Evening star., 1919-04-13
CARING FOR THE HOME FLOCK
II w. RICKEY.
College, Park

The one most widely known and
most dreaded Of all infectious dis
eases of young chicks is that Of white
diarrhea (bacillus pulorunl infec-
tion), the symptoms OF which are
profuse diarrhea; the excrement
consisting principally of the white
secretions of the kidneys and mucous
from the intestines. There is a tend
ency for the affected chicks to hud-
die together, their eyes close, the
wings droop and the whole appear
ance of the chicks is one OF weak
ness. They seek the seclusion OF the
hover and as the disease progresses
do not come out to eat or drink. AS
the excrement is voided it usually
sticks to the feathers or down around
the vent in such q way that further
evacuation is prevented, which condi-
tion is known as "pasting up.
The excreta from the digestive tract
thus accumulates in the lower intes-
tines, apparently causing considerable
pain as indicated by more or less
constant peeping of the chick in its
effort to void this waste material.
This accumulation Of the feces in the
intestines often causes distenslon
! of the abdomen to such an extent that
it gives to the chicks the appearance
Of being short-bodied.
White diarrhoea is SO infectious
,, that when it attacks a brood prac-
tically all chicks in that brood become
| infected and die. Death may come
quickly or the disease may lfnger on
| for several days. Infection must take
place within four days after chicks
are hatched. though the outward
symptoms may not appear until three
| recover and then carry within their
bodies the germs of the disease and
later may transmit the infection
| through their eggs to the offspring.
Sometimes infection takes place
| within the incubator, particularly In
cases where the machines have moi
been thoroughly cleaned and disin-
fected after they have been used. The
! organisms may also be carried on the
! outside Of the egg shell. AS pre-
cubator, including the egg tray
| should be sprayed with per cent
solution of zenoleum or creolin. Prof
Graham first recommended the use OF
| zenoleum and advised that 1t be ap-
| piled Immediately before the eggs are
States Department of Agriculture
recommends the -Xiping of the eggs
with a cloth wetwith grain alcoho
of from 20 to 80 per cent strength, but
as this tends to rub off the outer coat
| ing of the shell it cannot be consid
think it advisable unless there i.
strong reason to believe that thu
| germs may be present on the shells.
| It Is apparent that incubator matched
chicks are more susceptible to infection
than are those hatched and brooded b,
| hens. Chicks of low vitality are more
susceptible than those Of great vitality
therefore anything that weakens or low
ers the vitality Of the chick, such a,
faulty incubation. brooding or feeding
or a combination of all three may bt
the prime cause Of Infection.
| White diarrhea, however, is not al
widespread nor as common as mos
poultry keepers think. We are too
| ready to excuse our own blunders and tt
lay most Of our troubles to this disease
when In reality it is not present at all
! Overheating in the incubator, chilling
or overheating in the brooder and over.
feeding during the early days of in.
cubation cause diarrhea, the excremen
of which often contains an excess of thu
white urates from the kidneys, and. as i,
white diarrhea, the pasting up condition
is present. 1t Is true that such unfavor
orable conditions increases the slscep
tibility Of the chicks to the ravages o
the white dfarrhea organisms. so tina
in many instances simple diarrhea de-
SSfOpS lulO tuo lulSCSlOub WulIe Olar'
rhea.
II eggs are used from good strong
hens only. then properly incubated, ant
the chicks brooded and fed as the,
should be with wholesome foods, undel
correct sanitary conditions, we neet
have little fear Of infection. II. however
we have reason to believe that the dis.
Ease Is present then precautions must bt
taken to prevent its spread. The af.
feeted chicks should be isolated, while
those showing no symptoms should bt
moved to a new location and put IL
fresh. clean coops or brooders. Theil
former living quarters should be thor.
oughly cleaned and disinfected and the
surrounding soil sprayed with disintec.
tants and sprinkled with air Stacked
lime.
| There IS no known cure for bacillui
pulorum infection, though it may, 1,
| q great measure. be prevented or helt
In check by feeding milk in considera