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DISEASES

OF

DOMESTIC POULTRY...

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM.

—< Mo
, v
By GEO. P. BURNHAM.
AUTHOR OF THE “NEW ENGLAND POULTRY BREEDER,’’ THE “HISTORY OF THE
HEN FEVER,’”’ “‘BURNHAM’S NEW POULTRY BOOK,’’ THE “ CHINA FOWL—

SHANGHAE, COCHIN, AND BRAHMA,”’ ETC.

—NOOo

WITH A PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR.

| [CoryRiGHT, 1876, ACCORDING TO LAW.]

MELROSE, MASS.
1876.

i

NOTE TO THIRD EDITION.

We have received from all quarters—and without an exception,
through extensive private correspondence, since our little work was
put upon the market in September—the most flattering encomiums
regarding the value and utility of this treatise. Breeders and fanci-
ers throughout the country have approved the volume, unqualifiedly,
as ‘‘the best thing of its kind ever published.”

The Pouttry Wor ;pD says, ‘‘ It will achieve a lasting popularity,
and remain a standard work of great value.” The Fancier’s Jour-
NAL says, ‘*‘It should be in the hands of every fowl-breeder in the
land.” The Pouttry Review recommends it cordially, and with
great confidence in its utility. Hon. Geo. B. Loring is ‘‘ much im-
pressed by the excellence of its arrangement, and with the value of
its contents.” The Caicaco Pouttry JouRNAL says, ‘‘ It is a hand-
book that should be owned by every man who has the care of fowls.”
Gen. C. A. Johnson pronounces it ‘‘ a timely need, most adequately
supplied. I consider this book the greatest boon yet conferred on
the poultry fraternity.” Geo. O. Brown affirms that ‘‘ this volume
contains information that fowl-breeders cannot afford to be without.
It has long been needed, and this fills the bill, completely.” Edmund
S. Ralph writes ‘‘ It is very concise, and what is said is written strait
to the point.” C. A. Sweet, President of the American PouLTRY
Association says, *‘ This excellent work should form part of every
fancier’s and breeder’s library.” I. K. Felch thinks ‘ this is a work
that all fowl breeders should own—as it is a guide to the PREVENTION
of disease; of far more value than modes to cure them.” A.D.
Warren pronounces it valuable, and adds ‘‘ in my judgement no book
has ever been written on the subject of Poultry Diseases, that contains
so much of common-sense advice, in so few words.” Wm. E. Flower
says, ‘t It will prove a boon, indeed, to all who keep poultry.” Isaac
Van Winkle says, ‘‘ Mr. Burnham has in this work conferred upon
the poultry community an invaluable benefit.” T. B. Miner writes,
‘¢ T consider this the most important and valuable work for its size
that has ever been written, on matters pertaining to poultry.” Ete

A prominent Western fancier writes me thus, from Kentucky :—

* * * ‘Your book on ‘Diseases of Poultry’ is received. I es-
teem it the most valuable work of its kind in existence. And had I
possessed a copy six weeks earlier, I am certain I could have been
enabled to have saved the lives of twelve or fifteen very valuable
fowis. As itis, I have applied its precepts with marked benefit to
tue balance of my invalid fowl stock; and I shall not fail to recom-
mend your excellent book most earnestly to all brother fanciers.”

We call attention to the chapter of ‘‘AppENDA,” at the close of
the present edition ; and trust that all will similarly ‘‘ apply the pre-
cepts” suggested, in a THOROUGH manner.

MEtRosE, DecEMBER, 1876.

2

PART ONE.

POULTRY DISEASES

are by no means manifold, nor are these disorders vastly
varied in character. A sick fowl is a “‘ poor creature,” verily!
And the advice of Robert Scot Burn to mercilessly (or rather
mercifully) give such subject over to the hand of the execu-
tioner, generally speaking — rather than attempt to “ doctor”
and restore it — suggests the least troublesome way to get rid
of the chicken-house eyesore. And seven times in ten this is
a humane and sensible mode whereby to “ cure” the evil upon
the premises where the sickness originates.

This summary course of procedure is not however uniformly
advisable in cases of fowl sickness. Nor is it either economical
or necessary — especially in instances where the bird is valuable,
more than ordinarily.

Diseases in poultry are not unlike those that assail human
beings, in one respect : — fowls are commonly half dead before
the disorders that attack them are understood ; and they are

5

6 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

_ quite half cured, as soon as their keepers appreciate what the
difficulty may be. The sick man is usually half dead before
he knows what is his ailment — and he is half recovered, when
he learns what his trouble really is. In this connection we
may say, at the outset, that we deem it quite important that
the veritable character of the disease under which the afflicted
fowl may be suffering should be appreciated, before we com-
mence dosing it — in any event.

If vermin be the cause of the drooping, sluggish, depressed
condition frequently evinced in a sick bird, this fact should
first be comprehended ; since we would not doctor a chicken
for roup, or dysentery, to relieve it from a “ violent attack”
of lice.

On the other hand, if the chicken is assailed with clearly
roupy or inflammatory symptoms, we can have no occasion to
administer sulphur or carbolic powder, outwardly, through its
feathers, in an attempt to effect a cure of this really internal
head or stomach difficulty.

First, then, let us ascertain what the matter is with the birds
we find nominally “ diseased.”’ If we are unable through
inexperience to determine this primal question, or if the
symptoms indicate the approach of some disorder that is to our
eye unfamiliar, then we should call in some friend, or expert,
who can aid in determining the diagnosis of the ailment. For
—at the beginning —if we do not know what the illness is,
how can any one intelligently venture to prescribe for it ?

