Cold Wave Kills Hundreds Of Chickens In Adilabad

Poultry farmers said extreme cold has affected even basic activities such as drinking water, as some chicks were unable to swallow the icy water, leading to dehydration and death. Despite efforts to keep sheds warm, losses continue to mount.

Kamalakar, a country chicken farmer from Tantoli village, said he lost nearly 200 birds of varying sizes, ranging from less than half a kg to 1 kg, due to the cold conditions. He added that several farmers in the area are facing similar losses.

Another poultry farmer from Tantoli, D. Madhukar, said he suffered a loss of about ₹75,000 after nearly 200 chicks died at his farm over the past few days. He said veterinary doctors advised mixing booster liquids with drinking water to help generate body heat in the birds and improve their resistance to the cold.

Madhukar said that even fully grown chickens died despite measures such as covering sheds, using high-voltage bulbs and attempting to maintain warmth. He observed that sheds with iron sheet roofs were retaining cold, worsening the impact on the birds.

According to poultry farmers, incidents of chicken deaths have been reported from several places across Adilabad district over the last 10 days. The cold wave has also affected residents, with many people suffering from cold, cough, fever and throat infections due to the prevailing low temperatures.