Charlotte home and Democrat., 1882-07-14
Gapes in Chickens.
BY A BREEDER OF POULTRY.


''gapes," is scarcely less fatal to young
poultry stock than the much-dreaded
cholera Hundreds of thousands Of young
chicks die of it before reaching market
able size. This disease is common to
partridges, pheasants, turkeys, and the
domestic fowl, and is due to the presence
of round worm (7asicota trdcheulis) in
the wind-pipe The worm is bright red,
wavy, and cylindrical in form, being
about one inch in length. One end is
in a sucker with which the parasite main
tains its position in the trachea of the
young bird.
how they get into the windpipe of the
chickens, are points OIL which the doctors
disagree. The points of most Importance
to poultry raisers are how to prevent
their lodgment in the windpipes of the
chicks, and how to dislodge them The
writer has found by experience that if the
chicks are anointed on top of the head
down to the beak, and under the throat
with All ointment made of lard, flower Of
sulphur, and kerosene, the parasite will
rarely ever make its appearance. Very
little If the ointment should be used
just enough to moisten the down, and the
application should be made as soon as the
chick becomes dry after Matching. An,
other application may be made at an in
terval of week or two. How this pre-
vents the gapes is not clear, but that it
does so is the testimony of many who
have tried il. If it does nothing more, it
will drive away all lice from the mother
hen and her brood.
If the parasite has found odgment in
the young bird, the fact will become
known by the frequent gasping and sneez-
ing of the chick. If no relief is obtained,
the windpipe becomes closed, and the
chick dies of suffocation.
To kill the worms and effect their ejec-
tion from the windpipe by any thing in the
shape of medicine taken into the crop is
difficult matter. The better plan is to
take the worm out mechanically. With
a little practice this is easily and quickly
| done. To do this, take wing feather "a
duck wing feather is excelent) and strip
the vanes from both sides to within an
| inch of the end, and the remainder tim
off until the vanes are about an eighth Of
an inch long. At the "tip end" it should
| be cut so as TO form point, otherwise it
will be difficult to insert it in the wind
pipe. Before insertion, the feather should
be dipped in a mixture of sweet oil and
kerosene.
Now for the operation Sit so the
throat of the bird will be in good, strong
| light. Place the feet Of the bird between
your knees; with the left hand hold its
head, opening the beak with the thumb
and fore finger. Stretch the neck up at
full length. AT the back of the mouth
will be seen two passages, one leading to
the crop and the other to the wind dpipe,
where the worms are located. The latter
is in front, and is recognized by it's rings
and by it's transparency. Now, pass the
feather down the throat until it is just
above this opening. The instant the
feather touches the throat the windpipe
will close, but it will soon open again,
and when it does, quickly push the
feather down as far as it will 60 without
forcing, twirl it around few times be-
tween the thumb and finger, and with
draw it. You will probably find one, or
| perhaps two or three worms entangled in
the feather. If not, they are loosened,
and the bird will throw them out. The
operation should be done quickly so as
not to choke the bird. TO do it quickly
and effectively requires, of course, some
practice. 1t seldom needs to be repeated.
| Not one bird of hundred need be lost
by the gapes if the operation is performed
! in time.
| To CURE CLOVER BLoAT-If the cow
is able to stand alone for ten minutes, tie
her by the head so as to hold the head
up. Then press down on the sides ust
forward of the hip bone on both sides,
gently at first, but continuing the pres
sure harder and harder In Il few mo-
ments you will hear the COW commencing
TO belch up gas, the escape OF which will
relieve her. In a very short time she
will be able to eat nubbin of corn and
when she has swallowed that she is out of
danger. Another remedy is to take a
little salt in your hand, get hold of a
cows tongue, and let her surge back.
Don't let go too soon, but hold on for sew
eral seconds. This will have the desired
effect.
| .B@ An Illinois horticulturist has con-
structed a fruit-house which is TO be pro
tected alike from summers heat and win.
ter's cold. Two rows of posts are set in
the ground, two and a-half feet apart,
boarded up inside and out, and the inter
vening space filled with straw, packed as
closely as possible. Two sets of rafters
are then put in, the upper set three feet
above the lower, which are boarded on
the under side and the space closely
packed with straw, after which cheap
board roof Is put on. On the 1lth of last
August, with a temperature 9S degrees in
the shade, it was as cool as an ice-housc,
and contained quantity of apples as
sound as when taken from the trees ten
months before.
BLIND STAGGERs In PIGs.-When the
attack comes on, the animal runs round in
a circle, always turning the same way, the
disease terminating in death in from three
to ten days. The treatment consists in
promptly dashing cold water over the
animals, especially from height of eight
or ten feet on the head, and by stimu,
lating the bowels by an active purgative
injection, as follows: Sulphate OF mag
nesia, four ounces; oil of turpentine, two
drachms =; soap suds, half pint.-B. Nc c.
? Con'cay, Io,ca.