As we proceed, therefore, I shall briefly endeavor to explain
what usually occurs among the tenants of the poultry-house,
when they are getting ill, or when they first show the premon-
itory symptoms of ordinary diseases. And I will then suggest
such remedies as have proved efficacious in my own experience,
or in that of friends whose practice I am acquainted with.
Again insisting that more fatal errors in treatment of fowl
stock, when ‘under the weather,” occur from ignorance of
what their ailment actually is, than follow from all the real
assaults the feathered kingdom are ever stricken down with.

‘*
HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. Yi

The application of a fir-balsam plaster upon a fowl’s acci-
dentally-wounded throat or flank, may heal the cut-or gap, if
we know how and where to affix the soothing remedial. But
if this curative be used to palliate or relieve a case of dysen-
‘tery, for instance, by applying it upon the fowl’s rump-gland, it
would scarcely produce the desired result.

Yet just such ridiculous follies as this — in effect —are every
week indulged in by novices and experimentalists, who are
ignorant as to what the poor bird’s ails may be; and who as
often as any way doctor them for diarrhea, when the fowl is
really suffering from constipation of the bowels!

A very general misconception is entertained among those
who have to do with poultry-keeping, in regard to the char-
acter, the extent, and the symptoms of fowl diseases.

It is claimed by many writers on this subject that about all
the catalogue of technical ills that human flesh is heir to — from
a common cold to incurable fevers and cholera —are the natural
portion of the fowl race in modern times ; and the names given
by these savans to chicken sickness, in number and variety are
legion.

Now the writer of this present treatise is very well known
to have had a wide experience in raising poultry. For upwards
of a third of a century he has been engaged in this work —
practically and experimentally. And he has thus had ample
opportunity to learn something of both sick and healthy fowls,
in that long period, assuredly.

We, therefore, speaking of our own knowledge, maintain that
instead of the almost numberless kinds of diseases to which
fowls are said to be subject, as a matter of fact there are but
very few different ails that affect poultry. And the grand
causes producing these ailments are traceable almost univer-
sally to one and the same, or analogous sources, for their
origin. ;

For example, we read in the Poultry books of the day that
‘of the nominal diseases which are prevalent among domestic

8 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

gallinaceous fowls, the following may be mentioned, as com-
’ mon:” a most comprehensive list, indeed!

Apoplexy, Asthma, Roup, Vertigo, Paralysis, Indigestion,
Catarrh, Canker, Pip, Colds, Gapes, Snuffles, Sore head, Hoars-
ness, Crop-bound, Inflamations, Drooping, Diarrhaa, Constipa-
tion, Dropsy, Scaly legs, Loss of plumage, White Comb, Black
Comb, Dyphtheria, Vermin, Lethargy, Rheumatics, Cramps,
Dizziness, Egg-eating, Bumble-foot, Gout, Feather-eating, Col-
lapse of muscles, Debility, Breaking down in the limbs, Egg-
sac rupture, Dysentery, Fevers, Moulting, Cholera, and other
afflictions unknown.

Here are some forty, only! Now of this extraordinary cat-
egory of so called ** diseases”? amongst poultry, there are but
about half a dozen actual ails which domesticated fowls are
generally subject to, that go to make up this elongated, hor-
rifying list.

And these, as a rule (not of course invariably, because there
are exceptions to all rules), are in the main manageable, pre-
ventable, or curable— through the exercise of a goodly share
of common sense, a little ordinary intelligence, some practice,
and a kindly disposition towards the sufferers.

Roup—for instance—in its various phases is simply ca-
tarrh, dyphtheria, hoarseness, snuffles, inflammation in throat
and nostrils, a cold, sore head, diarrhcea, loss of appetite, leth-
argy, drooping, cramp, asthma, dizziness, general debility,
fever —and death. This is RoUP — pluribus in unum — many
in one.

Of the forty-two different varieties of so-denominated “ dis-
eases”? which we have here quoted from a leading poultry
work, common roup actually represents about one half of ‘the
catalogue distinctly and separately named, by a noted author
‘learned ” on other subjects, but very ignorant about this!

We propose therefore in this treatise to consider the Diseases
_ of Poultry under five or six general heads, only; inasmuch as
if we take cognizance of ROUP, INDIGESTION, external and in-
ternal INFLAMMATIONS, LICE, CHOLERATIC attacks, and acci-

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 9

dental affections, we may account for, and explain the causes
and effects of all the ills otherwise named, which we find the
astute poultry-writers of modern days have given us so fearful
. an inventory of.

It has been accurately stated by the experienced editor of
the Hartford Poultry World that “roup, lice, feather-eating,
and choleratic difficulties are four things that occasion Amer-
can poultry men more trouble, first and last, than all other
* diseases ”’ among fowls that are nameable, combined.”

And nothing can be truer than this.

For conciseness, then, we will consider the subject-matter of
this little work under a few distinct heads; and point out as
we have found them advantageous in long practice — the rem-
edies for ordinary fowl diseases.

FIRST, VERMIN.

We commence with this pest of the poultry-house, because,
though not by itself literally a disease, it is absolutely the
prime cause of more torment, sickness, and destruction to
fowl-life, than al/ other evils to which poultry is prone, of any
description whatsoever.

We assert without fear of successful contradiction that more
chickens and young fowls are annually destroyed from being
infested with this nuisance on their bodies, and from its pres-
ence in the nests, coops, and about the roosts they frequent,
than are lost through any and all other causes poultry keepers
know anything of.

Lice generate and multiply rapidly in foul or dark premises,
upon neglected nests and perches where the birds lay or con-
gregate at night, or in the cracks and crevices of the poultry-
house; and thence among the feathers of the fowls, old or
young, they swarm in myriads, if not seasonably taken care of
and dispersed or destroyed.

