AIR SAC MITE
CAUSE: Produced by a parasite called Cylodites Nudus, which bears a
close resemblance to the parasite causing mange or scabies in the
domesticated animal. Owing to the peculiar construction of their
breathing organs fowls are more susceptible to parasites than animals.
In addition to affecting the lungs, the Air Sac Mite may extend its
operations to the intestines, kidneys, liver and bones.
SYMPTOMS: Unthriftiness is first noticed, but after the parasites become
numerous, the fowl shows signs of difficult breathing, perhaps
terminating in bronchial pneumonia. In some cases death occurs without
apparent cause. The bird will be inactive, becomes separated from the
rest of the flock, comb pale, head drawn close to the body, wings hang
pendulous, lose flesh, breathing becomes hard, coughing, sneezing and a
rattling from the mucus in the windpipe is heard. Death is produced from
suffocation.
TREATMENT: Separate the sick from the healthy fowls. Disinfect coops and
runways of both sick and healthy birds with Crude Carbolic Acid,
undiluted. Also fumigate the fowls in their coops with steam from hot
water and Pine Tar. This may be done by placing the water and Tar in a
pan and then inserting a hot stone or brick in the solution. This
perhaps is the simplest method of fumigation. Also mix Sulphur in their
feed regularly.
APOPLEXY
(Hemorrhage of the Brain)
Due to the rupture of a blood vessel of the brain and pressure from the
escaping blood.
CAUSE: Mechanical injuries, straining when laying eggs (hens are
frequently found dead on the nest from this cause), overfeeding,
stimulating food, etc., all tend to produce apoplexy.
SYMPTOMS: Appear very suddenly, bird is seen to walk unsteadily, falls,
or perhaps is found dead.
TREATMENT: In mild attacks, apply cold water or ice to fowl's head until
thoroughly cooled. Give one-half grain of Calomel, feed soft food,
compel the bird to exercise. Owing to the loss of blood a tonic will be
necessary. Pulv. Gentian Root, Pulv. Saltpeter, Capsicum and Ferri
Sulphate (Pulv.) equal parts one ounce. Mix and place one teaspoonful in
feed for every twenty-five fowls. This tonic purifies and builds up the
blood, just what is needed in this particular condition.
BALDNESS
(Favus)
CAUSE: Due to fungi.
SYMPTOMS: The first noticeable sign is the whitish appearance of the
comb due to gray spots about the size of a pin head. As the disease
progresses, this condition spreads to other parts of the body; the
feathers look rough and dry and break easily. The fowl grows weaker,
refuses to eat and if not properly treated, dies.
TREATMENT: Remove the scabs by separating the feathers and using a
brush. Apply Sulphur Ointment. Repeat this treatment after two or three
days. Great care must be taken to prevent the fowl from chilling or
taking cold.
BEAK AND THROAT OBSTRUCTION
CAUSE: Lodgment in the beak or food canal of a foreign substance, such
as a kernel of corn, sunflower seed, bone, etc.
SYMPTOMS: Fowl jerks its head suddenly and frequently attempts to
swallow. If a close examination is made the foreign body can be felt
from the outside.
TREATMENT: For the removal of such obstructions, no special treatment is
needed further than to use care and avoid any injury to the beak or
throat. Feed nutritious food, as wheat bran mashes and vegetables and
see that they have a liberal quantity of good pure water at all times.
BLACKHEAD
(Infectious Entero Hepatitis of Turkeys)
CAUSE: Due to a protozoa taken into the system with the food or drinking
water. This parasite enters the caeca which becomes inflamed and
discolored and the liver is enlarged and studded with yellowish spots
about the size of a pea.
SYMPTOMS: Although this disease is termed Blackhead, the discoloration
of the head is not necessarily present in all cases; neither is this
condition confined to this particular disease. One of the first symptoms
is loss of appetite, followed in most cases by diarrhoea. The fowl
becomes weak and loses weight rapidly. Examination of the liver after
death will determine whether or not death has been caused by Infectious
Entero Hepatitis. The dead birds should be burned to prevent the spread
of the disease.
TREATMENT: Prevention is one of the most important factors as this
disease is very contagious and the protozoa once implanted in the turkey
runs is almost impossible to eradicate. Provide clean, well ventilated
coops and feed clean, wholesome food and good fresh water to drink.
MEDICAL TREATMENT: Give Bismuth Salicylate and Quinine Sulphate each one
grain two to three times a day. Also mix Hyposulphite of Soda in the
proportion of two to four grains to every fowl in their drinking water
twice daily. Disinfect coops and runs with Crude Carbolic Acid,
undiluted.
