Indonesia
Blitar – Postgraduate Animal husbandry student at UNISMA, Diah Nurulita, carried out a Kandidat Magister Mengabdi (KMM) community service program focusing on climate change impacts on layer chicken health under the theme “The Influence of Climate and Weather on Poultry Health.” The activity took place from 1 to 12 November 2025 and involved 20 layer chicken farmers in Dermojayan Village, Srengat, Blitar.
The program was motivated by global climate change, which is marked by rising environmental temperatures, increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns, and extreme weather conditions. The impacts of climate change felt by poultry farmers in various regions, including Blitar Regency. These conditions not only affect livestock comfort but also have a direct impact on the health and productivity of layer chickens.
Blitar Regency is known as one of Indonesia’s main centres of commercial egg production. Based on 2024 data, the population of layer chickens in the region reached more than 16.8 million birds, making it the area with the highest layer population in the country. Given this potential, maintaining livestock health and production stability is considered crucial, particularly amid the challenges posed by climate change.
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Field Findings: Climate Change Impacts on Layer Chicken Health
The KMM activities began with visits to farmers’ poultry houses from 1 to 10 November 2025. The student conducted observations of housing conditions, held discussions with farmers, and identified problems arising from changing weather patterns.
The observations showed that most farmers experienced a decline in egg production, an increase in respiratory diseases such as Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) and Snot/Coryza, as well as the emergence of heat stress in chickens due to high environmental temperatures. In addition, increased humidity inside poultry houses caused manure to become wet and ammonia levels to rise, further worsening poultry health conditions.
“The weather is now difficult to predict. It is cold in the morning, very hot during the day, and humid at night. The chickens become easily stressed and often fall ill,” said one of the participating farmers.
These conditions are consistent with the characteristics of homeothermic animals, which have a relatively narrow comfort temperature range. When environmental temperatures fall outside this comfort zone, chickens experience physiological disturbances that affect production performance.
Climate Change Impacts on Poultry and Layer Chicken Health
In the literature review presented during the seminar session, it was explained that climate change contributes to rising global average temperatures, changes in air humidity, and an increased frequency of extreme weather events. High environmental temperatures can cause heat stress in poultry, which is characterised by increased respiratory rates, reduced feed intake, and metabolic disturbances.
Heat stress also affects the immune system of poultry. Chickens experiencing heat stress tend to show reduced immune cell activity and antibody production, making them more susceptible to disease. This condition was widely observed among layer farmers in Dermojayan Village.
In addition to temperature, high humidity and rainfall also increase the risk of poultry disease. A humid housing environment becomes an ideal medium for the growth of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Moist conditions also increase the risk of contamination by mycotoxin-producing fungi in feed, which can cause liver disorders and reduce chickens’ immune resistance.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has also emphasised that climate change can alter the distribution patterns of poultry diseases and prolong the survival of pathogenic agents in the environment. Thus, climate change not only affects animal comfort but also influences disease dynamics at the farm level.
Seminar on Climate Change Impacts on Layer Chicken Health
As a follow-up to the field findings, an educational seminar was held on 12 November 2025 at the residence of one of the farmers, Daroini. The seminar served as a platform for both material presentation and open discussion between the student and the farmers.
During the presentation, various adaptation strategies that farmers could apply to cope with climate change were explained, including improving ventilation management, controlling humidity, managing stocking density, and providing feed and supplements that support chickens’ immune systems. In addition, the importance of implementing biosecurity measures was emphasised to prevent the entry and spread of disease.
The farmers showed strong enthusiasm throughout the activity and actively shared the problems they face. The discussion was interactive and focused on practical solutions that could be applied according to the conditions of smallholder poultry farms.
“This activity really helps us understand why chickens often get sick during extreme weather and what we can do to overcome it,” said one of the seminar participants.
Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Layer Chicken Health
Through this KMM program, farmers are expected not only gaining theoretical knowledge but also being able to apply it directly in managing layer chicken production. Improving farmers’ understanding is seen as a key factor in maintaining livestock productivity amid ongoing climate change.
The activity also highlights the role of UNISMA postgraduate students as the agents of change who make tangible contributions to the development of knowledge and its application in society. Through synergy between academics and farmers, the poultry sector is expected to remain productive and sustainable while supporting national food security.
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