Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-09-10
DISEASE HANDICAP TO
SUCCESS With POULTRY
With Disease in Poultry F1Ocks. Pre-.
ventiOn is Better Than Cure
How to Care For F1Ocks

Disease is one of the handicaps to
successful poultry keeping and should
be guarded against at all times
Unless kept in a healthy condition,
chicks will not grow properly. and
mature fowls will lose their vigor and
vitality and become unproductive and
Improbable. 1t is far better to pre-
vent disease by proper care and atten-
ton than to attempt to cure a bird
after it is sick. 1t is important, there
fore, to watch the flock closely at all
times for any signs of disease, so tina:
an outbreak may be checked as soon
as it occurs.
Three Of the more common poultry
diseases are roup. chicken p0x, and
scaly legs, the following treatment for
which are given by the Bureau Of
Animal Industry, United States De-
partment of Agriculture.
Roupe frequently developes from a
the eyes. nose, and throat. The first
signs are watery eyes, swollen eyelids.
loss of appetite, and thin. watery
discharge from the nostrils; after a
few days the discharge becomes thick
and interferes with the birds breath
ing. In severe cases the side of the
birds head is hot and badly swollen
and the eyelids stuck together with a
yellowish. cheesy substance.
Roup frequently developes from a
hard cold, or may be brought into the
flock by other birds that have had
the disease. To prevent it. keep the
house clean, we'll ventilated, and dis
infected. Be sure that the birds are
not exposed to drafts. Fowls or chicks
purchased from other breeders should
be put into separate houses. II this
is not possible, watch each specimen
closely for two or three weeks for any
sign of the disease. SO that II it APP
pears the bird may be removed before
the others are affected.
Chicken pox (sometimes called
sore head) is another very contagious
disease. 1t makes its appearance In
the form of irregular whitish patches
or testers, which later develop into
brown spots or crasts resembling the
scab of a sore) on the comb, wattles.
eyelids. and around the beak and
In severe cases these patches
or sores become so numerous that the
birds have difficulty in opening their
eyes and beaks.
Apply liberal quantity Of carbo-
lated vasoline to all affected parts.
This treatment after a short time will
cause the patches or crusts to soften
and drop off. when the tissue or sore
underneath should be painted with
tincture of iodine or 5 per cent solu-
ton of carbolic acid. Five pounds OF
fine-powderel sulphur mixed with
each 100 pounds of dry mash Is also
beneficial in effecting cure. AS soon
as the disease makes its appearance
spray the house and coops thoroughly
with some good disnfectant (prefer-
ably some wood preservative or coal
tar preparatory, and scald the drink
ing fountains and feed dishes thor
oughly with boiling water. Repeat
every two or three days until after all
the birds have fully recovered. To
prevent the disease. keep all roosting
quarters clean, dry, and we'll disin-
fected. During the summer. when the
disease is most common. mix 3 pounds
of powdered sulphur with each 100
pounds of dry mash. allowing the
birds to eat all they want. Chicken
pox usually attacks late-hatchec
chicks more often and more severely
than early-hatched ones. which makes
1t advisable to hatch as early in the
season as possible.
Scaly leg is easily recognized by
the enlarged, roughened appearance
Of the feet and legs. 1t is caused by
little mite which burrows beneath
the scales and causes the formation or
a yellowish, powdery substance which
keeps raising up the scales until they
present an unsightly appearance. In