One of the hardiest farm animals is the chicken.
As long as they are given a clean environment with fresh feed and water every day, these animals barely get sick.
But, because they are outdoor animals, it is impossible to protect them from every type of risk.
A chicken owner can better prevent certain illnesses if they are aware of the types of common diseases that affects poultry.
Possibly the most common ailment that a chicken will be exposed to is external parasites.
Lice and mites are the common perpetrators.
The infestation may not be obvious to an owner if they do not regularly check or handle their chickens, and the first sign will be when the chicken becomes visibly sick.
Because poultry lice will eat the skin and the feathers, it will create a moth-eaten look over time.
Mites are blood-consuming parasites that will severely weaken one's poultry.
These parasites are quite smaller than lice and are even harder to detect.
If one's chickens have these mites, one will notice a scaly appearance on the face and legs of his or her animals.
One must use an insecticide powder for birds, or consult a veterinarian for advice.
Along with external parasites, poultry also have to battle internal parasites.
Worms are one of the most common internal parasites to which chickens are susceptible.
Worms are found around chicken feces and also in the ground.
If the poultry eats from these tainted areas, they are also eating the worms, thereby becoming infected.
Many times, chickens have a small amount of internal parasites that are not harmful.
If one's chickens are kept in a highly contaminated area, they can obtain an overload of internal parasites that bring about diarrhea and can cause starvation.
Any sickness can be identified by a veterinarian, who will also identify if it is a certain parasite that is causing the problems.
By examining a fecal sample from one's flock, the veterinarian can prescribe the correct medication to heal one's flock.
Various pox viruses also affect poultry, the same as the do humans.
This "chicken" pox can bring about various skin lesions on one's animals.
It is then transmitted to other birds in the flock by contact and by mosquitoes.
Once one's flock is infected, it becomes severely difficult to stop the spread.
One's poultry can survive this type of disease, but only if caught early enough and special care is given to the lesions on the birds.
A person can prevent these types of diseases from spreading to their flock by using certain vaccines.
Fowl cholera is another disease that affects chickens.
The older birds in a persons flock are more susceptible to this disease than the younger chicks.
It is caused by a bacterium that can kill one's entire flock very quickly.
Chickens can die within hours of being exposed to this disease.
The symptoms one can look for are swollen feet and eye or ear drainage..
Any birds that do die should immediately be taken to see a veterinarian.
Testing for, and confirmation of, cholera will be needed to appropriately treat the part of the flock that is still living.
This disease, if not treated, can spread to other animals through contaminated soil as well as direct contact.