Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-02-18
Gapes i'm Chickens.

SitcS tuaI one, CSPCCiaby, "niCH
lnfests the throat of fowls and is
known as 'gapes.' The lecture was
illustrated with drawings upon the
blackboard, without which much of
it cannot be inteIligibly be produced
in print; but the subject Of gapes is
of such great interest, and was so
practically handled, that | propose
to condense that portion of the es-
say for the benefit Of your readers.
The number of parasites in all ami
mails which have been described by
naturalists is about $500. OF
these about thirty, belonging to the
several orders tapeworms, fukes,
thron-headed and round-hea d d
worms, infest poultry in various
parts of the body. That which is
most fatal to chickens, to young
ones especially, is the (syngamus
trachealis,) which adhere to the
windpipe. The ravages of this pest
often cause the destruction Of more
than three-fourths of all the young
brood and the serious diminution OF
the farmers wife's perquisites.
When any attempt is made to cure
the chicks it is usually the inser-
ton of horsehair loop, which is
seldom eficacious and often hastens
death.
This worm (Which belongs to the
order nemotOdeS) has been carefully
studied by naturalists, and its or
gans, mode of propagation and life
history are well known. 1t is of a
reddish color, with a smooth skin.
The female becomes three-fo urths
of an inch long and one-sixteenth
in diameter, the male is only about
one-eighth of an inch in length, and
Is usually inseparablc from the fe-
male. A prOdigious quantity Of
eggs is produced, which was pass
through the intestines of the fowls,
and by warmth and moisture are
transformed into small thread-like
embryos, with an obtuse head and
pointed tail. These are picked up
by the chickens and adhere to their
windpipes, where they mature and
finally suffocate the fowls. AS soon
as ducks and poults are seen to
open their mouths wide and gasp
for breath, to sneeze and try 10
swallow, poultry-raisers may be
sure the worm is at work, The
victim languishes, grows dispirited,
and before many days dies. JAS soon
as any symptoms OF the disease are
observed the sufferers should be re-
moved Immediately; and since it is
not always practicable to remove
the healthy fowls also, the nest
room and roost-house should have
the floors well covered with wood
and coal ashes. As the eggs and
embryos of the gape-worm are void
ed by those affected, and picked up
by the others, the Importance of
this precaution is obvious; and for
fowls, the floors should be well
cleansed once a week, and a solution
of carbolic acid be sprinkled upon
them and the roosts as often as
twice a month, Another prevent
iveis feeding young chickens twice
a week with wheat stepped in solu-
ton of carbolic acid. lave the
druggist prepare mixture, as fol-
lows: One grain crystalline carbol-
ic acid: ten drops alcohol; one half
drachm vinegar, A teaspoontul Of
this mixture to one pint Of water
will be proper sulution in which
to soak the grain. The vessels from
which fowls are fed should be fire.
quently cleansed, and they should
be supplied with pure water, fire.
quently renewed. DR.. Bartlett, SUI
perintendent of the Geological So
ciety's gardens, uses weak solu-
ton of tobacco, ard says the simple
Of turpentine to the
throat externally is sufficient to kill
the worms, This, however, is Sc
we're and dangerous to the fowls. Mr..
found an infusing of rue
and garlic in the drinking water
successful.
The only remedy which Mr..
Lugger had found to succeed is car
bolic acid, which is effective both
as a preventive and a cure, even
in fargone cases made brush out
of a small quill feather, moisten it
with the mixture above recommend
ed, and insert it into the windpipe,
gently turning it around once or
twice, 1t will dislodge the worms
and bring back many Of them. A
slow, bungling operation, however,
will kill instead Of curing the bird
and in view of a careful, tedious
nursing the patient will afterwards
require, it is hardly worth while, so
ar as young chicks are concerned,
% be at the trouble, still less to re-
move the worms by incision into
he windpipe, which is an instanta-
1eous cure in skillful hands.
OF course, where fowls have large
ange and free access to pure water
hey have the best chance for immu-
lity. But as their quarters are
Isually confined, they must be kept
lean, and should sometimes be en-
rely changed. To this coops for
rooding hens should have no bot
pms, and should be frequently