The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-02-06
DAIRY AND POULTRY.
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR
OUR RURAL READERS.
How Successful Farmers Operate This
Department Of the FArm-A Fsw
Hints - to the Care Of Live STOCK
aud PoultFy.


|
II had obtained a good start. A few
days ago the writer OF this had oe-
caslon to purchase dozen laying
hens from farmer. The latter was
asked II he had roup In his nock. lie
was al once very indignant ana re-
piled that when fowl In his yaras
fell sick the axe was the remedy. None
Of his fowls had the roup or any oiher
disease. SO the would-be purchaser
thought he would be safe In purchas-
Ing a few fowls insight and unseen
But he will never do that again.
The fowls were promptly delivered
AZ night the purchaser went out 10
take a look at his fowls for the hrs'
time. What a sound greeted his adj
vent In the poultry house. He recoE-
niEed It's cause At once. The fowls
were all safely ranked on the roosts,
but from their midst came mingled
snorirgs. snsesIngs. couShinSs and
hali-c.owinga.
Roup. roup. roup. spoke from every
corner. lie examined two OF the
worst ones. They we're old hens. bu, |
mere skin and bones. They both had
apparently had the roup for months
and become emaciated by Il. for the
roup affects the digestive organs more
often than the head. Not one OF the
fowls was worth keeping. Not one
OF them would lay an egg All winter
and Il Ia doubtful II they would ever
lay. They were returned 20 the farm
er. who was duly iualgnant that MS
fowls we're considered sick. but insist
ed that they were In perfect health
lie evidently thought his fowls we're
not sick because they did not have the
sWelled head. The mere fact % their
mouths being full Of stringy mucous
told him nothing. The fact that they
ate but little should have convinced
him that something was wrong This
Il one OF the worst features OF fowls
troubled with roup. they eat but 1T
lie. as their digestion II slow. due 20
the inhamcd condition o. the mucous
membrane a healthy fowl will pack
the crop fur OF grain. Feel Of their
crops when they have retired 10 rest
after a full upper and Il will be found
dlsiended by the food. hut a fowl
that Is only slightly affected by roup
Is not so. n the crop be- felt Of at
that time Il will be found only a quar-
ter or half full. and frequently the
pressure OF the hand induces the bird
TO stretch its neck and gasp as II Tor
air. This probably d due 20 the In
famed condition Of the air tube.
The farmer that had these fowls
made a big show Of producing eggs Tor
sale az fancy prices Il vas supposed
that he was getting many eggs. a. he
kept a large number OF hens Acct
dentally Il was learned that he was
getting about one esq per day. The
reason his flock did not lay was doubt
less the fact that roup was widely
prevalent among them. lie said that
he had left the care of his fowls TO the
hired man. 90 whom he had given In
siruciions 90 notify him when any
thing was the matter with the hens.
Il IL altogether probable that the hired
man ala not know n he noticed them
at an he merely said to himself that
the birds had a slight cold. not worth
reporting. % course. The roup will
eat up the profits from the best lock
Of fowls that ever lived Il must be
watched Tor and fought When q APP
pears u must be- eradicaied Il g. en-.
,remely contagious and We DO not be-
lieve there o. any cure Tor @. This
year Il seems 10 be more than usually
J prevalent Probably u Is more 10 b.
feared than any other disease. u mas
be considered more dangerous 90 the
prohts ot the poultry raiser than even
cholera when the latter disoas,
comes o. makes its presence know
by its work OF death. The keeper a
once takes measures 90 combat a. Bu
q o. not so with the roup. u creep
: into the fOCk and develops very grad
ually. Most farmers DO not suspect iu
presence. 10 does not swell the hca,
except Ia some cases. The fowls rul
about and often their combs remall
bright aud healthy looking for month,
We have seen fowls that had 10 so haU
that caukcr sores formed in thoi
mouths and yet they did not appca
sick. their combs showing an the Ia
dicatious 90 health. So the farmer sua
poets nothing. while the disease !
spreading from fowl 10 fowl till an ar
infected. After awhile one or two ial
suddenly sick with diarrhea or thel
heads swell up. The farmer inquire
and is told that the trouble ~ rou
and that he can cure Il by using sue
and such means. He gees To wor
and very likely reduces the svclle
heads. and thinks be has cured HI
bird. Very likely be- writes 20 the farl
paper telling o. his success In curiu
roup. but he has not cured a. u
may have separated the bird from a
rest 20 prevent further infection. bl
he ala not prevent further infection {,
the reason that the aock has been a
ready infected. iis battle with roy
will have only begun. as fowl aitu
fowl will ultimately fall sick Il
probable that some fowls have enoul
vitality 90 resist the disease. but
this We are not certain. Closer obse
walton must be- followed II the troub
% TO be- avoided.