There is no controlling or limiting the depredations of these
innumerable parasites, except by their absolute extermination.

10 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

And this is effected only through eternal vigilance. They are.
_of all enemies, the most insidious, constant and pernicious foe
to poultry, and to young chicks especially.

The whole feathered tribe (in a domestic state) is peculiarly
subject to this infection. Many persons who keep fowls,
pigeons, or pet cage-birds, do not understand this. And rarely
taking effective measures to prevent their accumulation, they
know not why it is that their fowls fail, droop, sicken, and
die —one after another, from no apparent organic indisposition.
The trouble is they have been “ eaten up alive,” by VERMIN.

A friend residing not far distant from our town erected a
nice large poultry-house, three years ago, 100 by 32 feet in
dimensions. Into this, in six compartments, he huddled 160
breeding fowls. Within two months, he complained that his
setting-hens would not remain on theirnests. And hé actually
lost over thirty fowls, who died from no outwardly seeming
cause — while, during the season, he contrived to hatch only
65 chicks, out of nearly 800 eggs he set!

He came to us for advice. We examined his premises, and
instantly discovered the vexation, which he had. never sus-
pected, even. The house was filled with vermin, and millions of
lice were rioting upon his fowls’ bodies, in the nests, and over
his roosts. We pointed out the difficulty, and suggested our
remedy. And the following year (from the same stock) he
successfully raised over 500 chickens, while he lost but half a
dozen adult birds, and these from accidental causes.

In this brief work, we cannot refer to many other similar
cases, except in a general, way. But, of all the prime causes
that result in disease or death among domestic poultry, it may
safely be set down that the presence of lice among them is the
chiefest of evils.

Upon young chicks of the crested varieties, such as Hou-
dans, Polands, etc., the tufts of their heads are a favorite shel-
ter for vermin ; and hundreds are thus destroyed, annually, by
these parasites. Great care should be exercised by breeders of
these varieties, to keep their chicks free from this nuisance.

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. TL

It is not sufficient that you clear out this pest once, or twice,
or thrice. If you continue to breed fowls, you must not only
continue to drive these parasites away, but you must keep them
at a distance — or they will beat you, in the end.

And we repeat the assertion, that to our constant hostility
to them, and a continuous vigilance towards their annihilation
upon our own premises, for years after we satisfied ourself of

their baleful influence, do we owe the subsequent generally
healthy condition of our own stock, at last.

Lousy fowls are never healthy, and are usually short-lived.
Three-fourths of all the chicks that die before they are two
months old, are killed by vermin.. And those who lose them
can never account for the fearful. mortality accruing among
their chickens.

But atl this destruction may be avoided,-and there is a
certain remedy for this offensive and troublous nuisance;
which precedes and fatally aids the inception, progress, and
finale to all other described ‘¢ diseases,” save those of accident
or inheritance.

PREVENTION of the possibility of their presence to any extent,
in your hen-houses, or upon the bodies of the fowls, is the only
positive cure for this evil.

To effect this, the building, however economically con-
structed — and whether small or large — should be of dimen-
sions proportionate to the number of birds you keep under a
single roof; and these should be rendered comfortable for the
ioe

When you first place fowls wits the house, see to it that
every bird is cleansed from lice, before he or she enters it.
Don’t begin at the wrong end, by putting lousy fowls into a
new or clean heh-house.

To clear them of parasites, rub dry powdered sulphur, or
carbolic powder, thoroughly through the feathers (to the skin)
of adult fowls; and under each wing of cocks and hens, smear a
little mixture of lard, sulphur-dust, and kerosene —as well asa
dab of this also at the back of the head, and around and above

12 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

the vent. Follow this up (outside your clean house) for three
days — and you will thus, when you introduce your birds to
their chosen premises, carry in no vermin at the commencement.
They will /eave — rest assured of this.

Upon young chicks, the lard and kerosene should be dispensed
with. The powdered sulphur alone, or the carbolic powder, if
thoroughly applied, is sufficient on their little bodies; and the
other is too pungent and penetrating, until they are older, and
tougher-skinned.

Now, sponge the roosts once in a week or fortnight with
kerosene, or spirits of turpentine. Do this in the day time.
It will thus dry off or evaporate mostly by nightfall. The
fumes remain, however, and these are death to the parasites,
if any are about.

Next, dust the laying nests and the sitting-coops, with the
sulphur. Place under the straw where hens sit dry tobacco
leaves, if convenient. And upon the bottom and sides of nest-
boxes rub the kerosene, occasionally.

Among the varieties of parasites that breeders have found
excessively troublesome, none have proved more difficult to
destroy or get rid of, when once they obtain possession of the
fowl-premises or get a hold on their bodies, than the small red
louse (or “red-spider,” as some call it, being not unlike the
greenhouse aphis),— which infests many localities. This kind
of vermin is not generally common, but they are very annoying,
and destructive as well, if they are suffered to accumulate.

Sulphur alone dusted upon fowls will not destroy this “red
spider.” Buta thorough fumigation of the house they infest,
by closing the building tightly and burning a few pounds of
rosin and sulphur together inside, will ‘* clean them out.”
Carbolic powder rubbed through the fowls’ feathers, and the
washing of your roosts with kerosene two or three times will
finish them effectually, if this be faithfully done.

In the dust-boxes, where the fowls enjoy their daily roll,
place finely sifted leached ashes, and a pound or two of the pow-
dered sulphur mixed. Fumigate your houses twice or thrice

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 13

in a season, by burning a pot of crude brimstone and rosin in-
side (when the fowls are absent, and it is tightly closed up,)
and our word for it, whatever else you may be troubled with,
fowl vermin will not annoy you, your poultry, or your premi-
ses — when once you are ridded of this nuisance; which, as
we have intimated, is the most trying, destructive, and per-
nicious secret scourge that afflicts domesticated fowl flesh,
from the shell to their grave —if not kept at bay.

