Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-05-15

Keeping the chicks comfortable is the
main consideration; watch them and reg
| ulate the temperature accordingly.
| No term. perhaps strikes greater ter
ror among poutrymen than white dar-
rhea. The disease has earned this OPP
probrium because it is probably the
greatest foe of newly Matched chicks.
also because It is so difficult to combat.
1t is successfully fought, of course, but
| by preventive measures rather than Gu
rative ones.
SYMPTOMS OBJ THE DISEASE
There are said to be at least four>dif-
| ferent kinds Of white diarrhea, the most
| common of which is bacillus called
! "bacterium pullorum," which means in
ordinary terms the bacteria or germs OF
the pullets. Coccdlosis and aspergillus
fungus are two other forms Of the in
| fection. So far as the ordinary poultry
raiser is concerned, these phrases are
merely technical terms and Of no par
ticular value to the unscientiic mind
All these microbes infect the adult
fowls and are communicated to chicks
! by means of the eggs Apparently, some
eggs are inoculated, while others, from
the same hen. escape: but there is no
|
external appearance of the eggs. Again.
some infected eggs may not start the
disease in the chicks.
| In chicks the symptoms of white
diarrhea are quite evident. The most
prominent sign is more or less pro-
| fuse diarrhea, the droppings consisting
| almost entirely of nucus from the in
| festival tube and the white secretion of
the kidneys. The white substance pre-
dominates, hence the name white diar-
| rhea. The discharge Is caused by an
Irritation of the intestines, fever and a
rapid breaking down of the tissues Of
the kidneys
These manifestations occur within the
first few days of the chicks life. After
the fourth or fifth day the chicks are
, practically immune. Chicks two weeks
old. especially adult fowls, are virtually
resistant to the germs, and do not show
any symptoms, though they may be inoc-
ulated with the disease and lay infected
eggs.
large brood of chicks may be hatch
ed from eggs subject to the germs OF
| white diarrhea, and to all appearances
hale and hearty when taken from the in
cubator. But they soon commence to
wilt.
position to huddle together and remain
under the hover or hen. Apparently the
chicks suffer from chils They are list
less, stupid and sleepy and take no in
| terest in food or their environment. They
! stand with heads drawn close to their
I bodies, eyes closed and peep plaintively
almost constantly.
| Sometimes the disease is less severe.
but of moro chronic type. and takes long,
| err to run its course. Chicks thus affiict-
ed waste away until their legs are unable
to carry their bodies. They lean against
walls or other objects for support. or
squat down with outstretched wings I'M
til they die AS death approaches the
breath becomes labored, and at intervals
the poor little creatures give utterance
to a faint, shrill cry, indicating that they
are seized with paroxysms OF intense
pain. Most of these victims have the
peculiar form Of body described as short
back" which results from the distension
of the abdomen. The disease is usually
accompanied by heavy mortality.
There is no absolute cure for white
diarrhea in chicks. Numerous remedies
have been advertised, but these are in
| reality preyentives. Furthermore, the
medical treatment of Individual chicks
| is virtually impracticable, and flock treat
ment, once the chicks are afflicted, is OF
little consequence inasmuch as the
| chicks cannot be induced to eat or drink
| in sufficient quantities to be of any avail.
| The feeding of sour milk to young
| chicks as soon they are taken from
the incubator appears to be the most
successful treatment toward controlling
the disease. The purpose of the sour
milk is to suppress any intestinal pu-