What diseases can chickens get?

1. Avian influenza (bird flu): A highly contagious viral disease that can affect both domestic and wild birds. In severe cases, it can lead to respiratory distress, swelling, and eventually death.

2. Marek's disease: A highly contagious viral disease that affects the lymphoid cells of chickens and other poultry. It can cause tumors in various organs, leading to reduced egg production, weight loss, and eventually death.

3. Infectious bronchitis: A contagious respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus. It affects the trachea and lungs of chickens, causing coughing, sneezing, and labored breathing.

4. Newcastle disease: An acute, highly contagious viral disease that can affect all types of birds. It usually manifests with coughing, sneezing, depression, diarrhea, and reduced egg production. Severe cases can lead to nervous signs and high mortality rates.

5. Salmonella: A bacterial infection that can cause salmonellosis in humans through contaminated eggs or poultry meat.

6. Pullorum disease: A bacterial infection caused by Salmonella pullorum. It mainly affects young chicks, leading to weakness, huddling, diarrhea, and high mortality rates.

7. Coccidiosis: A parasitic disease caused by a single-celled parasite called a coccidian. It affects the intestinal tract of chickens, causing bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and dehydration.

8. Fowl cholera: A contagious bacterial disease caused by Pasteurella multocida. It can manifest in an acute form with rapid death or a chronic form characterized by symptoms including fever, respiratory distress, and loss of appetite.

9. Mycoplasma respiratory infections: Bacterial infections caused by Mycoplasma species. They manifest with respiratory signs such as coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge. Chronic infections can lead to reduced egg production.

10. Avian encephalomyelitis (epidemic tremors): A contagious viral disease affecting the central nervous system of chickens. It causes tremors, convulsions, and difficulty walking. In severe cases, it can lead to death.

These are some of the common diseases that chickens can get. Vaccination, biosecurity measures, proper care, and monitoring are necessary to prevent these diseases and minimize their impact on the health of your flock.