BODY LICE
CAUSE: Insanitary conditions. Communicated by direct contact.
SYMPTOMS: Young chicks become emaciated and die quickly. Older birds
withstand the parasite much longer, but in time show signs of uneasiness
by dusting themselves frequently. The comb and wattles become pale and
bloodless, the feathers rough, dry and brittle. The birds grow weak,
poor, and eventually die.
TREATMENT: Dust the birds with the following: Sulphur, one part;
Napthaline, one part; Tobacco Dust, twenty-eight parts and seventy parts
of middlings. Powder finely and mix well together and dust the birds
once daily. Also sprinkle freely in the dust baths.
BRONCHITIS
CAUSE: Exposure to dampness, cold drafts of air, inhaling irritating
gases, vapors or dust. The fowls should be carefully examined, as
bronchitis is occasionally caused by the presence of gapeworms.
SYMPTOMS: Loss of appetite, the bird moves about slowly, breathing with
difficulty and making a sort of whistling sound accompanied by a cough.
As the disease progresses, there will be a peculiar bubbling sound from
breathing due to an excessive accumulation of mucus in the windpipe. At
this stage of the disease the bird becomes very weak and if not properly
treated and cared for will rapidly lose strength, the feathers will
become rough, head and wings droop, and the bird dies.
TREATMENT: This disease is most satisfactorily treated by placing the
affected birds in warm, dry, well ventilated quarters, admitting
sunlight if possible, but excluding all drafts of air. Feed stale bread,
middlings, etc. Also place the fowls in a moderately air tight coop and
compel them to inhale steam from hot water and Turpentine. This is
readily done by placing the water and Turpentine in a pan and then
insert a hot stone or brick in the solution. Force them to inhale this
steam from twenty to thirty minutes twice a day. Also add Chlorate of
Potash to their drinking water, one teaspoonful to every twenty-five
aged fowls. To chicks add one-fourth teaspoonful to every twenty-five.
If the weather is favorable and the above treatment is followed,
bronchitis yields very favorably.
BUMBLE FOOT
(Corns-Deep Bruises-Abscesses)
CAUSE: Sharp-edged or narrow perches which bruise the feet or where the
perches are high, heavy fowls often injure their feet by alighting on
stones or other hard objects.
SYMPTOMS: The bird limps or hobbles about, moving with great difficulty.
Examination will show the foot to be hot and tender to the touch.
TREATMENT: Wash with clean, warm water and in some cases it is advisable
to apply Hot Flaxseed poultices. When soft spots or abscesses develop,
lance them with a clean, sharp knife. After abscesses and bruises are
opened, treat them antiseptically by washing with a solution of Carbolic
Acid, one teaspoonful to a pint of water. The foot should be bandaged to
keep out dust and dirt.
[Illustration: Photograph of chicken.]
PRIZE WINNING BUFF ORPINGTON COCK.
CATARRH
CAUSE: Exposure; poorly constructed coops which admit rain or drafts.
Weak birds are very susceptible to Catarrh.
SYMPTOMS: The bird is dull, moves about slowly, coughing or sneezing;
appetite is poor, the mucous membrane of the air passage becomes
inflamed and the breathing difficult, especially through the nose. The
discharge from the nostrils at first watery, becomes mucus-like and
thick and sticky, closing the nose, causing the bird to breathe wholly
through the mouth with a wheezing sound.
TREATMENT: The cause of Catarrh shows the necessity of clean and
comfortable quarters for the fowls. Keep the birds strong and vigorous
by feeding clean, nourishing food.
MEDICAL TREATMENT: To each fowl administer in their drinking water or
feed: Chlorate of Potash, one grain, twice daily.
CHICKEN POX
(Sore Head--Warts)
CAUSE: These diseases are due to low forms of parasites or fungi and
occur most frequently in wet weather especially if the coops are leaky
and allow the rain to fall on the droppings, causing mold or fungi. Poor
ventilation and lack of light also promotes the growth of fungi.
SYMPTOMS: The disease is usually confined to the head and affects
principally young chickens, pigeons and turkeys, but rarely ducks and
geese. The infection appears in the form of yellowish warts or nodules
about the nose, eyelids, comb, wattles, under the wings, or any
unfeathered place. The warts vary in size from that of a pin head to the
size of a pea and they discharge a fluid which at first is thin and
watery but as the disease progresses, it becomes thick and sticky,
yellow in color and fetid in smell. At this stage the appetite is poor,
the feathers appear rough, and where the eyelids are affected, as in
most cases, the bird cannot see, fails to eat, becomes emaciated, loses
weight and strength rapidly and if not properly treated, dies.
