Reinholds, PA -- (SBWire) -- 05/08/2019 --Freedom Ranger Hatchery, Inc., a high-quality chicken seller and certified poultry hatchery in Lancaster County, Pa., recently released information on how to protect chickens from the contagious viral infection known as Newcastle Disease.

Family-owned and operated, Freedom Ranger Hatchery believes in allowing chickens to do what comes naturally to ensure the highest quality bird. Free range, organic pasture environments are ideal for chickens, because when they're raised in confined spaces, disease can spread rapidly.

In a recent blog post, Freedom Ranger Hatchery touched on how to protect a flock from a common viral infection that affects both domestic and wild birds. Newcastle disease (ND), or pneumoencephalitis, is highly contagious and can be deadly to chickens. The disease and its various strains can be mild, moderate, or severe and attack the nervous, respiratory, or digestive systems in birds. Symptoms are sometimes not obvious, but can include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, watery diarrhea, depression, and a decrease in egg production. Freedom Ranger Hatchery recommends vaccinating your chickens, but also taking these measures to prevent future infection: quarantine new birds, avoid contact with other birds, establish a perimeter, properly clean tools and equipment, keep rodents and wild birds away, and establish waste management areas.

"Newcastle disease is mostly under control in the United States, but outbreaks can still occur," says Arthur Detweiler, Manager at Freedom Ranger Hatchery. "At Freedom Ranger, we want to set customers up to have the best chance at raising productive and healthy chickens. That's why we go out of our way to provide information on preventative and proactive steps for keeping your chickens healthy."

For more information on this disease or for other chicken related inquiries, call (717) 276-0138 or email sales@freedomrangerhatchery.com.

About Freedom Ranger Hatchery
Freedom Ranger Hatchery is a family-owned and operated hatchery located in Lancaster County, Pa. that ships quality chickens nationwide. Freedom Ranger Hatchery maintains its own breeding stock of Freedom Ranger and GMO-Free parent chickens and is dedicated to traditional, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly farming methods. To learn more, visit freedomrangerhatchery.com.