The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-06-13

ytfHf WINS tEls GHlGES SIS EHQ6T OIAo
month ri ass. After this 3 few stFsg.
gIiBE deaths fsay be expected. sad II
complications sst ia. high mortality
Ha1 be- observed. The chicks which
haFs had bseillaTy white diarThez
seem 20 be srsat1I weakened in con
ssitutl0h aud fail su easy prey 20 dis
orders which would De resisted eazily
by normal chicks.
Those which survive remain more
or less stunted in their Development
Frequently they are misshaDen, with
long beaks and CROW heads" and
with imperfect feathering. In every
way they impress one as being weak
and lacking in vitality. This cOndi-
ton may persist indefinitely, or the
bird may slowly regain yigor and vi
tally and finally make a fairly salts
factory development.
The trap nest records of individual
hens, when studied IN connection with
the results OF egg examinations, seem
to indicate that infected hens are CON-
paratively poor layers This Is es-
pecialIy true OF those hens which are
in their second and subsequent lay
ing years. Apparently such hens lay
regularly only in the spring and sum-
mer, the natural breeding season.
In order to secure further practical
information on this point, an extended
trip was made among poultrymen who
make it a practice to raise winter
chicks. In a very few cases there
seemed to be evidence Of white diar-
rhea infection, but the large majority
of the men interviewed agreed that
the chicks which are Matched IN late
fall, winter or early spring, are COM
paratively free from this disease.
The question has frequently been
asked as to whether infection may be
spread from one hen 10 another.
through food which has become con-
taminated with infected droppings
On this point we have no direct evil
dence, but in view OF the fact that in
fected and non4nfected hens have
been kept in the same pens for many
months without any apparent spread
ing of infection, it seems highly i'm
probable that the organism is con
Yeyed from adult to adult in this
manner. Experiments are being con
Quoted to determine this point con-
clusiveIy.
The question also naturally arises
May not the male bird carry the or
ganism from one hen TO another?
The same course OF reasoning may be
followed here as In the previous In
stance, and although We do not regard
the evidence as conclusive, It is quite
probable that the organism is not car
ried in this way
Whether or not adult male birds
may be infected with the germ, is an
other matter which is still undecided
We have on several occasions sx-
amined the testes of half-grown and
adult males, with negative results
Such tests, however, have been too
few to justify any definite conclusion
Should the possibilities of the trans
mission of the organism from hen 80
hen, and through the agency OF the
male birds, be actually eliminated,
there is apparently but one explana-
ton for the presence Of the organism
/ in question in the oYaries Of adult fe-
males. We have already demon
strated that chicks may have the dis
ease when Matched, or acquire It very
soon after Matching. The infected fe-
male chicks which survive the disease
continue to carry the organism IN
their bodies, not in the various organs.
as when they are young and Yisibly az
fected, but locally, as in the oTaTy. In
other words, such chicks have be-
come permanent bacillus carriers Our
examination of the oEaries OF half
grown pUllets has given Us strong evil
dence in support Of this theory.
As to the means Of preventing the
spread of infection from chick to
chick, segregation Of chicks during
the first four days after Matching
should prove effective. It is entirely
probable that keeping chicks in small
groups In the incubator for forty-eieht
hours after Matching viii materially
reduce the chances OF a few infected
individuals spreading the infection
through the entire hatch For diTss-
ion into small groups we suggest the
use Of pedigree trays, wire baskets, or
bags made Of mosquito netting.
Naturally, the smaller the group. the
less the chance OF spreading the In
lection.
From the time the chicks 5egsn=to
hatch until they are removed TO fae
brooders the incubator should be KENT
dark. This viii largely prevent the
chicks from picking at the droupinz1
The shortening OF the work aav
on the farm viii accomplish three