TREATMENT: This disease is very contagious, therefore the coops and runs
should be disinfected with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted. In the
drinking water add Hyposulphite of Soda in the proportion of one to two
grains to each fowl (one-half grain to chicks). Wash the nodules or
warts about the head with Carbolic Acid solution, one teaspoonful to a
quart of water. Feed easily digested food, such as vegetables or warm
bran mashes.
CONGESTION OF THE LIVER
CAUSE: Lack of exercise, overfeeding, tainted or moldy food, infection,
or impure blood.
SYMPTOMS: Birds suffering from this disease seldom show signs of
sickness and it is well to dissect the fowl after death to ascertain the
exact cause. If death is caused by Congestion of the Liver, the organ
will be greatly enlarged and easily torn.
TREATMENT: If the fowls are fat and sluggish, compel them to exercise by
driving them about. Also give fifteen to twenty grains of Epsom Salts to
each affected fowl. Feed laxative foods that are easily digested, as
vegetables and wheat bran mashes. They are cooling and relieve
congestion.
CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS
(Pulmonary Congestion)
CAUSE: Exposure; the bird chills, causing contraction of the blood
vessels near the surface of the body, thereby forcing a large quantity
of blood to the internal organs; the small blood vessels in the lungs
become distended with blood and rupture.
SYMPTOMS: Rapid and difficult breathing; the bird appears stupid and
sleepy and docs not care to move about; appetite poor, wings drooping,
plumage ruffled, a thick mucus, colored with blood, escapes from the
mouth, comb and wattles show a dark-red color from lack of oxygen in the
blood. This disease is of very short duration, the bird dying within a
few hours. It is very common among young chicks and turkeys that are
permitted to run out in the early spring rains.
TREATMENT: Medical treatment is of no value, as the disease progresses
so rapidly that the bird dies shortly after the first symptoms appear.
Sanitary surroundings, good light, pure air and exercise are essential.
Do not allow the birds to stand out in the cold or rains, especially
during the molting season. Keep your poultry strong and vigorous by
feeding clean, nourishing food and give them pure water to drink.
CONSTIPATION
(Intestinal Obstruction)
CAUSE: Irritation of the membranes lining the intestines, caused by dry
feed, glass or gravel; may also be due to parasitic worms. Obstruction
may occur in any part of the intestines although the external opening is
the part most frequently affected.
SYMPTOMS: Bird appears dull and stupid, walks with difficulty and
attempts frequently to expel the obstructing material. The appetite is
poor and the feathers rough. By examination and manipulation the
obstruction may be located. Dried masses of excrement by adhering to the
feathers sometimes block the outer opening of the intestines.
TREATMENT: Remove the waste matter clinging to the feathers with warm
water or by clipping the feathers off. If the Cloaca is obstructed, give
injections of Sweet Oil or Olive Oil with a small bulb syringe. Also
give one to two grains of Calomel and feed clean food and soft mashes
containing Pulv. Gentian Root, one grain to each fowl twice daily. This
stimulates the worm-like movement of the bowels and assists in expelling
their contents.
[Illustration: Photograph of chicken.]
PRIZE WINNING PLYMOUTH ROCK COCK.
CROP IMPACTION
(Obstruction, Paralysis, Inflammation, Catarrh)
CAUSE: Errors in feeding; birds that are not fed regularly are
predisposed to any of the above conditions; may also be due to
swallowing large pieces of bone, thread, nails, pins, glass, gravel,
etc.
SYMPTOMS: Loss of appetite, frequent attempts to swallow, crop greatly
distended and hard on pressure; eventually the food decomposes and a
liquid may escape from the mouth and nose. The bird appears dull, stupid
and sleepy, comb pale, feathers rough, beak open, owing to pressure on
the windpipe. If caused by swallowing sharp objects, they may penetrate
the crop and skin, causing a gangrenous condition. Grain in the crop
will sometimes send out sprouts of considerable lengths.
TREATMENT: If no sharp objects are present, give two teaspoonfuls of
Sweet or Olive Oil. This will lubricate the esophagus and crop.
Manipulate the crop upward, forcing the food gently through the mouth,
adding oil occasionally. If, however, sharp objects penetrate the crop
it is best to remove them through an artificial opening. Clip the
feathers from around the intended seat of operation and wash the clipped
surface with a Carbolic Solution, one teaspoonful to a pint of water.
The incision should not be over one-half inch long and should be made as
high as possible and in the center of the crop. After removing the
contents, sew up with ordinary thread and needle and wash occasionally
with the above antiseptic solution. The operation is not difficult and
will be successful if the parts are not too badly inflamed.
