Arizona republican., 1922-03-26
CHICK TROUBLES AND
HOW To TREAT THEM

When the chick Is out of the egg,
the trouble of poultry raising has only
just begun. chick that Is well
Matched is well started, 1t is true, and
too much emphasis cannot be placed
on the Importance of strong. vigor-
Gus breeding birds, free from disease
or the taint Of disease.
In this brief article It Is not the
intention to go into details about
operating brooders or brooder stoves,
for the manufacturers of brooders
and brooder appliances are presumed
to understand their own machines
and the directions that are sent with
them should be followed. In the
Salt River valley, it is true, there are
climatic differences that may neces-
state some slight changes in certain
instances, but as a very general rule,
one inexperienced runs far less dan
ger of mistakes in following direc-
tons rather than to make radical
changes because of fancied needs of
c.I1ate.
White diarrhea is disease that
has caused many dollars Of loss 70
poultry breeders. 1t is generally
considered to be an infectious disease
that is transmitted through the egg
from the Etn There is little help
for a flock that is badly infected, so
the remedy is in not breeding from
stock that is infected. When it is
found that young chicks have this
trouble the better plan is to at once
isolate all that show symptoms ard
ice sour rlilk to those that are ap-
parently we'll Thorough disinfection
of brooders coops and poultry houses
should follow as a matter Of course.
Lice and Mites
Lice and mites. as well as ticKs,
drain the vitality of young chicks
rapidly and should not be allowed to
continue the existence at the ex-
pense OF the blood of the chick that
needs all its blood to make growth.
Hen Matched chicks almost invarla-
bly, are infested with head lice, even
though the hen is apparently free
from lice A. little grease Gard or
lard compound on the chicks's head
soon after it is Matched and again a
few DAYS later will destroy these head
lice Sodium fluorid is now quite
generally used as an insect powder
and may be used on chicks when
quite young. Thoroughly spraying the
coops and brooders with various COM
merciaI preparations is very effect
i've in getting rid of lice, mites and
ticks. The writer has found the use
of common kerosene. or, as we call it
here coal oil" to be very effective
agent in keeping down the insects.
Sometimes it may be well to add
some coal tar preparation. but It
seems that the coal oil in itself is
first class agent for getting the ice,
ticks and mites out of the coops and
houses and keeping them out.
Draining the crank case of the fiv-
yer COR car, if one is not in the fivver
class) is necessary for the good OF the
the engine. and this dirty oil. mixed
with the flushing oil. is splendid for
use about the chicken houses, paint
ing it on roosts and into cracks will
get the lice and other insects. A few
hours is sufficient for it to dry in
quite thoroughly.
Gapes Not Common
Gapes are not common in this part
of the country. that is to say, the
loss is not as heavy as in some other
states. Possibly this is because OF
our abundant sunshine, which makes
it easier to maintain sanitary condl-
tions, and gapes are generally trace
able to unsanitary conditions, al
| though the prime cause is very
small game worm. Coal oil on feath
/ or pushed down the chicks windpipe
| is an old remedy that quite often
cures (if it does not kilD. Farmers
Bulletin No. 957, Important diseases
| of Poultry" says: Good results have
been reported from medicating drink
| ing water with Is grains of salicylic
acid or three grains of salicylate of
soda to the quart Of water"
No little chick trouble is expert
enced from chilling the chicks, and
this may be aggravated by getting
them too warm a little later. Even
temperatures are necessary. Chicks
| once badly chilled are long time in
recovering and it is question If
they are ever as valuable as they
might have been otherwise. Over
feeding = a prolific cause Of trouble.
/ Because of this tendency on the part
of many to feed too much or to feed
the wrong kind of food, there has
been noticed among many poultry
keepers in the Salt River valley
growing sentiment in favor Of the
prepared chick feeds which may be
fed at stated intervals, and this food
being correctly balanced there is not
| the danger of bowel troubles. Bowel
troubles are simply indigestion, but