Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-12-01

Z. Il. cine MlA1i, Z An-s
Being a reader of your valuable
paper. I take the liberty Of asking
your advice.
For the past year have been
losing more than rs per cent of my
Young chickens, caused from some
necuIiar disease, I know not what.
The chickens die when between two
and six, weeks old. Have not lost
one before two weeks Of age, nor
any after six weeks old
Trhey become affected very sud-
DENLY. opening their mouths and
easping for breath very regularly
every four or i've seconds, until they
die. which is from three to twelve
hours. Occasionally they have
kind of ut, throwing themselves
around violently. / have not
known ne of them to get well after
being affected.
The disease is not gapes, as 1
have examined a number OF them
thoroughly, after death, and find no
worms. They have no symptoms
OF bowel trouble and are perfect
Iy thrifty up to the time they are
affected
The chickens are fed principally
on corn meal, wheat and millet
seed. some wheat bran, comr7er-
mercial meat meal, and corn meal
fed daily and as a wet mash two
or three times per week. They
have plenty of green food and grit
at all times. Some of Them have
been given free range. and others
have been closely confined, only be-
ing allowed out on grass lawn bout
an hour each day when the weather
was fair.
Several of my ,neighbors are trou-
b1ed with the same disease.
ANSWER: m -lN
After reading your letter care
fully. it is hard to say what Is the
direct cause OF the heavy death loss
among your chickens. / do not be-
lieve 1t is any disease, but that II
II something in the treatment,
either In the brooding or the feed
they are getting. The age mem
toned is a critical stage with them,
as they are throwing of the down
and taking on feathers. and { re-
quires warmth and dryness, and
good. rich feed to help them
through this period I am inclined
to think that the brooding system
you use has AllOLG " W Win lnG
trouble than anything else. Evi-
IDENTIFY they are too crowded, or get
out into the dampness too early.
Ny experience is that chickens
raised artihcially do better IL kept
etirely of the ground. but not too
crowded in close quarters. Further
more, they should have warmth,
which is just as impo tant from
two weeks to six weeks old. as it is
the first two weeks of their life,
but they should not be overheated
or crowded in their sleeping quar-
tiers.
IL is possible that they get TOGO
something In the breeding stock
that does not produce chickens with
strong constitutions. On the other
hand. from your feeding formula,
IL is possible that they get too
much corn, which causes indiges-
tion. One-third meat scrap and two
thirds bran should be kept before
them at all times after they pass
10 days old. / do not rea4 = be-
lieve IT is a good idea to feed corn
meal to them so early, as IL also
has a tendency to give them indi-
gestion. especially If they do not
have an unlimited range. The wet
mash is also bad for them while
they are young. Cracked rice, oat-
meal. crushed wheat. with a small
amount of pearl grits in it. makes
the best feed you can give your
chickens until they are six weeks
old. Then give them only what
they will eat clean every two or
three hours, instead of leaving a
lot of IL before them at all times.
Theyshould be kept practically
hungry and be forced to eat up their
feed in a few moments after IL is
given them. II any is left, it
should be taken away. A bunch
OF young chickens can be upset
very easily by being overheated, or
chilled. and when this is once done,
il is a hard matter to get them
started again.
Would be glad to hear further
from you, and hope you can get
some ideas fromthis letter that will
help you.
n " TIfgI NTfr.-t, ole Tie