After-treatment consists of feeding very little food until the crop is
fairly well healed. Feed soft bran mashes and vegetables. To the
drinking water add Boracic Acid, one grain, twice daily. It relieves the
catarrhal condition that is present, such as irritations of the crop and
intestines.
DIARRHOEA
(Gastro-Intestinal Catarrh--Enteritis)
CAUSE: Inflammation of the digestive organs can be traced in every
instance to the quality or quantity of food and water consumed. The food
or water may contain parasites, or large quantities of mustard, pepper,
or may be moldy or tainted.
SYMPTOMS: Loss of appetite, the feathers appear rough, the crop is
sometimes paralyzed and distended with gas, the bird moves slowly, the
droppings vary in color from a white to a yellow or a green and finally
becomes tinged with blood; at this stage there is a rise in temperature
accompanied by great thirst and signs of pain. Mild cases of simple
diarrhoea if not properly treated when first symptoms appear, will
develop the same severe conditions described above.
TREATMENT: Determine the cause and remove it if possible. See that the
food is clean and nutritious, the coops well ventilated, the runs well
lighted. Sunlight is very beneficial. Avoid exposure, drafts and
dampness. Place oatmeal in their drinking water, also give two grains of
Bismuth mixed with dough and make into a small pill. Give one every six
hours.
When in addition to the above symptoms a bloody discharge is present,
give six drops of Tincture of Catechu every four hours. Warm mashes made
of bran or oatmeal are very nourishing and soothing to the intestinal
canal.
DIPHTHERITIC ROUP
(Diphtheria)
CAUSE: Due to a specific germ. The disease is very contagious and is
communicated by direct contact. Great care should be exercised,
therefore, when showing or buying birds. Any new birds to be added to
the flock should be kept in separate pens for a week or two to make sure
they are in good condition.
SYMPTOMS: The first symptoms are similar to those of catarrh or cold. A
clear, watery liquid escapes from the eyes and nostrils, the head is
drawn in toward the body, the feathers appear rough, the breathing fast,
the temperature rises from three to five degrees above normal. The bird
walks about as if blind, sneezing, swallowing with difficulty, and
showing signs of great weakness. If the mouth is opened small white
spots or elevations will be seen on the back of the tongue. There may be
diarrhoea of a green or yellow color. As the disease progresses the
discharge from the nose and eyes becomes thick and stringy, obstructing
the air passages and gathering in large quantities between the eyelids.
The mouth, throat and tongue are very much inflamed and swollen and in
most cases it is impossible for the bird to make a sound. Recovery is
doubtful after the disease has reached this stage.
TREATMENT: Isolate the affected birds in some clean, warm, light, well
ventilated quarters, excluding drafts. Dissolve thirty grains of
Chlorate of Potash in one ounce of water and one ounce of Glycerine, and
to the average sized fowl give one teaspoonful three or four times a
day. To chicks give one-fourth the dose. When the scum loosens in the
back part of the tongue, remove the scum gently, Care should be taken so
as to prevent bleeding. Feed soft, nourishing food.
DOUBLE-YOLK EGGS
Eggs are frequently found with two yolks. This condition is produced by
two ovary capsules bursting at about the same time and gaining entrance
together into the oviduct where they are concealed in the same shell.
Double-yolked eggs are larger than normal and may injure the oviduct
when expelled. When hatched, they produce twins or abnormal chicks.
DROPSY
(Ascites)
CAUSE: Generally due to irritating, indigestible food, causing
inflammation of the membranous lining of the intestinal cavity.
SYMPTOMS: The abdomen becomes enlarged, is tender to the touch and
contains a watery fluid, the movement of which can be heard in most
cases by pressure on the swollen parts. The bird appears stupid, the
comb pale and the appetite poor.
TREATMENT: Unless the bird is very valuable, treatment is not advisable.
In case the bird is valuable, give one grain of Potassium Iodide twice
daily in the feed or drinking water. Also feed nourishing food as
beef-scraps, vegetables, wheat bran mashes, etc.
[Illustration: Photograph of chicken.]
PRIZE WINNING WHITE LEGHORN HEN.
EGG BOUND
(Difficult Laying; Obstruction of the Oviduct)
CAUSE: Due to the eggs being too large, the bird too fat, or to the
absence of the secretions lubricating the oviduct.
SYMPTOMS: The first signs are scarcely noticeable but soon the feathers
appear rough, the bird becomes dull and moves slowly, making frequent
efforts to expel the egg.
TREATMENT: Remove the egg by injecting Sweet Oil, assisting the bird
with gentle pressure. In some cases it is well to puncture the egg and
collapse the shell. If the bird is very fat, reduce by careful feeding.
