The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-01-10
Diseases of Fowls.

4
least one,half of the young chicks that
are Matched. The next d sease in re-
spect of destructiveness is known as
cholera, which carries off the mature
fowls as well as large number of oh cks.
These two diseases call for remark at
this time. when they are most prevalent.
Gapes is the sorder which causes the
young chicks to omen their mouths to
gasp for breath 1t Is caused by the
presence in the throat and air passages
of many very small worms usually found
united in pairs and imbedded in froth
and mucus in the air passages. Later
the disease became associated with fever,
throat becomes dry, and the membranes
are covered with dry scales of mucus.
and at times dphtheria intervenes and
adds its fatal procivties to the original
disease. Thus the fatal disorder often
grows out of the minor ole, and if this
had been prevented the chicks would
have escaped the other.
This parasitic thread worm is closely
related to the similar one which affects
lambs, calves, and other young animals.
Its origin and natural history are well
known. 1t Inhabits the intestines as
well as the lungs of the old fowls,
and at times causes trouble with
them, Notwithstanding their greater
power of resistance The parasites in
the old fowls mature and become charged
with eggs, which ire discharged through
the bowels. The soil where the fowls
run soon becomes infested with myriads
of eggs, which are picked up by the
young chicks. The writer has found
the eggs abundantly in the soil under
the coops where the brooding hen is con-
fined and in the droppings of the hen.
1t is thus plainly shown how the worms
gain access to the chicks, for these eggs,
being picked up, hatch into worms
VIII CHI crawl into the throat, where they
find subsistence upon the emulation of
the sensitive membranes which are irri-
tated by their presence.
The question, then, is how to prevent
the presence OF these worms in the soil,
for prevention is much easier than cure
when the triiing value of a little chick
is considered. Clean ground is an es-
sential requisite for exemption from this
pest. If the house is we'll cleaned all
through the winter and fresh air-slacked
lime is literally scattered upon the floor
and the manure is used in the garden or
upon fields where the hens are not per-
mitted to run, this source of danger is
removed, and in the course of the winter
the supply of eggs and worms will be
exhausted. One other means OF security
remains, which is to plow under the sur
face of the poultry yard and sow it with
some green crop which will afford very
desirable food for the fowls, as oats,
peas, turnips, rape, etc. Thus all the
eggs wooded will be buried and got rid
of.
The most danger is when an infested
hen is coGped with her brood, and this
is avoided by moving the coop daily and
covering the ground where it has stood
for twenty four hours with air Stacked
lime. If, after all precautions are taken
the disease still appears In some of the
broods the young chicks should be fed
once a day with cornmeal stepped in
kerosene oil and mixed with larger
quantity of clean meal, in proportion of
one part of the oiled meal to ten of the
dry meal. This will be sufficiently
strong to kill the young worms when
they first appear in the throat. Turpen-
tine is equally as effective as kerosene
oil, and may be used in the same man
ner.
Cholera is very common disease and
carries off more fowls than all other dis
eases together. 1t is virulently conta-
gious, and, which is still worse, the eggs
Of diseased hens when Matched will pro.
duce diseased chicks. This is the cause
Of the yellow discharge of the newly
hatched chick which closes the bowels
and quickly destroys the young animal.
This disease is caused or accompanied |
by specific germ existing in the blood,
md wherever this germ appears, the
disease exists. 1t is the existence of |
This germ in the eggs of diseased hens
md in young chicks which proves that |
,he disease is inherited. The disease is
seated in the liver at first, and this organ
becomes enlarged and very soft The
ntestines are then attacked, and
become infamed, liberated or
These symptoms closely
-esemble those of the fatal swine
,holers. The most conspicuous symp-
ON is discharge of yellow and green
The fowl lies in sleepy
condition, and dies without struggle,
IS if still asleep. There is no doubt that
he disease is first contracted by over
'eeding and disturbance of the alirnen-
AIRY functions, the liver being first dis
urbed and the blood rendered unfit for
is vital functions. The means of pre-
,ention are obvious. Frequent doses of
teaspoonful of saturated solution of
lyposulphite of soda and a piece of blue
Jill" as large as q sweet pea have cured
very case in the writer's flock when
AIKEN in the early stages. II neglected
Until the intestines are affected cure is
hopeless, and the sick fowl should be
Tiled and buried deeply or burned as
uickly as possible. Thorough cleanli-
less is indispensable for safety from this
disorder, and variety of food, espec-
ally green food, is equally necessary
Vu Y vi Times.