ROUP — AND ITS PHASES.

This common fowl malady — designated by various different
hard names, as we have indicated—embraces the ills usually de-
nominated by the superficial observer as sore head, inflamed
eyes, dyphtheria, pustulated nostrils, a cold, hoarseness, heavy
breathing, foul throat, snuffles, drowsiness, canker, blindness,
drooping, cramps, fever or general debility, etc.

It is so complicated in its character, and outwardly so varied

in different cases, it is not surprising that so many different
titles should obtain for its numerous phases. But all is roup.
_ It is brought on and confirmed by keeping fowls in damp,
cold, sunless quarters. From their exposure to wet, chilling
weather, and drafts of harsh winds. It results through neg-
lect of the birds’ ordinary comfort, and by their eating poor
food. It will be caused by obliging your stock to drink foul
stale water, or by serving them with ‘“‘damaged” grain. It
will attack the flocks that are compelled to hive and roost in
badly ventilated hen-houses. Filthy floors, covered by or im-
pregnated with their accumulated excrements, will thus sicken
them. In these poor conditions, vermin will assail the weak-
ened birds without mercy, and this adds to the evil and aug-
ments the roup amongst them, inevitably.

A roupy fowl may be known from any of the symptoms or
indications first above noted. This disease is insidious—as well
as multiform in the outward tokens of its approach, or its

14 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

presence. It breaks out suddenly, often, and attacks several
- birds, apparently, at about the same time.

The victims will droop, appear indolent, gapey, listless, and
uncomfortable. Then the heads swell, the nostrils fill up, the
comb and wattles turn pale, they breathe heavily, sulk around
in the corners of coop or run, snip and sneeze, grow blind
from swollen pustules gathering in and around the cheeks and
eyes, lose their appetites, and finally fall away and die.

The earliest certain signs of this disease among the flock are
usually discovered by the inordinate listlessness of the victims,
and their moping about sluggishly. Loss of appetite is also
an early token of this illness. The comb of the hens pale and
whitens — or sometimes turns dark colored. The breathing
grows stifled, and the breath becomes foul. The eyes are first
watery, and then fill (often to blinding) with acrid mucous
matter. Pustules form around the upper portion of the beak,
in the gullet, and under the eyes. The head is inflamed.
They ‘gape, and gasp, “rattle in the throat,” become ruffled
in plumage, and decline to mount the roosts at evening.

Roup usually comes on gradually. But it often occurs sud-
denly — from contraction of asevere cold, in wet, bad seasons.
Fever ensues, the eyes close up with the swelling of the cheek
glands, and thus the poor bird cannot see to eat— if inclined
— which generally it is not, in this state. They suffer greatly
from thirst, evidently, in the meantime.

The crop is usually found more or less distended, and the
sufferer appears in pain, constantly. The nostrils are soon
closed with the swelling and accumulating pus also, and they
breathe with marked difficulty. So long as they can see, the
affected birds will drink, incessantly. The forming pustules
exude a froth, at times. .This falls from the sores into the
water-vessels, and the well fowls drink from the same foun-
tain. ‘This sickens others; and the contagion quickly spreads
through the flock —if the afflicted bird or birds be not in
time removed from amongst their companions.

Common powder of sulphur (as well as pulverized charcoal)

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 15

is an admirable ingredient to mix in small quantities with soft
fowl feed. Say a teaspoonful in the mash for a dozen adult
birds, in one daily feed for three days at a time. This oper-
ates as a laxative, and the sulphur works outward through the
skin-pores—thus assisting to keep the birds’ bodies free
from vermin to a certain extent. Raw onions cut up fine, as an
occasional “ green food,” acts similarly upon their system ; and
is highly beneficial for the purposes above noted.

Fine sulphur, powdered charcoal, and chopped onions— when
given discreetly — will each and all be found very serviceable
to adult birds, especially when inclined to be roupy —as cor-
rectives, laxatives, and purifiers of the crop and stomach, in
cold or hot weather.

Roup attacks fowls of all ages, but generally the younger
birds and chickens are not so liable to it.. It is both chronic
and acute, and its contaminating influence is remarkable,
where prompt remedies are neglected. Whole yards have
been decimated by it, in a few weeks, where the sick birds
were left to run ad libitum with the healthy fowls. And this
result has been denominated in certain quarters, undoubtedly,
by uninformed persons, “ an attack of Chicken Cholera” upon
their premises.

Roup, therefore, like the mischief occasioned by lice, is but
little comprehended. None but experienced poultry men
recognize this baleful disease in its true light, and they learn
about all its wretched characteristics and difficulties only by
slow degrees, and after many losses, as well. Its ramifications
are extensive, and its phases are both curious and threatening,
if the disease gets a fair foothold in one’s runs.

Catarrh is roup. We are well aware that enlightened Doc-
tors of medicine assert that these two are different diseases.
But we are writing about the ails of gallinaceous poultry, and
not about those of human beings. Men and women are not
afflicted with rowp, thank Heaven! but they live a great many
years, and suffer with catarrh; while in poultry the symptoms
of both are identical. And so, as far as our careful observa-

—~

16 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

tion teaches, we are satisfied that what some learned medical
‘men declare to be ‘ catarrh ” in fowls, is simply and clearly a
phase of roup.

