What Is The Cause Of Coccidiosis In Chickens?

One of the challenges chicken owners face is the threat of a common and potentially devastating disease called coccidiosis, but once you understand what causes it and how it spreads, you can feel more confident about your ability to limit its impact.

Coccidiosis in chickens is caused by a microscopic parasite called coccidia, which is transmitted through the droppings of infected birds. In other words, anywhere there is a microscopic trace of bird poop – a drinking fountain, a feeder, or in the bed – coccidia are almost certainly present.

Symptoms of coccidiosis include weight loss, paleness, ruffled feathers, depression, crowding, unwillingness to eat, and watery or bloody diarrhea. All birds are at risk, but growing specimens and young adults three to five weeks old seem most susceptible.

Good health

The good news is that chickens and hens generally have relatively good health and strong immune systems. These birds are ‘equipped’ to protect themselves against coccidiosis, provided they are not stressed or exposed to unsanitary conditions. A mild case can even go unnoticed. Once the bird survives an outbreak, it will be immune to that particular coccidia organism (there are nine different species).

The other good news is that each species of coccidia is ‘host specific’. That means the type of coccidia that could infect turkeys is not the same type that could infect chickens (or geese or quail, etc.). So coccidiosis in chickens cannot be transmitted to a goose, but it can be spread from chicken to chicken.

When coccidiosis in chickens is allowed to proliferate uncontrollably, it invades the lining of the intestines causing tissue damage and interfering with nutrient absorption. This can be devastating for a bird.

How to prevent coccidiosis in chickens

One of the best ways to prevent a coccidiosis outbreak in chickens in your pen is to practice responsible sanitation and proper garbage management. Coccidia thrive in hot, humid conditions, so the wet litter around the waterer is a haven for these and many other parasites.

Believe it or not, when conditions are right, coccidia can survive for up to four years outside of a bird’s body.  And these tough little organisms can be transmitted through boots, gear, insects, and rodents. Therefore, you are going to need a multi-layered approach to minimize the threat.

Suggestions

• Keep the facilities as dry as possible. The coccidia loves moisture.
• Never introduce new adult birds to the pen. Birds that appear healthy can carry a number of deadly diseases. Quarantine them first.

• Raise the chicks in isolation. Mature birds can transmit diseases and parasites to vulnerable young birds.
• Thoroughly clean and sanitize any equipment the chicks will come in contact with. Once they’re dry, lay four to six inches of fresh, dry litter material – wood chips or a commercial absorbent bedding material – on the floor.
• Provide clean water at all times. If possible, raise the drinker slightly and clean it very often. If you are not willing to drink the water yourself, it is not clean enough.
• Never let the drinking fountain dry out, as it will force the birds to search for water in puddles, which are almost certainly contaminated.
• Let the sunlight do some of the work. Coccidia hate sunlight and sunlight acts as a natural disinfectant. Bring as much natural sunlight into your brooder as possible.

• Ask your vet about vaccination. There is a commercial vaccine against coccidiosis in chickens, but it is not beneficial for all flocks.

Remember: exposure to coccidia is not the threat, frankly it is unavoidable; even wild birds carry coccidia. The serious threat comes from prolonged overexposure to coccidia in a stressful and unhealthy environment that can overwhelm a bird’s immune system.

Good nutrition

There is another important weapon that you can employ as part of a multi-level defense against coccidiosis in chickens: medicated feeds that contain a coccidiostat that controls the growth of coccidia in the digestive tract.

These foods provide a complete and balanced diet for the birds for which they were designed; no other food supplements are necessary. When you consider that a strong immune system is a bird’s best natural defense against coccidia and other diseases, investing in good nutrition early on is a smart way to ensure the health of your pen.