Coccidiosis Disease in Poultry: Symptoms and Prevention
Coccidiosis Disease is a parasitic disease of the intestinal tract of animals caused by coccidian protozoa. The disease spreads from one animal to another by contact with infected feces or ingestion of infected tissue.
Diarrhea, which may become bloody in severe cases, is the primary symptom. Most animals infected with coccidia are asymptomatic, but young or immunocompromised animals may suffer severe symptoms and death.
While coccidia can infect a wide variety of animals, including humans, birds, and livestock, they are usually species-specific. One well-known exception is toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii.
Coccidiosis in chickens can be a potentially life-threatening illness in your backyard flock. Chicks are particularly susceptible to coccidia, but chickens of any age can become ill. Coccidiosis disease affects chicks at an early age between 3 – 4weeks old or more depending on the type involved.
What is Coccidiosis?
Coccidiosis is caused by a tiny protozoan parasite called coccidia. Coccidia can only be seen with a microscope, but are bigger than bacteria.
They can be found naturally in the environment and there are hundreds of different types of coccidia and each one infects a different species of animal. Chickens have 7 different coccidia species that can infect them.
Symptoms of Coccidiosis Disease
Chicks affected by coccidiosis disease will always close their eyes with feathers flying over and will not be able to feed or drink well as usual. There may also be bloody droppings, pale comb and ceasation of egg production in layers.
Coccidia causes illness in chickens by attacking the intestinal lining, causing diarrhea (sometimes bloody, but not always) which then leads to dehydration and malnutrition, and eventually death if not caught and treated immediately.
In some cases, the damage to the intestinal lining can be permanent and the bird may not grow or maintain body weight. Since a chick must eat a coccidia cyst to be infected, it takes a minimum of 2 to 3 weeks for a chick to begin showing symptoms. General lack of vigor or inactivity is usually the first sign, followed by loose, watery stools
Clinical Signs of Coccidiosis Disease
Coccidia which are deep tissue invaders such as E. maxima, E. necatrix and E. tenella cause severe necrosis, haemorrhage of the intestinal mucosa, and bloody diarrhoea and may result in death.
Signs include watery and/or bloody droppings, mortality (0-50%), and morbidity (0-100%). Culls appear as pale birds with anaemia, depression, poor weight gain and feed conversion, and a drop in egg production.
Prevention of Coccidiosis Disease in Chickens
Poultry farmers should ensure that litter are dried at all times. There should not be spillage of water on the floor. Good brooder hygiene is the best way to prevent an outbreak of coccidia in your chicks. Keep the litter in your brooder dry at all times. Replace the litter if it becomes saturated.
Since newly hatched chicks must be kept at a warmer temperature, the brooder is potentially the perfect environment to allow coccidia to explode in population and quickly infect your chicks. Many chicken keepers prefer to use anti-coccidiosis medications to help prevent a coccidiosis outbreak in their chicks.
One of the best ways to prevent a coccidiosis outbreak is by practicing responsible sanitation and litter management. Coccidia thrive in damp, warm conditions, so wet litter around the waterer is a virtual parasite paradise.
Believe it or not, when the conditions are just right, coccidia can survive for up to four years outside a bird’s body. And these hardy little organisms can be transmitted via boots, equipment, insects and rodents. So you’re going to need a multi-tiered approach to minimize the threat. Here are some suggestions:
- Keep the premises as dry as possible. Coccidia love moisture.
- Never introduce new adult birds into your flock. Birds that appear healthy can be carriers of a number of deadly diseases. Quarantine them first.
- Raise chicks in isolation. Mature birds can pass along diseases and parasites to vulnerable young birds.
- Thoroughly clean and disinfect the brooder between broods. This includes any equipment the chicks will come in contact with. Once the premises are dry, place four to six inches of dry, fresh litter material (wood shavings or a commercial absorbent litter material) on the floor.
- Provide clean water at all times. A typical problem is that brooder bedding or dust (containing feces) gets scratched into the water source. If possible, elevate the waterer slightly. Clean waterers relentlessly. If you wouldn’t be willing to drink the water yourself, it’s not clean enough. And never let the waterer run dry—it will force the birds to search for water in puddles, which are almost certainly contaminated.
