The Portland daily press., 1877-10-29
Curc OF Poultry diseases.

Scurvey leggedness is confined to adult
fowls alone, and is unknown among turkeys,
ducks, and geese. Turkeys have either
black, slaty blue, bronze, or sh.colored legs,
and are strong and clean. Without fear of
committing any wide departure from general
belief, may say that nine-tenths of the dis
eases prevalent among poultry may be set
down to uncleanliness, accompanied by I'M
natural and unwholesome food. Filth breeds
disorders and maladies Gin the human family
as welD, and is poisonous 10 the system, dis
arranging the working machinery, and, caus-
ing the aecreptitude Of some one organ, more
or less, according to the whole system. Our
foreign birds which claim their origin in
fairer and warmer chimes than ours, suffer
from exposure, and it is only In late years
that we hear so much of roup and canker.
Roup is nothing more nor less than sudden
and severe cold, attacking different birds in
different forms. 1t is an aggtavating disease,
and one for which there is no permanent
cure. 1t is too apt to become seated and
chronic. 1t makes its appearance in some
birds in the shape of catarrh, which phase
| lasts long time, and does not appear to af-
feet the general health of the bird TO any
extent, although suffering at times from
! labored and difficult breathing
When it makes its appearance in the shape
of canker there is cause for immediate alarm,
if the patient be a valuable bird, for if seated
| in close proximity to any vital part, death as
] a natural consequence must ensue, and it is
only question of time, although frequently
birds suffering from even this disagreeable
phase have been known to recover if treated
| in the commencement with judicious REM
| edies and care. 1t often causes unsightly
| sores that destroy eyes and eat ugly holes in
| the flesh, combs and wattles of the affected.
Fowls thus afflicted often suffer, and if not
cared for would starve to death. 1t usually
makes its appearance about the head
and throat, and extends to the eyes, after
eating out the eylids or destroying the ey-
| sight. AS soon as discovered, the most eff
| ficient remedies should be applied. When
| the white or cheesy matter is; formed, it
should be picked off, and afterward washed
with strong solution of alum with little
sugar of lead dissolved therein. Cleanse the
| sore thoroughly of all yellow matter and ap-
| ply mixture of sulphur and molasses as a
| healing remedy. Give the bird all the soft
| feed and fresh water that it will take, and
keep in an airy, dry, place free from any bad
odors or draughts of air, if the weather be
| cold. When it is mild and sunny, fowls of
every description are much better off out in
| the open air.
There is perhaps no one breed (taken as a
breed separate from the class of fowls they
| represent) that is freer from disease than the
Black Spanish. Taken all in all, they are by
| far the finest fowls that ever decorated the
gentleman's grounds, or graced the farmers
more substantial yards. Clean-shanked,
| fnely-formed, and possessed of distinguishing
carriage and beauty, none can rank higher as
breed or variety for either beauty or useful
ness. This valuable bird has been surrepti.
tiously supplanted by newer-introduced speci-
mems, that owe their origin in degree lin
some instance remote perhaps,) to this old
| standard fowl. When one can be content to
let well enough alone, and adhere to stand
ard that unites usefulness with beauty and
grace, that person will have learned an i'm
portant lesson. The soft climate of Italy has
been the cradle wherein have originated all
our beautiful and delicate birds, gaudy and
| rich in plumage, with flaming combs and
wattles. AS Asia has produced the gorgeous
| plumed pheasant and gay peacock, 80 has
| Europe furnished us our handsomest domes-
| tic birds, matured under bright skies and in
| balmy atmosphereS that never breathe a
| breath of frost.
| A glance at the magnificent combs and
wattles of onr everlasting layers is only neces-
sary to convince us of the utility of warm
shelters and sunny exposures in our long,
harsh winter season. Other European varie-
| ties we have also those that are destitute OF
| the ornamental comb and wattles, but having
| appendages quite as snowy, if not so attrac-
| tive, muffled up in close ruff of neck and
| head feathering, that are equally as tender
| and supceptible of cold. With these fowls,
| the diseases that have become commonly
known to poultry-keepers have broken out,
and among which their ravages in many in
stances have become mainly destructive.
When consideration is brought to bear on
| the wel-known circumstance that change
of climate and habit are at fault, instead of
| the fowls, we shall be able to place them as
| much as possible in primal condition, and
health will follow.