Disease sheet · NEXTEKCI School
Aspergillosis
brooder pneumonia
A disease caused by a mould that grows in damp litter or feed. Chicks breathe in its spores and their lungs fill with small nodules. There is no effective treatment: everything depends on prevention, especially in the rainy season.
Type
fungus
Severity
moderate
Who is affected
All poultry, especially young chicks.
Most affected age
Mainly the first weeks.
Signs to look for
- •Chicks gasping with open beak, neck stretched out, without rattling.
- •Rapid breathing, drowsy chicks.
- •Chicks eating less and staying small.
- •Mortality in young chicks.
- •Sometimes cloudy or swollen eyes.
How it spreads
- •Mould spores in damp or mouldy litter (poorly stored shavings).
- •Mouldy feed, sacks stored on the floor or in damp conditions.
- •Feeders and drinkers where wet feed ferments.
- •It does not spread from bird to bird: everything comes from the mould source.
Not to be confused with
- •Colibacillosis
- •Infectious bronchitis
- •Heat stroke (open beak)
- •Salmonellosis
Prevention
- •Clean, dry litter, never mouldy; shavings stored in the dry.
- •Feed stored on pallets, in the dry, used quickly; never a mouldy sack.
- •Feeders and drinkers kept clean; no wet feed left lying around.
- •Good house ventilation, especially in the rainy season.
What to do if you suspect it
- •Remove the source immediately: mouldy litter, suspect feed sacks.
- •Ventilate the house.
- •Call the vet in your area: a post-mortem shows the nodules and confirms the disease.
- •Keep a feed sample and the sack label for the vet.
This sheet helps you recognise the disease and react quickly. It does not replace the veterinarian: only they can diagnose and prescribe a treatment. Worried about your flock? Write to us on WhatsApp at +225 05 44 83 27 79.