- Provide clean bedding. Coccidia are spread through the feces of infected birds. If feces are in the bedding, they’re on the birds’ feathers. And if feces are on the feathers, the birds will ingest them while preening (using their beaks to clean themselves). Replace wet bedding around waterers and add bedding to any problem spots.
- Let sunlight do some of the work. Coccidia hate sunlight. It’s a natural disinfectant. Incorporate as much natural sunlight into your brooder as possible.
- Ask your veterinarian about vaccinating. A commercial coccidiosis vaccine is available, but it’s not beneficial for every flock. Consult your veterinarian before using the vaccine.
Remember, exposure to coccidia isn’t the threat—frankly, it’s unavoidable. Even wild birds carry coccidia. Instead, the serious threat comes from prolonged over-exposure to coccidia in a stressful, unsanitary environment that can overwhelm a bird’s immune system.
Good Nutrition
There’s one more important weapon that you can employ as part of your multi-tiered defense against coccidiosis: medicated feeds containing a coccidiostat that controls the growth of coccidia in the digestive tract.
Purina Mills® Start & Grow® Medicated is formulated for layer chicks and can be fed until eight weeks of age to prevent coccidiosis. For broiler chicks and turkey poults, there’s Purina Mills® Flock Raiser ® Medicated. (Flock Raiser® Medicated is not FDA approved for use in ducks or geese.)
Both of these feeds provide a complete and balanced diet for the birds they were designed for. No other supplemental feeds 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 from the get-go is a smart way to ensure the health of your flock.
Treatment of Coccidiosis Disease in Chickens
If your chicks show signs of coccidiosis, you want to treat them immediately. To help reduce the coccidia population and limit the exposure to your chicks, do a complete change of bedding.
Also empty and disinfect all drinkers and feeders with a 10% bleach in water solution before beginning the treatment with an anti-coccidiosis medication. Treat the entire group of chicks by adding the medication to their drinking water according to label directions.
Read Also: Newcastle Disease: Symptoms and Prevention
List of Symptoms/Signs of Coccidiosis Disease
| Sign | Life Stages | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular Signs / Tachycardia, rapid pulse, high heart rate | Sign | |
| Cardiovascular Signs / Tachycardia, rapid pulse, high heart rate | Sign | |
| Digestive Signs / Abdominal distention | Sign | |
| Digestive Signs / Abnormal colour of stool in birds, white, green, yellow faeces | Cattle & Buffaloes:Calf,Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:All Stages,Pigs:Weaner,Pigs:Growing-finishing pig,Sheep & Goats:Lamb | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Anorexia, loss or decreased appetite, not nursing, off feed | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male | Sign |
| Digestive Signs / Bloody stools, faeces, haematochezia | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Dark colour stools, faeces | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Diarrhoea | Cattle & Buffaloes:Calf,Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:All Stages,Pigs:Weaner,Pigs:Growing-finishing pig,Sheep & Goats:Lamb | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Excessive salivation, frothing at the mouth, ptyalism | Sign | |
| Digestive Signs / Hepatosplenomegaly, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly | Other:Adult Female,Other:Adult Male | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Melena or occult blood in faeces, stools | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:Juvenile | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Mucous, mucoid stools, faeces | Cattle & Buffaloes:Calf,Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Pigs:Weaner,Pigs:Growing-finishing pig,Sheep & Goats:Lamb | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Parasites passed per rectum, in stools, faeces | Cattle & Buffaloes:All Stages,Poultry:All Stages,Other:All Stages,Pigs:All Stages,Sheep & Goats:All Stages | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Prolapsed rectum, rectal eversion | Sign | |
| Digestive Signs / Prolapsed rectum, rectal eversion | Sign | |
| Digestive Signs / Steatorrhea, fatty stools, faeces | Sign | |
| Digestive Signs / Sunken, empty crop in birds | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male | Sign |