If the bird is of normal size, the trouble is probably due to the
absence of lubricating secretions of the oviduct, in which case the
following tonic should be given: Pulv. Ferri Sulphate, Pulv. Gentian
Root, each one dram. Mix and make into thirty powders. Give one powder
two or three times a day in their feed for a week or ten days.
EGG EATING
CAUSE: Is usually due to lack of shell-building material in the food; in
such case the shell of the egg is thin and easily broken and the fowl
craving the lime contained in the egg shell, naturally contracts the
habit.
TREATMENT: Supply ground bone and oyster shells. Feed green food such as
cabbage, kale, potatoes, carrots, etc.
EGGS WITHOUT SHELLS
(Soft-Shelled Eggs)
CAUSE: Deficiency of shell material; or it is possible that fright
sometimes causes premature expulsion of the eggs before the shell is
formed.
TREATMENT: Feed ground bone, oyster shells. They contain egg shell
producing material. Perhaps the best results are obtained when mixed
with wheat bran. Also feed vegetables such as cabbage, potatoes and
carrots.
FEATHER PULLING
(Feather Eating)
CAUSE: Irritation of the skin due to lice, mites or to lack of exercise
and improper food.
TREATMENT: Feed meat, ground bones and vegetables. Place the food where
the fowls are compelled to scratch and work to obtain it. Dust the fowls
with Powdered Aloes.
If due to lice, treat the same as recommended under the heading of Lice.
GAPES
(Verminous Tracheo Bronchitis)
CAUSE: A red, parasitic worm, the male measuring about one-fifth of an
inch and the female one-half an inch in length. Fowls become infected by
eating worms containing this parasite or its eggs, and by coming in
contact with other birds suffering from the disease.
SYMPTOMS: The most noticeable symptom is frequent gaping; the Gapeworms
attach themselves by their months to the walls of the windpipe where
they suck the blood which nourishes them; they cause irritation and
inflammation of the windpipe, bronchial tubes and lungs; breathing is
difficult and the bird loses strength rapidly; windpipe eventually
becomes totally obstructed and the bird dies from suffocation and
exhaustion. Young, weak chickens are more susceptible to this disease
than strong ones.
TREATMENT: Separate the sick birds from the healthy ones. Clean and
disinfect the coops and runs. Burn all manure. Remove the worms from the
windpipe by the use of a feather, from which the fan has been stripped,
leaving only a small brush at the end. Dip the feather into Oil of
Turpentine or Coal Oil, removing the surplus liquid by drawing the
feather between the fingers. Now insert the feather into the windpipe of
the bird and by turning gently you will dislodge the worms from their
attachments. Repeat this treatment once a day for two or three days.
Disinfect coops and runs with undiluted Crude Carbolic Acid. Feed good
nutritious food as wheat bran mashes, etc.
HEAD LICE
CAUSE: Result of insanitary conditions and lack of care. Communicated by
direct contact with infected birds, or by infected coops or brooders.
SYMPTOMS: The head soon becomes denuded of feathers, and also sore by
being constantly scratched with the feet. If not properly treated the
chicks weaken and die.
TREATMENT: An ointment made of one part Sulphur and four parts Lard well
mixed and applied two to three times will exterminate the lice. If the
fowl is run down in condition, feed good nutritious food as wheat bran
mashes.
HOW TO FEED YOUNG POULTRY
Withhold all food for at least eighteen hours; then feed stale bread
moistened with boiled milk every three hours. When they are three or
four days old, feed rolled oats, ground corn moistened with pure water,
finely chopped meat and boiled vegetables. Feed them often and you will
be well repaid by their rapid growth, strength, and the low death rate.
After they reach the age of one week or ten days, watch them closely and
regulate their feed to their apparent needs.
INCOMPLETE EGG
(Abortion)
CAUSE: Irritation of the oviduct; improper secretion of albumen or
internal egg-producing material.
TREATMENT: Careful feeding will overcome this condition. Warm wheat bran
mashes, ground bone, beef scraps, all tend to allay the irritations of
the oviduct and stimulate the secretions of albumen.
JAUNDICE
CAUSE: Obstruction of the bile duct, due to rich, nitrogenous food and
insufficient exercise.
SYMPTOMS: Disease is not easily detected. The yellow color of the
wattles and comb is the first symptom; the appetite is variable, the
feathers appear rough and dry, the head is retracted, and the bird
finally dies owing to the absorption of bile in the blood.
TREATMENT: Change food. Feed upon a vegetable diet, also give one grain
of Calomel, which is particularly useful in a case of sluggish liver in
poultry. Also give one grain of Pulv. Gentian Root and one grain of
Bicarbonate of Soda, twice daily in feed.
