Farmers in Ndenderu Location are counting losses after their poultry died from New Castle disease.
The more than 50 farmers said they have now quit poultry farming and ventured into other activities such as goat rearing.
Speaking to the press on Friday in his office, Kiambu Sub-County veterinary officer Samuel Njuguna said that the disease which affects mostly domestic poultry is highly contagious, and can wipe out a whole brood.
The officer advised farmers to euthanise infected birds to avoid infecting the healthy ones adding that they also need to dispose them of by burying them in a pity at least three-feet deep.
He said a farmer can determine if the poultry is infected if they exhibit signs such as diarrhoea with blood spots, balance problem especially in the head and neck, weakness which sometime develop to total paralysis and tremors.
The officer observed that there was no treatment or vaccine for the disease, though injections of hyper immune serum have been used to protect exposed birds adding that the serum was however ineffective when birds have already exhibited the above signs.
He, however, advised farmers to put them under quarantine to help reduce the cases, adding that newly acquired birds should be isolated for at least 30 days to six weeks.
He said they should use protective gear when handling infected birds.
Peter Karanja, a poultry farmer said that the disease had wiped out all his 150 chicken.
He is appealing to the government to make the hyper immune serum affordable and easily available at all agro-vets countrywide to prevent losses.
Another farmer, Mary Kahugu said that she is rearing goats as they were not prone to diseases like chicken.