The cure for roup is, at the earliest moment after any of
the first symptoms described are discovered, to take the af-
fected fowl away from his or her mates, and nurse it, if it is to
be ‘* doctored ” at all, at a distance from the others.

Let such sick birds have clean, dry, warm quarters, and if
not too far advanced, the head and nostrils may be thoroughly
washed with Castile soap-suds, and then with weak alum-water,
or a solution of chlorate of potash, thrice a day. After a day
or two, bathe the head and nostrils in whiskey, or diluted spir-
its of camphor—and give a little Cayenne pepper in warm
cooked mash, for food. A couple of mustard or pulverized gin-
ger pills, the size of small marbles, in each warm feed, are very
good. And, as is stated on page 30, the use of Jacob Graves’
Roup Pills is confidently advised as an excellent remedial, if
judiciously given. As soon as the bird can see to drink, give
him Cayenne pepper in the water. All these are warming,
corrective, and good tonics. A most excellent mixture for a
daily injection into the throat and nostrils, is a solution of sal-
soda and another of. chlorinated lime, half and half, put into
four parts of water. This will remove the morbid deposits
around the head and beak, and cleanse the disorderd parts.

Dr. John C. Bennett used to advise the administering of pul-
verized charcoal, powdered sulphur, and new yeast,— three
equal parts, in a flour pill the size of a hazel-nut, three times a
day, for a roupy fowl,—accompanied by the bathing as above.
But what the fowl most needs is cleanliness, warmth and dry
quarters for a few days. If the case is not severe, he will re-
cover. If it is a very bad one—knock the bird on the head
and bury it. If you have several cases at one time, before you
take them in hand—take away the healthy birds promptly,
and apply the above remedies to the rest. And if they are
worth saving, you will be able with care to restore them, after
a week’s attentive nursing, bathing, and feeding.

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 17

In all this doctoring of badly distempered fowls, I commend
to the attention of those who have the work to do, that they
handle the diseased birds with leather or thin India-rubber

gloves — lest from a previous fresh cut upon the fingers, or an.

open scratch on the hands even, their flesh be innoculated with
the pus often present upon the bird’s foul sores or wounds.

Several cases are authentically reported, where attendants

upon horses or cattle, affected with glanders or epizootic dis-
eases, have thus been seriously injured. And we are personally
knowing to more than one instance where poultry-keepers, in
doctoring sick fowls, have contracted a troublesome affection,
which required weeks of subsequent care to remove from their
flesh. One person within our knowledge at this writing, is
suffering with a diseased eye, into which he carelessly rubbed
the edge of his hand while manipulating some roupy chickens.
And the humor thus generated may destroy the sight, in his
case, itis feared. We therefore deem this cautionary sugges-
tion worthy of particular notice —a hint we have never met
with yet, in public print.*

To avoid the presence or assaults of roup in your fowl-flocks,
we recommend a better “remedy” against this ugly disease
than the cure thus proposed. This is prevention.

There is no need whatever that a breeder should be greatly
troubled with any of the phases of roup. Watchfulness on the
part of the keeper for its probable appearance in bad weather,
and immediate action, as soon as the first symptoms appear in
any one individual bird, will stave off this disease at any time;
and it cannot thus become serious.

But best of all, is so to provide for your stock that they shall
have good warm shelter, in cold and stormy weather — that
they may not be huddled together in masses, to poison each
other with the foul emanations from their bodies, by day or by
night — that they may have sweet fresh water daily to drink —
that their food be cleanly and nutritious ; and above all, and over
all, that they be not exposed to the depredations of devouring

*Since this was written, the party referred to has nearly lost the sight of his eye.

wv

18 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

and enervating lice. And thus you will have little or no roup
' among them, of a dangerous or unmanageable character.

If left to forage for themselves in wet or foul yards and
malarious grounds, if exposed to cold draughts in the house,
and raw winds outside, if suffered to waddle and wade in barn-
yard filth and drink stale, putrid water, if compelled to eat
foul food, and but little of it — they will not only get lousy but
roupy, as well; and you will find that fowl-keeping in this
loose, improper, inhuman style “don’t pay,” and it ought
not to be remunerative, under such conditions and such
reckless usage.

But, as we have observed, this ‘“‘ roup” disease is in its in-
dications and operations both manifold and complicated. And
- hence the various kinds of names that different inexperienced
persons give to it. Yet it is wholly peculiar to domesticated
fowls, alone.

Therefore the cause of the malady must be looked for in the
conditions which surround the tamed feathered race ; inasmuch
as no authority has reported an instance where a wild turkey,
erouse, or prairie hen—a partridge, pheasant, or quail —a
woodcock, snipe, or teal—a wild goose, duck, or other sea-
fowl—snared or shot, ever yet was found in its native free
condition exhibiting any token of this roup about their bodies, —
externally or internally.

And since this affliction so often falls to the lot of the dumb
creatures we attempt to keep around us for profit, (or that
they may conduce to our pleasure, convenience, or partial sus-
tenance, it may be) it is but dutiful that we use proper care,
if we keep them at all, that our poultry is so attended and
provided for, that the pernicious causes which produce this trouble
may not be permitted to exist about our farms and poultry
premises ; when, in such large measure, the evil may so readily
be kept at a distance.

By the observance of the suggestions we have already made,
this prevention of the presence of roup, to any extent, may
easily be accomplished. And we can guarantee immunity from

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 19

this curse of the poultry-house, if our hard-earned personal
knowledge upon this point be accepted as truthful, and adopted
by the readers of this timely and reasonable advice.

In no other way can roup, in some or all of its obnoxious
phases, be kept from infecting your fowl-stock. And how-
ever easy it may be to the skilled breeder to cure this dis-
order, when he finds it unfortunately breaking out among his
flock, the labor of averting the cause of its attacks, is far less
than the trouble it occasions to eradicate the nuisance — after
it fairly shows itself on your premises.

