Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-01-25
Diseases of Fowls.

Diseases of Fowls.
The prevailing disease among fowls is
that known as gapes, which destroys at
least one half of the young chicks that
are Matched. The next disease IN re.
spect of destructiveness is known as
cholera, which cariies off the mature
fowls as we'll as a large number of chicks.
These two diseases call for remark at
this time. when they are most prevalent.
Gapes Is the d sorder which causes the
young chicks to open 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 diphtheria intervenes and
adds its fatal proclivities to the original
disease. Thus the fatal disorder often
grows out of the minor one, 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 we'll
known. 1t Inhabits the intestines as
we'll 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 are 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
which crawl into the throat, where they
find subsistence upon the emulation OF
the sensitive membranes which are lrrl-
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 trit1ing 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 feds 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
One other means OF security
remains, which is to pillow 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,
or oil no
eggs voided will be buried and got rid
OF.
The most danger is when an infested
hen is cocped 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 :'te
broods the young chicks should be I'D
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
Matched chick which closes the bowels
and quickly destroys the young animal.
This disease is caused or ACCOMPANIED
by specific germ existing in the blood,
and wherever this germ appears, the
disease exists. 1t is the existence of
this germ in the eggs of diseased hens
and in young chicks which proves that
the disease is inherited. The disease is
seated in the liver at first, and this organ
becomes enlarged and very soft. The
intestines are then attacked, and
become infamed, liberated or
gangrened. These symptoms closely
resemble those of the fatal swine
cholera. The most conspicuous symp-
tom is discharge of yellow and green
excrement. The fowl lies in a sleepy
condition, and dies without a struggle,
as if still asleep. There is no doubt that
the disease is first contracted by over
feeding and disturbance of the ali1nen-
tary functions, the liver being first dis
turbed and the blood rendered unfit for
its vital functions. The means of pre-
vention are obvious. Frequent doses Of
a teaspoonful of saturated solution Of
of soda and piece of blue
pill' as large as sweet pea have cured
every case in the writer's flock when
taken in the early stages. II neglected