MANGE
(Scabies of the Body)
CAUSE: Due to a parasite that resembles the mite.
SYMPTOMS: When the affected bird is closely examined large quantities of
scales or scabs are found in the soft feathers. The appetite is poor;
the bird walks slowly about showing signs of uneasiness. If the disease
is allowed to run its course, the bird grows weak and eventually dies.
The disease is easily transmitted from one bird to another and should be
treated without delay.
TREATMENT: Disinfect roost, coops and pens with undiluted Crude Carbolic
Acid. Apply to the irritations that present themselves on the body of
the birds: Sulphur Ointment twice a week and feed good nourishing food
as wheat bran mashes and vegetables.
PIP
(Inflammation of the Mouth)
CAUSE: Irritations, injuries, or micro-organisms. It is sometimes caused
by nothing more than a dry condition of the mucous membrane due to the
bird breathing through the mouth when suffering from respiratory
diseases.
SYMPTOMS: Dryness of the mucous membrane of the mouth; especially the
part covering the tongue, which becomes hard and ragged, forming rough
edges along its sides. These dried portions become loose and partially
detached from the tongue, interfering with its movements and causing
more or less pain and annoyance.
TREATMENT: Do not forcibly detach these pieces, but assist nature to
remove them. This can be accomplished by mixing Glycerine and Water,
equal parts, and dropping into the mouth with an ordinary syringe or
dropper. It is advisable to add Boracic Acid, one teaspoonful to every
gallon of drinking water, which will prevent the entrance of parasites
into the blood.
RED MITE
CAUSE: These grow spontaneously in favorable surroundings, as the
interior of poultry houses and brooders containing numerous cracks and
crevices.
SYMPTOMS: This mite is a blood-sucker; irritates the skin and sometimes
causes sores to form on the body of the chick. The birds grow stupid and
weak and die rapidly if not properly treated. Older fowls withstand the
irritation of mites much longer, but do not thrive, or lay regularly,
and will finally die if the insects become too numerous. The insect may
be transmitted to horses, cattle, and even to man.
TREATMENT: Paint the roosts and spray the interior of the coops and runs
with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted, being very careful that the
solution reaches the bottoms of the cracks and crevices. Also paint the
interior of brooders with the same solution.
RHEUMATISM
(Leg Weakness--Gout--Paralysis)
CAUSE: Damp coops and pens, lack of ventilation and improper food.
SYMPTOMS: Fowl refuses to stand or walk, and on examination, the legs
are found to be swollen and painful, especially about the joints. In
some cases suppuration of the joints takes place and they become open
running sores. The bone finally becomes diseased and the fowl dies.
TREATMENT: Preventive measures are first to be considered. See that the
coops and pens are clean and dry. Avoid drafts. Feed vegetables, also
wheat bran mashes. Give internally Salicylic Acid, one-half grain, twice
daily. When the legs are swollen and sore apply Camphorated Ointment
once or twice daily.
[Illustration: Photograph of chicken.]
PRIZE WINNING COLUMBIAN WYANDOTTE COCK.
SCALY LEG
(Scabies)
CAUSE: Due to a mite that burrows under the scales of the leg.
SYMPTOMS: White, scaly-looking scabs form about the upper part of the
foot. The feet and legs become swollen and painful as the disease
progresses and if not checked will result in lameness, inflammation of
the joints, and the toes may slough off. Great care is necessary as the
disease is very easily transmitted from one bird to another.
TREATMENT: Use boiling water or Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted, on the
perches. Wash the feet and legs with warm water and soft soap. Dry well
and apply Carbolated Ointment. Repeat the above treatment every other
day for a week.
SORE MOUTH
(Aphtha; Thrush)
CAUSE: A vegetable parasite called Oidium Albicans.
SYMPTOMS: Inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the mouth, throat,
gullet and crop, which finally terminates in white ulcerations. Other
symptoms are swelling of the head, poor appetite and a rapid loss in
weight and strength.
TREATMENT: Isolate the sick from the healthy fowls. Give as much
sunlight as possible, feed nourishing food, such as warm oatmeal mashes,
kale, potatoes, etc. Add one grain each of Chlorate of Potash and
Boracic Acid to a tablespoonful of water and give three or four times a
day or oftener if they will drink it. A good disinfectant must be used
to prevent the disease from spreading and I would recommend the use of
undiluted Crude Carbolic Acid about the coops and poultry runs.
TUBERCULOSIS
CAUSE: This dreaded disease is caused by the Bacillus of Tuberculosis.