For this good reason, we advise the humane and economi-
cally disposed fancier to look well to the possible prevention of
roup in his fowl-houses — rather than to the best way to reme-
dy the evil, which with due care he may rarely or never be
annoyed with.

—0795 00 ——_

INDIGESTION, INFLAMMATION, ETC.

Indigestion in fowls is of two kinds, and operates disas-
trously upon the crop, the stomach, and the bowels. Undi-
gested food halting in the crop— whether dry or fluid —
causes aggravated swelling and distention ; the contents be-
come hard and cakey, or puffy and watery, as the case may be.

The disease is sometimes slight and temporary in duration,
working itself off without inconvenience save through causing
the bird to fast, by the removal of food from within its reach,
for a day or so.

In other and more numerous instances however, the fowl
becomes ‘* crop-bound,” after a while, and the contents of this
first receptacle for its food grows hard and harder, still sweli-
ing more and more, until it must be relieved of the sodden
load, or the bird will die.

The process of remedy for this difficulty is simple, but it
must be deftly and carefully performed. An opening should
be made by one person, while another holds the bird, by an in-

20 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

cision in the outer skin of the swelled crop, at the upper side
—and through this horizontal slit, say two inches long, the
caked food may be turned out slowly and cautiously, until the
offensive undigested matter is removed.

Then, with a sharp fine needle and white silk, (for most
colored silk poisons the flesh) the edge of the opening should
be neatly sewed together again. The relief will be immedi-
ate. The bird should be fed sparingly for a week after-
wards, on cooked soft food, allowed but little drink meanwhile,
and it will commonly recover. All this (asin other cases of
chicken-doctoring) is not worth the trouble involved, unless
the diseased fowl be a valuable one.

Indigestion frequently causes inflammation of the gizzard
and liver, and the bowels become constipated, in consequence.
But most commonly it operates quite oppositely, and diarrhma
or dysentery is the result.

In the latter case, the character of the affection is readily
seen in the frequency and nature of the abdominal discharges.
White and streaked yellow thin matter is voided. The bird
rapidly loses flesh, and becomes weak and listless. And ina
few days the disordered intestines are highly inflamed.

If attended to seasonably, the progress of the unnatural
discharges may be without much difficulty arrested ; and the
fowl comes up again as rapidly as it went down, in spirits and
strength. The evil may have been occasioned by the indul-
gence in too much green food, which sours and ferments in
the crop or stomach, sometimes; or it may have been caused
by exposure to wet and cold, or bad dry food, and ‘* damaged”
corn.

Change the diet at once, in either case. Give drink spar-
ingly, and only such as is impregnated with iron tincture, or
Cayenne pepper. Administer a few grains of dry ground
rhubarb with as much common black pepper and powdered
chalk — mixed in mashed boiled rice. This will shortly cure
the bird, in ordinary cases. We do not advise the use of
opium (as some do) and have rarely found any benefit from it.

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. rail

When the fowl is brought so low as to require this powerful
astringent — or, on the other hand, to need mercury, or even
“blue mass”? —we have not deemed it worth while to resort
to these sometimes recommended agencies; having little faith
in their efficacy, save in extremis.

Indigestion will cause dysentery, diarrhea, constipation,
stomach cramps, swelled crop, loss of appetite, fever, and
general disorder in the internal functions. Thus, under one
head we refer to all these, and advise due care in feeding, and
properly contrived quarters for sheltering fowls, at all seasons,
as a prevention to this not uncommon malady among poultry.

The symptoms of this trouble are very plainly exhibited,
when a domesticated bird is affected by it seriously. There is
no mistaking the fluid discharges, the straining to void this
mucous, the rapid decline in their flesh, and the spiritless con-
dition into which they droop, after a brief term.

And it will be necessary to look to them promptly and ener-
getically, as soon as the indications mentioned are discovered
— or they get beyond the reach of doctoring, from the excessive
internal and intestinal irritation occasioned by this indigestion,
and their continuously ineffectual exertions to relieve them-
selves, in the natural way. But this irregularity, like other

diseases, must not be mistaken for what it is not.

Inflammation ‘of the egg-sac, or of the oviduct, for instance,
is a common disease in hens, especially of the larger varieties —
Brahmas, Cochins, Dorkings, &c. We all know less of the
intricacies of this affection, than we do about other poultry
diseases. Yet it is frequently a serious matter in the yard
of the fancier, who meets with and does not know how to treat
it — since its symptoms are often mistaken for some other ail
for which relief is attempted, but which has no effect upon the
actually existing trouble.

A fowl’s egg-sac (or oviduct) is a very delicately arranged
structure, in which are encased the masses of ova, or germs of
the eggs she lays during her natural existence. These ova are
very diminutive in size within this sac, and pass out one by one

22 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

into the oviduct, as they mature —and thence down through
this egg-passage — enlarging in yolk as they go.

When each yolk is nearly full formed, it will have reached
the’centre of this canal or tube, where the ** white ” of the egg
is created, around outside of it. Then the membrane-linings
form, (prior to which the yolk is impregnated, if ever) and the
whole egg passes on to the lower end of the oviduct, near the
vent — where the hard shell is quickly grown over all.

This last process"is begun and completed in a few hours after
the soft contents of the natural egg falls into the extreme lower
end of the oviduct — and the hen shortly discharges her perfect
hard-shelled egg.

