The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-25
BY EDWARD MEGARGEE

ing it.
BY EDWARD MEGARGEE
Thus early in the season the tore-
handed poultryman Is perfectingt MS
nlans for the most trying, the most
exacting the most critical part of his
v,orlx-the Matching and rearing of his
annual chicken crop. Breeding pens
are being mated up. incubators over
hauled, brooders and brooder houses
nut in order. When the actual time ar
riyes to set the eggs one cannot ar
ford to lose precious days in getting the
machines in order.
Baby chicks, whether hatched by hens
or artificial methods, are tender things
and are beset by a host of dangers.
Cats rats, skunks, hawks and other
predatory enemies are constantly alert
for chicken dinners. lice and mites ex-
act their toll heat and cold. sun, wind
and rains do their part in the work of
destruction: disease in various forms
does its share, and it is big one.
Now this list may seem sufficient to
dampen the ardor of the most enthust-
. astic, but in reality it is not as bad rs
appears on the surface. Losses from
these various sources may be virtually
eliminated by the adoption of compara-
lively simple measures. The man who
understands the why and the wherefore
who meets the conditions, raises his
chicks and makes money. The careless
individual trusts to luck. and often
stands idly by while a large proportion
of his flock goes the way of all flesh,
and all possibility of making a profit
is lost.
Most Losses Preventable
OF tod mill IN n
runs will foil most enemies and over
come the effects of foul weather. Dis
infectants and lice killers will check
the activities of the parasites. Proper
ly constructed and operated brooders
will keep the chicks comfortable. Care
full breeding, backed by the intelligent
use of simple methods of disinfection
and treatment will largely control dis
ease. Therefore. the man who suffers
a heavy mortality among his growing
chicks need not say that it is the re-
suit of bad luck Rather, it is the
result of bad management, lack of
knowledge or faulty practice.
1t is quite probable that the greatest
source of loss among young chicks in
al sections of the country Is due to
the disease or, more properly, group of
diseases, popularity known as white di-
arrhea. This trouble has long been
known, but apparently 1T was not gem
orally recognized as being such a
scourge until about Is years ago. Since
that time white diarrhea has been more
dreaded, and has caused a greater an
nual loss than any factor or group of
factors which adversely affect young
chicks.
1t is unfortunate that a specific dis
ease has been given the name of one of
its symptoms, as considerable confusion
is caused thereby. A whitish discharge
is one of the prominent symptoms of
xIi ifa Al 10 nh hi o1c
panies certain digestive disturbances
which are not In any sense related or
similar to the disease under discussion.
Too often the poultryman observes this
single symptom. and Immediately jumps
at the conclusion that his flock is in
fected with white diarrhea, when in
reality no such condition exists.
There are two separate and distinct
diseases with very similar symptoms
which the poultryman should learn to
recognize-aspergillo and baccillary
white diarrhea, the latter being the
true white diarrhea. the most destruc-
tive and hardest to control.
Common Fungus Causes Trouble
Aspergillosis, frequently termed
brooder pneumonia, results from the
growth within the body of a fungus,
especially in the air passages. This
fungus-aspergillis fumigatus-is wide J
ly distributed being commonly found on
mouldy hay. straw, grain. etc 1t is
spread through the medium of minute
spores. which effect Judgement in
suitable places and there develop.
In the case of chicks the spores are
inhaled or taken in with the food and
the fungus begins to grow, throwing
off additional spores, and so extending
the infection.
The affected chick becomes dumpish
and sleepy the wings droop and whit
ish diarrhea develops. The respiration
is usually rapid, sometimes accompa-
MED by snoring sound.
The disease may be confused with
true white diarrhea when diagnosed ex-
clusively by external symptoms. How
ever. a postmorten examination will set
tie the matter definitely. In cases of
aspergillosis, small yellowish tubercules
will be observed in the internal organs,
especially in the lungs, but frequently
In the intestines. liver and other or
gans.
Treatment of affected chicks is use
less. Better far prevent the trouble
from making It's appearance, since from
every point of view prevention is al
ways better than cure.
The whole flock, breeders and young
siers. should be kept under strictly hy-
gienic conditions Clean food and dry.
sveet litter will practically eliminate
the chance of Infection. Particular at
tention should be paid to brooders dis
injecting them frequently and keeping
them dry and clean. No food should be
permitted to mould and water dishes
ard feed troughs should be scalded and
summed from time to time Under such
conditions aspergillosis will seldom If
ever appear.
Baccillary white diarrhea is much
more complicated and cannot be thus
easily controlled. 1t may be attacked
at several different points, and in order
that this may be done intelligently. IT
is necessary to understand the whole
matter
The symptoms Of the disease are in
many ways similar to those of aspergil-
losis. These symptoms are not necessa-
rily all observed in every chick suffer-
ing with the disease. but they will be