Damp, ill-ventilated, and poorly lighted coops are favorable to the
development of the disease.
SYMPTOMS: Except in advanced stages, this disease is not easily detected
as it affects various organs, and considerable experience in
post-mortems and a skillful use of the microscope is required to
successfully diagnose a case.
TREATMENT: Preventive measures should be practiced as the disease is
incurable. Do not expose the fowls to cold wet weather. See that the
coops are well ventilated and lighted and feed no contaminated food.
VENT GLEET
CAUSE: Constipation is perhaps the most common cause, the hard droppings
causing irritation of the vent which is followed by inflammation and
suppuration of the lining membranes, rectum and oviduct.
SYMPTOMS: Frequent straining due to irritation. As the disease
progresses a pus-like discharge is noticed. The disease may extend into
the rectum or oviduct. The bird appears stupid, the plumage rough, the
comb pale, and if not properly treated, dies a lingering death.
TREATMENT: Preventive treatment is the best. Feed green food
occasionally and warm bran mashes. This prevents constipation. When the
bird strains frequently and a discharge is present the following
solution should be injected: Sugar of Lead, two drams; Zinc Sulphate,
one dram. Mix with two quarts of water. Inject about one ounce with a
syringe twice daily until the discharge has ceased.
WHITE DIARRHOEA
(Fowl Cholera)
CAUSE: Germ (Bacilli of Fowl Cholera) gaining entrance to the body
through the bowels, lungs or wounds of the skin. Death results from
toxic material produced while the germs are multiplying.
SYMPTOMS: All poultry, cage or wild birds are subject to this disease.
The first symptoms are loss of appetite; diarrhoea is present and the
discharge is almost white in color and tinged with transparent mucus.
The affected bird becomes separated from the flock, seems weak and
stupid and appears to be asleep; feathers are rough, the wings droop and
the head is drawn in toward the body; crop is generally full, owing to
improper digestion. The comb is pale and bloodless, the temperature
raised from three to five degrees above normal and the bird loses weight
rapidly; it may die with convulsions and cries, or without a sound or
struggle.
TREATMENT: To grown fowls, give Zinc Sulphocarbolates in one-half grain
doses three times a day in their food or drinking water. To chicks,
dissolve thirty grains of Zinc Sulphocarbolates in two quarts of water.
Saturate feed, as stale bread, etc., and give three times a day. Zinc
Sulphocarbolates is an antiseptic especially prepared for septic
conditions of the intestines, and very useful in treatment of White
Diarrhoea and Fowl Cholera. In severe cases of diarrhoea, give Bismuth
Salicylate, one grain, three times daily in feed or make into a pill
with dough. When the fowls will eat, feed them clean, nitrogenous food
that they can digest easily, as oatmeal mashes. It is also necessary to
give them pure water to drink at all times. Disinfection of the premises
is another essential factor in the treatment of this disease, and
undiluted Crude Carbolic Acid is a disinfectant that we can rely upon at
all times.
I cannot recommend vaccination as the serum is very difficult and
expensive to produce and different breeds of birds require varying
doses, therefore, vaccinating poultry for White Diarrhoea or Fowl
Cholera is not attended with any great degree of success.
WORMS
CAUSE: Few fowls are entirely free from worms. The soil over which the
chicks are permitted to run may be infected, or the food may contain the
eggs or embryos of worms.
SYMPTOMS: The presence of worms in fowls may not be at once detected,
since only a close observer would notice them in the droppings. If the
birds eat well but remain poor, and the feathers appear rough and the
comb and wattles pale, there is reason to suspect the existence of
worms.
TREATMENT: Preventive treatment is the best. Sprinkle the runs and coops
regularly with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted. Give two drops of
Turpentine in twice this quantity of Sweet or Olive Oil. This dose
should be repeated in from six to eight days so as to insure the
expulsion of the newly hatched worms or those that may have survived the
first treatment.
MISCELLANEOUS
Some valuable facts and figures summed up for handy reference
VALUABLE DRUGS AND THEIR DOSES FOR DOMESTIC ANIMALS
In the list of doses, oz. stands for ounce, pt. for pint, lb. for pound,
gr. for grain, dr. for dram, dp. for drop.
NAME OF DRUG CATTLE SHEEP HORSES HOGS DOGS
Alcohol 4 oz. 1-2 oz. 2-4 oz. 1-2 oz. 1-4 dr.
Alum 3-4 dr. 40 gr. 2-4 dr. 40 gr. 15 gr.
Ammonia Aromatic 2 oz. 1-2 dr. 1-2 oz. 1-2 dr. 20-60 dp.
Aniseed 1-5 oz. 1-2 dr. 1 oz. 1 dr. 15 gr.