If inflammation exist in any part of this sensitive and delicate
portion of the fowl’s internal conformation, the disease is serious,
and her condition becomes critical. ‘*Soft-shelled” eggs are
laid, in consequence, or malformed yolks are often ejected,
from this cause. And if early relief be not afforded, the hen
dies — the owner knows not why.

The indications of this last mentioned difficulty are a ruffled
state of the back and rump feathers, and the moping about of
the sufferer, who will constantly be seen attempting to void
the obstructions, as if afflicted with dysentery, or diarrhea.
If she can successfully extrude all the unformed yolks in the
oviduct, she will recover. If not — and most frequently she is
unable to accomplish this — the inflammation will in a few days
destroy her.

If this inflammatory difficulty be seasonably subdued, relief
is obtained easily. Remove the diseased hen directly from
association with the male bird; and for this trouble givea
dough-pill containing one grain of calomel and a tenth of a
grain of tartar emetic. It may be necessary to give a second
similar dose on the following day after the first application.
The hen will stop laying for a few days—but this treatment
will usually cure her, by reducing and dissipating the inflam-
mation in the egg-passage, which is as often occasioned by over
high feeding, or from taking sudden cold.

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 5)

Feed sucha bird lightly for a week or two subsequently,
keep her away from the cock, and she will regain her health;
unless, in her straining to free herself, she breaks an imperfect
egg within her.‘ In that case, apply the olive oil or castor oil
injection, as elsewhere in this work advised. But this last
noted accident most frequently kills the fowl — since the parts
within have become so irritated by this time, that the egg-
breaking is commanly fatal; though not always, with prompt
and judicious treatment.

To prevent the occurrence or recurrence of indigestion
among fowls, a systematic but varied mode of feeding, is both
important and effective.

If, when confined, they are fed regularly with soft and hard
food in variety, alternately, and are supplied with a due mod-
icum of green food and pounded oyster or clam shells, and
have constant access to fresh clean water daily — with the
necessity of dry gravel at hand, to assist the process of diges-
tion, the disease noted will rarely be known among the flocks.

. And when they have a good range (in the warmer seasons)
instead of being limited to their houses —if similarly fed and
cared for—they will be especially exempt from ‘ indiges-
tion,” which is a leading cause for the ‘ inflammations,” “ fe-
vers,’ diarrheea, constipation, swelled crops, etc., we read
about so frequently.

It may be well to suggest to the reader, here, that in doctor-
ing birds for inflammation of the egg-sac, or lower egg-pas-
sage, care should be taken not to confound this affection
with other (and lesser) internal troubles — like diarrhcea, dys-
entery, &c., occasioned by indigestion; since the treatment
necessary is quite different, though the early symptoms of
both disordérs are.akin, in outward demonstration.

Ascertain first, by critical examination, where the existing
difficulty is seated. Then apply the remedy appropriate to
the sufferer’s relief. A vast deal of fowl-murder is unneces-
sarily committed: through mistaking one malady for another,

24 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

through not knowing whether it be either the one or the other

A German writer recently declares, after repeated experi-
mental examinations, that indigestion will often cause the mal-
formation or depression of the breast-bone in chickens, acting
from the interior ; and he advises the free use of bone-meal in
their early feeding. A good suggestion this.

—_o 4, 00-—

CHRONIC RHEUMATISM, VERTIGO, ETC.

These maladies result almost invariably in the first place
from undue exposure, and through neglectful treatment of the
breeding fowls, in somebody’s hands. Birds that are not fur-
nished with warm roosting-places in the cold dreary fall and
winter nights, or that are left to storm and wet and rain in
springtime, when the weather is rough and aati will
always be troubled more or less with ‘‘ chronic ” rhetimatics,
lameness, vertigo, dizziness, sore throat,” Mzen limbs and
combs, swelled head, etc., etc.

But all this sort of complaint is unnatural to the fowls, and
is owing to no fault on their part. Chronic rheumatics and
vertigo are inherited, mostly. Fowls afflicted with this infirm-
ity, or which are kept in the inhuman manner that causes it,
are not fit for breeding; and their “ constitutional ills” are
not only incurable, but it is not worth the cost to attempt to
remedy such evils.

If they live at all, they are of little account, since they are
always “ailing,” are never fit for marketing, even, the hens lay
few eggs, and altogether they are so useless as to warrant the
complaint on the part of their owners that they ‘* cannot see
where the profit is in raising domestic fowls!”

Of this description of stock the above assumption is quite
truthful. Yet those who are so unfortunate as to possess such
birds, are answerable for their sad condition, largely. And the
sooner such “‘ breeders” relinquish the occupation, and consign

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 25

their wretched invalid fowls to final shelter beneath the dung-
hill, or compost heap, the better for the birds, and for their own
pecuniary interests.

We have seen more than one such flock of miserable bipeds,
but we never owned any of this description; and our expe-
rience has afforded us no special information for their farther
consideration.

A limping, halting, rheumatic cock, is a most useless and
unsightly object around the fowl-runs, and should never be
tolerated. His progeny come deformed, and the chickens
raised from hens thus afflicted, are in the main but worthless,
comparatively.

Attacks of vertigo, and sudden temporary dizziness in good
fowls, occasionally occur, from high feeding — and apoplexy is
thus brought about. But there is no known specific, that we
are aware of, to remedy this last named evil — except to avoid
over-feeding ; which is quite as bad a practice as is starving
one’s fowls.

A bird may be struck by lightning. There is no known cure
for this! And death from apoplexy is about as certain ; while
either assault is equally as “‘incurable”’ after the stroke.

——cog¢00e-——

FOWL “CHOLERA.”

This is comparatively a new disease, in this country —or a
new name originated for a very seriously destructive malady
current in the Western and Southern States chiefly, that has
baffled the skill of hen-doctors and poultry men generally, for a
few years past.

