you don’t get a big place, don’t worry, though big place is not needed here.

Just get a small place that can accommodate cage of 4 X 4 feet and about 4 feet long also. This will cost you about N 5, 000 only, then you are a step closer to the deal.

If you have access to a big place no problem, you can still do it. You as a tenant you can as well do the same just a little space at the back of your window is well enough for you to make money, about N 50, 000 at the end of four months.

If you are a student, you are not left out of this wonderful business, because it is not a full time business. So anybody can do it, as I do it you can do more than that.

Buy 6 weeks old turkey is the way to make money

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This is another point and to my understanding, is the pillar of the business. There are many breeds of turkey outside that are available for sale, so don’t go for the local one.

If you do, you will not get anything in returns. As well don’t just go out to buy from wrong place, this is not so go also but I will advice if not instructing you to get them from veterinary doctors.

You might be wonder why? The answer is so simple, just for them to be well vaccinated which is the key to the success of make money.  The cost varies from one place to the other, moreover the number of vaccine determine the price.

If you are getting the price lesser than N 3, 000 per turkey you may likely to fall a victim of getting bad turkey.

By now you know the clue of getting your turkey from reliable source, good  you are also are step closer to your money.

Feeding is another way to make money from five Turkeys

Feeding is another thing we should not underrated, now there are many feeds available in the market today. There as well purpose for each feed you procure from the sellers.

The only type of feed that should be given to them at this age is the finisher. Not just feed, I mean you must feed them to satisfaction. Make sure that they have access to feed at all time, because this is meant for short time.

The amount of feed available will determine the growth rate at the end, mind you, you are targeting special marketing value so feed extra ordinarily.  So that they will attain a very big size at the short time available for them.

Aside this, you don’t just feed you feed them with the best feed available, make sure water is available all the time. Do change their water on daily basis and make  available fresh one at all time.

Medication is success way to make money from five Turkeys

There is no way you will not spent little on medications. If they are properly cared for you will spend less if not you spend more, this will increase your expenses.

But you can reduce this by practicing what is termed hygienic, that make sure their cage are clean always. You might be thinking of how do I be cleaning cage always, you must to avoid spending on procuring drugs.

In addition, you us give them antibiotic two time a month carefully followed the instruction on the type of drugs used. 

You also need dewormer to de-worm them once in two months and multivitamins as well, that all about this aspect, you are good to go.

Locate a marketable place as a way to make money from  five Turkeys

This is very good important point that we need to pay more attention. In your environment you where to the big men are leaving, you will be wonder why I mention big men?

They are the set of people that can buy them from you, let me use this word, they are the targeted people so locate their route. If you are able to get one, that is good job.

Now that they are big enough, it is time to sell them, how? You this in your closet, no one knows about what your plan is. So take them to the identify place or location, my dear reader you are almost done, in fact you are their already.

Selling of fully grown turkey is the final way to make money

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This is the final stage of getting our money from selling 5 turkeys and gain N 50,000. Now that your turkey are full grown to matured size and marketable size, you need to value them base on their sizes.

How are you going to this? Add up your expenditure to know the total amount spent on raising them to these valuable sizes, N 35, 000 in total.

You now decide the amount you want to sell your turkey, bet it with me, if you have a very big turkey you will sell one not less than N 20,000. If God is by your side you can sell one for N 25,000 to N 30, 000.

By the time you the subtraction and addition you will get nothing less than N 50,000 from selling just five turkeys

Finally, these are just the steps I took in getting N 50, 000 from the sales of just five turkey. You can do just that, is a simple steps just followed them that is all. Feel free to drop your comment, thanks for reading.