Disease sheet · NEXTEKCI School
Coccidiosis
A disease caused by tiny parasites that multiply in the gut. Their eggs are passed in the droppings and become infectious within one or two days in warm, damp litter. It is the disease of wet litter: without dry litter, nothing else works.
Type
parasite
Severity
serious
Who is affected
Broilers, coloured chickens, floor-reared pullets.
Most affected age
Mainly between 3 and 6 weeks of age.
Signs to look for
- •Fall in water and feed consumption (the record sheet shows it first).
- •Huddled birds, ruffled feathers, head drawn in.
- •Soft droppings, then red, brown or orange, sometimes bloody.
- •Mortality rising over a few days.
- •Flock becoming uneven.
How it spreads
- •Birds pecking at litter containing the parasite’s eggs.
- •Damp, warm litter, especially around drinkers and in the rainy season.
- •Stocking density too high: more droppings per square metre.
- •Boots and equipment carrying litter from one house to another.
Not to be confused with
- •Gumboro disease
- •Bacterial enteritis
- •Intestinal worms
- •Salmonellosis
Prevention
- •Dry, friable litter; remove wet patches immediately; adjust drinker height.
- •Ask your feed supplier whether the starter and grower feed contains an anticoccidial; add nothing without the vet’s advice.
- •Recommended stocking density respected.
- •Between flocks: litter fully removed, thorough cleaning, downtime.
What to do if you suspect it
- •Call the vet in your area the same day: they confirm and decide what to do.
- •Correct the litter immediately: remove wet areas, add dry litter.
- •If a treatment is prescribed, respect the withdrawal period before selling the birds.
- •Record droppings, water intake and deaths on the record sheet.
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.