Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-09-12
What Causes Cholera.

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cure cholera in fowls, but prevention
Of the disease is much better. In
deed, one might lose half his flock
while learning how to cure it of
cholera, and that would be experience
altogether too dearly bought; GER
tainly so, as the disease is largely
the result Of carelessness, and with
proper attention can be avoided.
Truth to tell, it is very poor pol
icy for the poulterer who expects to
succeed to think he can raise chick
ems in the haphazard way some far
mers do-namely, feeding them
morning and night, and giving the
run Of an enclosure similar to a filthy
barnyard. He must rather attend
to them in accordance with the pains
demanded of anything on the farm
that is expected to pay its way.
To begin with it is natural for
fowls to make their surroundings
unclean, especially so if narrow ones,
and it is this uncleanliness that
breeds cholera, which so devastates
the flocks in summer. Poultry, there
fore, should never be overcrowded.
From fifty to sixty birds is about
the right number for a flock, which,
in addition to commodious quarters,
should have a good roosting place
and plenty Of room for exercise.
Proper ventilation should be provid-
ed, for pure air is as essential to the
welfare of fowls as it is to human
beings. A noXious effluvia is always
exhaled from the collected droppings,
and if the birds have to breathe this
it acts upon them as a deadly poison.
Accordingly, it is impossible for
closely confined poultry to do well
and lay eggs.
Another frequent cause of cholera
in the poultry yard is stagnant and
impure water. This, as a matter of
fact, cannot be too carefully guarded
against. The best of water after
standing for any length of time in
hot weather becomes covered with a
greenish scum, and anon minute in
sects will be floating around in it.
This stage reached, the liquid instead
of being a wholesome beverage is a
positive poison. 1t makes no differ
ence whether the water has been
standing in a drinking fountain or in a
stagnant pool; either is bad enough
to poison the birds. They might in
reality, just as well Stake their thirst
at the pools that often drain from
manure piles, and which is frequent
ly done by them on the farm, where
fore such place if accessible to fowls,
should be covered with straw or
drained away to some other spot.
Given fresh, clean water often
enough, however, poultry will
seldom touch impure liquids.
Along with all the rest. musty
corn should not be fed to fowls.
Mould, in truth, is nothing
more or less than a parasite, that is
capable and often does. breed dis
ease. If such corn is fed. it should
first be thoroughly boiled to kill all
disease germs. But too much corn
is not good to give, anyway. in warm
weather. On account of its heating
propensities, it is liable alone to de-
velop cholera. Hence, other grains,
such as buckwheat, bran middlings,
wheat and the like, should form a
part of the diet Of the birds. 1t is
thus that an epidemic of cholera in
the chicken yard may be averted,
which is many times preferable to
getting the disease and then trying
to cure it.-Fred 0. Sibley, in Elk
change.