Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-20
AILMENTS THAT ROB
common POULTRY YARD
Safety OF Flock Often Depends Upon
81 Upon Ability to Properly
sS'. Diagnose Case.
KNOWLEDGE is ESSENTIAL
External Symptoms Not Always
Conclusive Proof of Cause Of
Death, Writes Fancier Who Has
Given It Close Attention.
ny CHARLES l.. OPPERMAN.
Formerly State PouItrymnn OF Mary

IL.
Formerly State PouItrymnn OF Mary
land.
j The occasional loss Of a hen that
Ito all appearances is in good health,
is a common experience of most poul-
arSkccpcrs. In the majority OF cases
5fttle attention is paid to such loss.
because the owner ia not sufficiently
Informed TO reach conclusion as TO
the specific cause OF the mortality II
death is brought on by some simple
non -contaEio us maiady. through
accident. no particular harm is done
but should the dicase be or such a
nature that the rest OF tho flock is
more than likely to be infected. IN,
failure TO take cosnizance of these
occasional deaths may mean the loss
of a number OF birds. Efficiency de-
mands that the poultrykceper have II
sEeneral knowledge OF the external and
internal manifestations OF dicase.
We do not need TO concern our
selves very much with the fowl that
sbody recognizes tho indications Of
shcal,h and vitality. Birds in this con-
Sdition are active; they rise early an.
$50 TO roost late: their eyes arc bright
sand clear; when not in the mott their
%plumaEe is smooth and glossy, their
stTattles and eariobes fun aEi
.bright: and they present a neat. COM
@pact appearance, indicating that tn
-body framework is we'll covered with
Snesh. II is, OF course, true that hiru
may come up to these specifications
sand Mt the same time be affected with
-ssorne form OF diease. However. this
3condition is not common and need not
rbe given any serious consideration.
with the exception OF apoplexy and
asinilar diseases. there arc very few
.sdsorders which the poultrykcepcr may
sfuccesstully combat. that 90 not mani
-fest their presence b. the outward APP
appearance OF the fowls.
Ss;xternnl Indications Occasionally Dc
~ ternilne.
e; There are two ways in which the
2pouitrykeeper may determine tn.
HEause of death. First, by external
Sfymptoms; second, By 4 careful posi-.
Smortcm examination.
e. There are Il number OF general
Exemptions that may he observed in
sSonnection with most OF the common
.deases OF poultry. Such things os
-sleepiness, loss OF appetite. dropping
wings. pale comb and eyes. ruhlcd fea-
-1hers and so on all indicate a dcased
condition: yet, In themselves they fur
-nish no reliab BILE clue to the true ma
.rUre of the disease. Birds which OK
shibit one, or several OF these symp-
toms should be removed from the
flock at once and carcfull? examined
lin order to obtain a more precise dag
"noSiS.
III making a Oia S0OS1S tho analysis
sfcven below will be found helpful in
identifying the disease. In compilin-,
.this data tho writer has purposcly
-omitted number of the rare and un-
sfmportant dieases, and confined the
text largely to the common ailments
with awAich the poultrykeeper has to
contend.
:. Abnormal breathing. wheeling. whis-
-.tling. snoring and couGhing-Colds
catarrh, canker, gapes. air-sac mite
Mucous discharge from mouth
8 Pneumonia. congestion OF the lungs.
Sapcs.
:. Nausea and m:fng-InNammation
OF the crop; copper. lead or zine
poisoning.
Mass OF nHamed tissue projecting
from vcnt--Proiapse OF oviduct
yss-Poisoning. hea, prostra-
.tion. apopleIy.
Rough legs. scales raised and un-
cvcn-scaly leg.
Scale and incrusted skin-Body
mango.
gEcrinE-Congcstion OF brain.
leg weakness.
Swollen face and cycs--Roup.
Tumors on heaG-Eoup. chicken por
Watery eycs-Roup.
White patches on mouth and throat
Canker. roup.
Yellow droppings-Cholera
king-Arscnic poisoning.
MISUNDERSTANDING, epilepsy,
harvest bug ~
consiipaton-si1;T p e Constipation,
indigestion, Inflammation Of the owl
duct.
Poisoning, bachhcad.
cholera. tuberculosis, roup. white d!ar-
rhoea.
Dark combs-ii"er diseases congcs-
ton OF the lungs blaciihead pneumonia.
Enlacia t!on-Tmberculos.s vlscua!
! govt. mites, diarrhoca
Excessive thirst--Eniarrement OF the
liver pcritonitia. asp-rgillosis.
Hard, dry tongue--Pip. diseases o,
the respiratory system.
Hard. fall crop--Crop bound.
L"meness- RheuMatism. humble foot,
scaiy legs. tuberculosis leg weakness.
Limp ncck-liInbcr neck.
INTERNAL INDICATIONS
DETERMINED ~ DIAGNOSIS
= IL frequently happens that bird
.lwill die without cause so far as cX-
tcrnal indications are concerned. and in
such instances 4 pos;-inortem cXamiua-
-iion is necessary 10 properly diagnose
sihe case. First lag the bird back
sidown, on top OF an old table or box.
s,Next spread out the wings and legs
:; driving a small nail through the join.
:. of each wing and through the center OF
leach loot. The feathers should be
Yplucked from the breast. and the skin
ycut in straight line from crop to
event. The skin is then drawn back
Sfrom each side. leaving the fcsh expos
Sied. The entire breast is now removed
.siby cutting :he ribs on each side and
.;the two large bone joints al tho front
s.end of the breast The operation Will
s.expose most OF the organs and in
y,testines for examination
z, LiTer.-1'hc pos,-Gnortem e1amjna-
~tion should begin with the liver In q
gEtrong healthy bird the liver is Of a
Ejbrown color and free from nodulcs
nispotted areas or discolorations
=, In hypertrophy or enlargement OF the
oliver. this organ viii be enlarged deep
s,red In color. engorged with blood and
tlrather firm under the knife
81 II the liver is shrunken. hardened
.and marbled or spotted with areas Of
~grayish or yellowish tissue. the trou-
rDle would be diagonosed a fatty de-
~.generation.
=. In blackhead the liver is enlarged
i-,and covered with whitlsh or yellowish
SIspots.
In OH