Arnica Tincture 1 oz. 2 dr .5-1 oz. 1 dr. 7-20 dp.
Asafetida Tincture 3 oz. .5 oz. 2 oz. 2 dr. 1 dr.
Boracic Acid 3 dr. 20 gr. 1-3 dr. 15 gr. 8 gr.
Brandy 4 oz. 1-2 oz. 2-4 oz. 1-2 oz. 1-2 dr.
Calcium Phosphate 1 oz. 1-2 dr. 2-4 dr. 1-2 dr. 5-20 gr.
Calomel 1-2 dr. 5-20 gr. 1 dr. 5-20 gr. 1 gr.
Camphor Spirit 1 oz. 2 dr. 2-4 dr. 15 dp. 10 dp.
Carbolic Acid 1-2 dr. 10-20 dp. .5-2 dr. 5-15 dp. 3-8 dp.
Castor Oil 1 pt. 2-4 oz. 1 pt. 2-4 oz. 1-2 dr.
Chalk 2 oz. 1-2 dr. .5-2 oz. 1 dr. .5-1 dr.
Charcoal 1-2 oz. 2-4 dr. 1-2 oz. 2-4 dr. 20-60 gr.
Codliver Oil 3-8 oz. 3-8 dr. 2-6 oz. 2-6 dr. 1-3 dr.
Copperas 2 dr. 20 gr. 1 dr. 10 gr. 4 gr.
Copper Sulphate 2-4 dr. 20-30 gr. 2-4 dr. 20-30 gr. 1-2 gr.
Digitalis 10-30 gr. 5-15 gr. 10-50 gr 3-10 gr. 2 gr.
Epsom Salts 1 lb. 1-4 oz. .5-1 lb. 1 oz. 1-4 dr.
Fowler's Solution 5 dr. 5-20 dp. 2-4 dr. 5-20 dp. 1-5 dp.
Gentian 5-8 dr. 1-2 dr. 4-8 dr. 1-2 dr. 40 gr.
Ginger 5-8 dr. 1-2 dr. 2-8 dr. 15-60 gr. 5-20 gr.
Glauber Salts 1-1.5 lb. 1-4 dr. .5-1 lb. 1 oz. 1-4 dr.
Iodide of Potash 1-2 dr. 10-25 gr. .5-2 dr. 5-20 gr. 2-8 gr.
Iron Sulphate 2 dr. 25 gr. 1-2 dr. 25 gr. 4 gr.
Jamaica Ginger 2 oz. .5 oz. 1 oz. .5-1 dr. 1/4-1/2 dr.
Laudanum 2-5 oz. 1-4 dr. 1-4 oz. 1-2 dr. 20 dp.
Lead Acetate 1 dr. 25 gr. 1 dr. 20 gr. 1-2 gr.
Lime Water 4-6 oz. 2 oz. 4-6 oz. 2 oz. 1-8 dr.
Linseed Oil 1-2 pt. 6-12 oz. .5-1 pt. 5-10 oz. 1 oz.
Mustard 1 oz. 1-2 dr. .5-1 oz. 1-2 dr. 20 gr.
Nitre 3-8 oz. 1 dr. 1-2 oz. 1 dr. 5-20 gr.
Nux Vomica 2 dr. 30-40 gr. 1-2 dr. 10-20 gr. 1-2 gr.
Olive Oil 1-2 pt. 3-8 dr. 1-2 pt. 2-6 dr. 2-4 oz.
Pepper 2-4 dr. 15-25 gr. 1-3 dr. 10-20 gr. 4-10 gr.
Peppermint Oil 30 dp. 5-8 dp. 15-30 dp. 3-7 dp. 1-5 dp.
Potassium Bromide 2 oz. 2-4 dr. 1-2 oz. 2-4 dr. 5-50 gr.
Quinine 1-2 dr. 5-10 gr. 50-60 gr. 5-10 gr. 1-2 gr.
Rhubarb 1-2 oz. 1 dr. 1-2 oz. 1 dr. 5-10 gr.
Saltpeter 1-3 dr. .5-1 dr. 2-4 dr. .5-1 dr. 2-10 gr.
Soda 2 oz. 2-4 dr. 1-1.5 oz. 1-3 dr. 20-50 gr.
Subnitrate of Bismuth 2 dr. 10-30 gr. 1-2 dr. 5-20 gr. 3-10 gr.
Sulphur 3-4 oz. 1-2 oz. 2-4 oz. 1-2 oz. 1-4 dr.
Turpentine 2 oz. 1-4 dr. 1-2 oz. 1 dr. 20-50 dp.