Symptoms Prevention, management and treatment • Severe irritation to the eyes • Open mouth breathing • Skin burns If left untreated can be fatal. Management of ammonia build up relies on improving ventilation and removing excess wastes and damp litter on a regular basis. • Laboured breathing • Lethargy • Seizures If left untreated can lead to death. Management of aspergillosis infection involves stress management, environmental cleaning with antifungal agents and antifungal medications where required. • Cyanosis of the head (hence, “blackhead”) • Sulphur-yellow diarrhoea If left untreated can lead to death. To reduce the spreading of the disease, sick birds must be removed and their litter changed. •  Once bacteria become established in a cut or ulcer, balding of the chickens scales and redness and swelling result Remove affected birds and treat early injuries by daily cleaning with sterile saline, diluted Betadine (weak tea colour) or antibiotic creams. • Weakness • Lameness • Weak egg shells, or no egg shell • Broken bones Ensure birds are getting an appropriate commercial diet, which is complete and balanced in nutrients, as the main source of food. Supplement with additional limestone or oyster shell. • Diarrhoea • Weight loss • Bloody droppings • Hunched posture • Ruffled feathers • Huddled If left untreated, is often fatal. Good animal husbandry practices that avoid damp ground litter in the hen house (which encourages the survival and maturation of the occyst-the infectious stage of the coccidiosis life cycle). Given the prevalence of coccidiosis, use of an anticoccidial feed additive is advised for chicks and pullets. If a hen has to do without water for even a short time, her comb may turn a blue-black colour and she will cease to lay. In hot weather, lack of water for even a few hours can be fatal. Keep clean, cool water available at all times. Keep it out of direct sunlight and change the water within the drinkers regularly. Manage any illnesses sooner rather than later. THE CHOOK BOOK | 41