One of the challenges you face as a bird owner is the threat of a common, and potentially devastating, disease called coccidiosis in pigeons. Coccidiosis, also referred to as intestinal coccidiosis or coccidiasis, is caused by the protozoan parasite in the Eimeriidae family.
Coccidiosis is caused by a microscopic parasite called coccidia that is transmitted via the droppings from infected birds. In other words, anywhere there’s a microscopic trace of bird poop in a waterer, a feeder, or in bedding there’s almost certainly coccidia present.
What are the Symptoms of Coccidiosis ?
Symptoms of coccidiosis mainly involve the digestive system. Symptoms of coccidiosis include weight loss, paleness, ruffled feathers, depression, huddling, unwillingness to eat, diarrhea that can be watery, bloody, or contain greenish mucus.
All birds are at risk, but growing birds and young adults ages 3 to 5 weeks old seem most susceptible.
How to Prevent Coccidiosis in Pigeons ?
- In this case always keep the premises as dry as possible. Coccidia love moisture.
- Another key point, never introduce new adult birds into your flock. Birds that appear healthy can be carriers of a number of deadly diseases.
- Coccidia hate sunlight. It’s a natural disinfectant. Incorporate as much natural sunlight into your brooder as possible.
- In addition provide clean water at all times. If possible, elevate the waterer slightly. Clean waterers relentlessly. If you wouldn’t be willing to drink the water yourself, it’s not clean enough.
- Important to realize, coccidia are spread through the feces of infected birds. If feces are in the bedding, they’re on the birds’ feathers. And if feces are on the feathers, the birds will ingest them while preening (using their beaks to clean themselves).
Treatment of Coccidiosis in Pigeons
Always use Vitamins specially A and Vitamin B. It should include for all birds in the infected loft. Equally Important strict hygiene conditions and use of disinfectants are essential. Toltrazuril, Sulphonamides or clorazil are good to treat infected birds. Diclazuril and toltrazuril are highly effective against a broad spectrum of coccidia.
Moreover you can found many treatments for coccidiosis at veterinary shops including the 3 in 1 or 4 in 1 solutions to treat (canker, coccidiosis, deworming and e.coli)
