Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-08-11
Chicken Cholera

tlere IS any lCmSUJ lVl luO uoOuoO
among poultry known as chicken chol-
era. which is proving such plague in
tAis part of the country? In my case it
is not caused by want Of care, cleanli-
ness, or change Of food. l have tried
all the remedies that l ever heard OF,
such as cOpperas, sulphur, lime, cayenne
pepper etc. but to no purpose. l am
however, more fortunate than my
neiehbors, for l have lost but three
while theirs are dying by dozens. II
YOU could give US any light on this sub
jecti would be most gratefully received
The above is but one Of score Of
letters that have received lately con-
corning chicken cholera. The writer Of
one Of these letters wants to know
"what causes chicken cholera" anoth-
or asks If cholera IS contagious; third
bluuily demands a sure cure and nc
fOolirg; fourth wants to know If any
amount Of care, cleanliness etc., can
entirely ward of attacks of this much
dreaded poultry disease; several want
to know what think Of the "cholera
mixtures that are advertised to cure
chicken cholera, aud about all the
other lis that chicken flesh is heir 10;
aud several, anxious to throw light on
tie subject. mention remedies that have
proved successful in their experience,
and favor me with some original ideas
on he subject ofpoultry diseases gen.
orally.
have long been on the war path
after information concerning chicken
cholera, ard 1 have gathered quite a
store Of miscellaneous information upon
the subject, which may or may not
prove valuable; at any rate I am going
TO give The readers ofthe Praire Farmer
The benefit Of all the facts, theories and
'guesses' which have cleaned from
various sources, and 1 sincerely hope
that some of The aforesaid facts, theo.
res and "guossos" may throw some
gleam oflight on q dark subject.
In Tie FIRST place 1 will give my pers
sonal experience with chicken cholera.
The first case that we had on our premi-
scs. was that of a sitting hen that we
bought Of 4 neighbor. The next morn
Ing after we brought her home, she
moped around, refused to cat, and
showed unavoidable symptoms Of
cholera. at once removed her 10 a
small coop at respectful distance from
the other fowls, and gave her a tremen-
dOus dose fthe pure extract Of rhubarb.
She was alive the next morning, but
sill moped and refused to eat. at
night she seemed better, and COM
,wonced pecking at the green grass in
ne bottom Of the coop; I gave her a
lot Of onion tops cnt fine, which she
dcvourcd greedilY. The next ;day she
ate boiled rice and hard boiled egg. l
kept her for a week on rice, bread
soaked in milk and seasone d with pep
per and ginger, and boiled egg; then
turned her out among the other fowls as
well aseYcr. Don't know whether my
remedies had anything to do with the
cvre or uot-pcrhaps she would have
recovered from The attacks anyhow.
Our second experience with cholera,
was among three iros Of fowls that we
bought TO replcnish OR breeding stock.
They were a fine lot Of fowls, and
came from the yards of an Illinois
breeder, who stood high in poultry
circles. When they arrived, one Of
them, a magnificent Buff Cochin cock,
showed the usual symptoms Of cholera.
We removed him to the hospital" and
placed the other fowls IN house by
themselves; then the chief members OF
our ''firm" held a consultation, and
decided that something must be done.
We had ''Treause" en- chicken chol-
era ia the house, and 1t vas hunted up
and read aloud TO the council. Urea
tise" said that "severe cases of cholera
among fowls were often cured by giving
a teaspoonful Of Goa! oil at one DOSE"
Decided that our new Buff was severe
case,' gave him the dose, and, such
was our faith in the Treatise" that we
considered him as good as cured. The
next morning our buff was very dead,
and his wives both sick. Consulted the
"Treatise" again,an sent a boy in hot
haste to procure drugs for cholera, pills
and powders. Well, the upshot Of the
whole matter was, that in less than ten
days we spent two dollars for drugs,
and our new fowls died, all but one
pair.
The third and last time that we
wrestled with cholera on our own
premises, was when 1t broke out among
some hehs that we purchased Of a
neighbor. -Four of the SIX exhibited
marked symptoms Of cholera within
twelty-four hours after we brought
them home. We didn't consult any
''Treahse" this time, but promptly cut
the sick fowls heads of, thoroughly
cleaned and disinfected the house where
they roasted during their stay, and that
was the last ofthe cholera. The neigh
Dor OF whom we bought the hens lost
over 100 by cholera that season. She
had Treatise and doctored the sick
fowls according to directions, until
about halfth flock had disappeared;
then she took new departure and sent
for lot of the remedies advertised as
"sure cures" for chicken cholera. Used
up nearly six dollars worth Of 'reme>
Dies" and saved half dozen hens
worth twenty-five cents apiece. had
6!3*spd in the doetouug, and it is my
.<.<<<.. 49,. A. 81. 1.