We, the suffering and the heat are living for our chicks…

If only the great musician Abdel Wahab, and the nightingale of the East Abdel Halim Hafez (may they rest in peace) were still with us today, they would have pitied us and sung about our hassle while trying to keep our chicks healthy in summer.

We all know that birds originated from a cold –or at least moderately cold- environment and the almighty God gave them thick feathers to protect them from the cold. Sadly, this thick layer of feathers cannot be taken off in summer  and put back only in winter, at least not up until today; nobody knows what the genetically manipulated chicks would be able to do in the future, especially those who are low key being subjected to scientific experiments.

We are living in a transitional period; from an era to another or maybe from one life to another, which makes our job – that is the trade of living being – ten times harder in terms of practicality and on a scientific and economical level .

We are building big farms in the deserts while benefiting of what science could offer in terms of air cooling; even if it is minimal. The progress is still not sufficient enough to provide health and welfare for our chicks; therefore, many problems recur to breeders every summer.

The most significant losses the heat can cause are due to the subclinical diseases. Some of them go unseen by the breeders such as the law virulence viruses and/or bacteria (E-Colic, Coccus and Salmonella…) causing the financial loss due to the decline in production and other unexpected issues.

And the question that is asked in this situation is: What could we do? Do we fight nature laws? Do we pray for God to have mercy on us?

Maybe…But that doesn’t stop us from fighting everything even weather conditions which we have no control over.

But how?

Only by being attentive and not falling under a certain work routine.

In summer, we become like soldiers on their night duty…

War ever sleeps; neither do germs.

Doctors and specialists have to keep close attention to the smallest details happening within the herd and if possible, a specific program should be available to control any changes that occur in terms of health, production, consumption, etc… and that is how solutions would be easier to find. And as the saying goes: “He who knows the reason, stops wondering.” And during my long experience in this field, I noticed that a lot of losses can happen if we pay little attention to water.

We should make sure of the right temperature of the water and the way it is flowing in the pipes-especially the automatic ones-and we should ensure the well-functioning of the water nipples since they often get blocked when the birds need water the most.

Water…water it is the least expensive thing when used properly and the most expensive one when it is neglected or misused.

Isn’t the holy verse: “We made out of water every living thing?”