| Digestive Signs / Unusual or foul odor, stools, faeces | Cattle & Buffaloes:Calf,Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:All Stages,Pigs:Weaner,Pigs:Growing-finishing pig,Sheep & Goats:Lamb | Diagnosis |
| Digestive Signs / Vomiting or regurgitation, emesis | Sign | |
| General Signs / Ataxia, incoordination, staggering, falling | Sign | |
| General Signs / Ataxia, incoordination, staggering, falling | Sign | |
| General Signs / Dehydration | Cattle & Buffaloes:Calf,Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:All Stages,Pigs:Weaner,Pigs:Growing-finishing pig,Sheep & Goats:Lamb | Sign |
| General Signs / Dysmetria, hypermetria, hypometria | Sign | |
| General Signs / Fever, pyrexia, hyperthermia | Sign | |
| General Signs / Fever, pyrexia, hyperthermia | Sign | |
| General Signs / Generalized weakness, paresis, paralysis | Sign | |
| General Signs / Generalized weakness, paresis, paralysis | Sign | |
| General Signs / Inability to stand, downer, prostration | Sign | |
| General Signs / Inability to stand, downer, prostration | Sign | |
| General Signs / Inability to stand, downer, prostration | Sign | |
| General Signs / Increased mortality in flocks of birds | Sign | |
| General Signs / Lack of growth or weight gain, retarded, stunted growth | Sign | |
| General Signs / Lack of growth or weight gain, retarded, stunted growth | Sign | |
| General Signs / Lack of growth or weight gain, retarded, stunted growth | Sign | |
| General Signs / Opisthotonus | Sign | |
| General Signs / Pale comb and or wattles in birds | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male | Sign |
| General Signs / Pale mucous membranes or skin, anemia | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male | Sign |
| General Signs / Reluctant to move, refusal to move | Sign | |
| General Signs / Sudden death, found dead | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:All Stages | Sign |
| General Signs / Tenesmus, straining, dyschezia | Sign | |
| General Signs / Tenesmus, straining, dyschezia | Sign | |
| General Signs / Trembling, shivering, fasciculations, chilling | Sign | |
| General Signs / Underweight, poor condition, thin, emaciated, unthriftiness, ill thrift | Cattle & Buffaloes:Calf,Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:All Stages,Pigs:Weaner,Pigs:Growing-finishing pig,Sheep & Goats:Lamb | Sign |
| General Signs / Weakness, paresis, paralysis of the legs, limbs in birds | Sign | |
| General Signs / Weight loss | Cattle & Buffaloes:Calf,Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:All Stages,Pigs:Weaner,Pigs:Growing-finishing pig,Sheep & Goats:Lamb | Diagnosis |
| Musculoskeletal Signs / Forelimb spasms, myoclonus | Sign | |
| Musculoskeletal Signs / Hindlimb spasms, myoclonus | Sign | |
| Nervous Signs / Abnormal behavior, aggression, changing habits | Sign | |
| Nervous Signs / Constant or increased vocalization | Sign | |
| Nervous Signs / Dullness, depression, lethargy, depressed, lethargic, listless | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:Adult Female,Other:Adult Male | Sign |
| Nervous Signs / Excessive or decreased sleeping | Poultry:Young poultry,Poultry:Mature female,Poultry:Cockerel,Poultry:Mature male,Other:Adult Female,Other:Adult Male | Sign |
| Nervous Signs / Excitement, delirium, mania | Sign | |
| Nervous Signs / Head tilt | Sign | |
| Nervous Signs / Hyperesthesia, irritable, hyperactive | Sign | |
| Nervous Signs / Seizures or syncope, convulsions, fits, collapse | Sign | |
| Nervous Signs / Tetany | Sign | |
| Nervous Signs / Tremor | Sign | |
| Ophthalmology Signs / Blindness | Sign | |
| Ophthalmology Signs / Nystagmus | Sign | |
| Ophthalmology Signs / Strabismus | Sign | |
| Pain / Discomfort Signs / Pain, kidney, ureters, on palpation | Other:All Stages | Sign |
| Reproductive Signs / Decreased hatchability of eggs | Sign | |
| Reproductive Signs / Decreased, dropping, egg production | Sign | |
| Reproductive Signs / Male infertility | Sign | |
| Respiratory Signs / Dyspnea, difficult, open mouth breathing, grunt, gasping | Sign | |
| Respiratory Signs / Dyspnea, difficult, open mouth breathing, grunt, gasping | Sign | |
| Respiratory Signs / Increased respiratory rate, polypnea, tachypnea, hyperpnea | Sign | |
| Respiratory Signs / Increased respiratory rate, polypnea, tachypnea, hyperpnea | Sign | |
| Skin / Integumentary Signs / Rough hair coat, dull, standing on end | Sign | |
| Skin / Integumentary Signs / Rough hair coat, dull, standing on end | Sign | |
| Skin / Integumentary Signs / Ruffled, ruffling of the feathers | Sign |
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