Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-10-22
FALL COLDS.

The fall cold is much more fire.
quently found in the pullet flock than
in the flock of mature fowls. It's first
symptom is moisture at the nostrils.
The poultryman should be on the
watch for those birds upon whose
nostrils and beaks are found sticking
bits of straw, feathers or dirt. Upon
examination their nostrils will be
found to be clogged. At first there
may be no odor to the head or breath
but the cold is indicated and if
allowed to run it's course the odor Of
roup will follow. The second symp-
tom is the formation of beads of mois-
ture in the corner of the eye and
finally the eye swells and white
patches form on the lining membrane
of the mouth and throat and a gen.
uIne case of roup is developed.
The treatment of fall colds begins
with the location of the cause of the
cold and the removal of that cause.
A vigorous bird, housed under
right conditions, is resistent to colds.
The cold almost always means that
the birds vitality is low or that hous-
ing conditions are wrong. Low vital
ity may mean faults in the breeding
or rearing of the chicks. The fall
cold shows the poultryman the folly
of breeding from weak stock and also
the danger of neglecting the growing
The brood that has been
grown in crowded or dirty quarters.
underfed or overfed or a too rich
ration without sufficient green food
and clean water. is very apt to con-
tract colds with the first fall rain.
Lites and Mice.
The most frequent cause I know
for the fall cold is lice and mites.
Send to the poultry department of the
State College for bulletin No. "a and
learn how to rid stock and premises
of these pests and how to keep them
free of them. Then do the most thor
ough work. # either lice or mites
are draining the vitality of pullets, 1t
Is absolutely useless to doctor them
for colds.
Another frequent cause of fall colds
Is the crowding of the pullets upon
the roosts or under them at night.
Even where there is plenty Of roost-
ing room provided, it often happens,
as the first chilly fall nights come
on, that the young pullets huddle to-
gether in the corner to get warm.
The result is that they become over
heated in the mass, and II one were
to put his hand for 1--WE minutes
among them at midnight, he would
ind it covered with moisture. Pull
lets will not spread out very much
after they are once settled for the
night. II crowded they are weak
ened instead of refreshed by their
sleep and get down from the roosts
overheated and damp into the chilli
u the gray dawn and the cause Of
The cold is not far to seek. The OBJ
vious remedy IS to provide plenty Of,
roost room and then to go among the
birds at night and scatter them upon
The roosts until the habit of budding
Is broken UP. 4
Another frequent cause Of fall
colds is a draft that strikes the birds
upon the roosting platform. Birds
hat roost in trees or in the open
seldom have colds. Drafts coming
rom all directions do not do much
damage, but a cold current of air
through a small opening
upon the pulse in the wrist
If a person is very likely to produce
! cold. Likewise, a knothole may be-
come source of danger to bird.
Since we have domesticated our fowls
:or generations they demand of US
winter housing. The houses should
be free from cracks. knotholes, crew
ces of all sorts on the sides and the
'ourth side should be open for venti- !
alton in such way as to prevent
iirect current of air striking directly
Upon the birds on the roosts at night.
Need Good Ventilation.
Equally dangerous with the draft,
perhaps more so. is lack of ventila-
ion. To maintain high normal tenn
los to LOG degrees, fowls
must have an abundant supply of
oxygen. If upon going into the hen
louse at night the slightest odor or
lampness is observed then the prob
EN- of getting rid Of fall colds is a
problem of ventilation. Do not be
lfraid of plenty of fresh cool air so
ong as it is dry and does not strike
he birds directly in a strong draft.
1t should also be borne in mind
aht these fall colds are very quickly
passed from sick bird to we'll one
through the drinking water, the food t