Poultry Medication and Vaccination

Medication
Some diseases may be cured by drugs. Parasitic diseases, such as lice or worms may be cured by use of anti-parasitic drugs or by applying simple methods such as baths in oil. Some bacterial diseases causing diarrhoea, may be cured with antibiotics. For viral diseases there is no treatment. But the viral diseases may often be prevented by vaccination.

Vaccination
All poultry should be vaccinated against the most common viral disease(s) in the area. Vaccination schemes at village level should cover Newcastle Disease and Fowl Pox. Vaccination against Avian Influenza should be avoided, unless recommended by veterinarian authorities. Other viral diseases such as Gumboro and Marek’s disease may be covered by vaccination, but they are often less important at village level. A bacterial disease such as Fowl cholera may also be prevented by vaccination. Poultry should be vaccinated when they are very young, and before they have begun to lay eggs. Most young birds that have not been vaccinated do not resist diseases, and often die. Vaccines should only be given to healthy birds. If you vaccinate a sick bird you may kill the bird should be given two weeks before vaccination, to improve the effect of the vaccine.