With the arrival of monsoon, farmer needs to give a little bit more care and attention towards his crops along with the livestock. As we know, poultry farming is continuously growing as the most profitable agribusiness across the globe including India. However, monsoon comes as a challenging season for poultry farmers which could be very tormenting. As rainy and cold season brings changes in temperature and weather conditions, and it leave a deep impact to the poultry farm. You need to know that weather conditions play a vital role in poultry farming as well. Hence, as a poultry farmer, it is very important to learn how to operate poultry farm during rainy seasons.
Understand the Diseases
Rainy season can bring diseases not only for human, but for animals as well. The dripping water from many sources can bring many bacteria that can make your chicken sick.
- Fowl Pox
Fowl Pox which is caused by pox virus is really contagious and can cause death in chicken. Mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects are the main agent for this disease and we all know that rainy season is the perfect weather for them to multiply.
- Fowl Cholera
Different from Fowl Pox, this disease is caused by bacteria called Pasteurella multocida. It’s a very awful disease because sometimes you can’t see it’s coming, but to find your chicken dead. However, in not so much hyper acute course, there are clinical sign that you can see, include diarrhea, appetite loss that can lead into anorexia.
- Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro)
This is one kind of viral infections among immature birds, which as old as 3 to 18 weeks. Usually, this disease targets the bursal component of the immune system of your chicken that can cause immunosuppression and susceptibility to secondary infections.
- May observe a decrease in Eggs Production
Usually, chicken produce eggs in the daylight. During rainy season, the daylight will be less and it causes less in eggs production also.
How to Manage Poultry Farm during rainy seasons
- Provide the Heater/Fluorescence Light
The heater is very important for poultry farming. Since chicken needs to be warm, especially baby chicks that haven’t been able to control their body temperature yet. Moreover, this heater or fluorescence light can encourage eggs production since the light can act the same as the daylight.
- You Need to put oil/fat in the chicken’s food
Chickens tend to get hungrier in cold weather, so they tend to eat more during rainy season. Moreover, you can add some oil or fat into their foods to reduce the costs of their feed. The oil and fat will produce higher energy and avoid unnecessary feed production costs.
- De-wormers
In winter, we can easily get a heater to avoid the chicken drink become frozen, but in rainy seasons, the water can cause trouble in chicken’s health instead. As I mentioned earlier, the water from the rain might bring many worms and parasites. So, during rainy seasons is important for you to give your chicken de-wormers to avoid infection from intestinal worms. You can give them an effective de-wormers like piperazine once in 2 months or 3 months.
- Prepare dry padding
Since rainy season will increase humidity level, the wood shavings that you use as bedding can get easily damp. You really need to keep in mind this thing and need to prepare dry padding to save the chicken from
- If PossibleConstruct the roof overhang over the entrance
Most importantly, you need to remember that as much as you keep them dry, chickens are more tend to be healthier. Not only it will make your chicken cold, it will create bad odors faster and you don’t want that. To ensure that the water doesn’t get leak into your chicken coop, you can add some more roof overhang over the entrance and sides of pens. With this construction, you can avoid the leaking water, while keep air circulates well through ventilation.
- Vaccination is important in Rainy Season
Rainy season can reduce the immune system of your chicken, and they can get easily infected by bacteria and viruses. Not to mention the mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects that multiply well during this season thus can increase the possibility of transmitting viruses to your chicken.