We none of us know much about this disorder. Even those
who have written directly upon its cause, as a specialty, admit
that “‘the name is a misnomer;” and despite all their direct
‘researches in the regions where this epidemic has prevailed,
they have found out very little about it that is of a satisfactory

26 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

or conclusive nature — whether as regards its true cause, or
‘ pointing to a remedy against its recurrence.

From all we have seen and what we have read on the subject
however, we have formed an opinion upon this ailment ; and we
will briefly state our views about what is denominated ‘chicken
cholera, nowadays.”

It is a curious complaint, which we in New England have
had little experience with, except in its mildest and manageable
form. The symptoms are those analogous to a sudden attack
of violent diarrhea; preceded by lassitude, sluggish move-
ments, early prostration, and a general inertness in the victim
assailed.

After death, which ensues in a brief space of time succeed-
ing the attack and rapid sinking of the fowl into semi-uncon-
sciousness, the liver is found to be swollen and flabby, the
crop distended, the stomach foul, the gizzard filled with dried
food, and the entrails are inflamed.

There is previous to death, a sharp diarrhea wasting the life
out of the bird, which ordinary treatment does not appear to
affect or check, at all. And from these indications and symp-
toms, (which are not unlike some of those attending the Asi-
atic scourge in man) this disease has been denominated cholera.

Mr. W. H. Todd, the noted Western breeder, has had some
experience with this fowl trouble, and he thinks that much of
what is termed cholera, is something else.

He has once or twice fancied that his flocks had a touch of
a disease akin to the reputed ‘* fowl-cholera.” But he checked
this (whatever it was) by the free use of carbolic acid disin-
fectants, and subsequently by thoroughly purifying his hen
houses by fumigation.

Desperate diseases demand the application of desperate rem-
edies, we read. And in several instances where the premoni-
tory symptoms have thus shown themselves, the alarmed own-
ers of the menaced fowls have administered calomel and blue
mass — in two-grain doses, or four grains of blue mass mixed
with two grains each of gum camphor and Cayenne pepper —

°

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. Hii

say twice a day. This we should say would either kill or
cure, certainly !

In the cases referred to, the experiment proved fortunately
successful ; albeit the owners acknowledge that they were not
positive that the threatened disease ‘ was really sire or
something similar.”

It has proved quite contagious, nevertheless, in certain dis-
tricts. And yet itis clearly of a typhoid dysenteric charac-
ter, from the outset. The remedial treatment thus far experi-
mented with has not been encouragingly successful, inasmuch
as most of those who have suffered from its presence amongst
their stock, have acquired no knowledge of its cause, or what
’ mode is best to adopt as a curative.

Meanwhile, the malady is of so violent a character, that
when it comes upon their premises, their birds die by scores,
before they can decide what is the real difficulty, or how they
may contrive to relieve them. .

We have no doubt that bad locations have much to do with
this trouble. And we seriously opine that if seen to at once
in most places, and (asin Todd’s case) treated vigorously —
as for malignant dysentery, or inflamed diarrhea, the birds may
be saved, in many instances.

But —as in all other cases of fowl disease, which we have
herein noted — we claim that if the chicken-premises are kept
uniformly cleanly and sweet, if the hen-houses are not over-
crowded and are daily well ventilated, if the stock is fed ju-
diciously with sound and varied food, if the poultry is kept
free from lice, and are housed comfortably in cold and bad
weather, and pure fresh water is furnished them, always —
there will be little or no “ chicken cholera ” about.

Dr. A. M. Dickie, of Penn’a., who writes very cleverly upon
this subject, but who, like most scientific writers inclines to go
so deep down into professional technicalities as to mar the use-
fulness of his papers to the general reader, communicates a
theory to the Hartford Poultry World that this ‘ chicken
cholera is a blood disease.”

28 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

The editor of this popular magazine commends this article by
Dr. D., but takes the ground that it is quite immaterial what
the real character of the malady is, if we can find a remedy for
it, that is practical and efficient. The editor observes

‘‘ Although there is, prima facie, a seeming variance of opinion ~
in this communication, on Dr. D’s part, as compared with our
previous editorials on this subject, still our learned correspond-
ent agrees with us almost to a dot, for he admits in the opening
parag sraphs that when we say “ we think this disease is zymotie
in character, this view is undoubtedly correct.”

‘¢What the real pathological cause may be, is unknown,” con-
tinues Dr. D. (and we have very explicitly stated this same
thing, in other words). But the Doctor adds: ‘ The essential
morbific substance of a miasm is entirely unknown to science,
as yet.” It ‘may consist of infusoria” (as we suggested origin-
ally), concludes the Doctor; “but that is a matter of conjec-
ture rather than of demonstration.”

Now we have neither the space to spare for it, nor the in-
clination, to enter into a lengthy argument or dissertation
about technical phrases and medical terms. The great trouble
with our “ largely educated men ” (and the medical fraternity
is especially open to this criticism) is, that they are all too pe-
dantic and too profound in their elaborate writings upon the sim-
ple topic of fowl] diseases, for the comprehension and benefit of
the every-day reader of a poultry paper; and they do not seem
to be aware of the fact that the average chicken-raiser does not
appreciate their elongated, long-drawn, technical descriptions
of ‘* diagnoses,”’ “‘ miasms,” **morbific substances,” “ catalyses,”
etc.

To arrive at the plain conclusion reached by Dr. D., which
we candidly think differs scarcely at all from our own more
briefly-expressed views, the writer has skilfully and with
great show of erudition, we admit, stated only just what we
have previously set forth about Chicken Cholera. We said,
briefly, we thought it zymotic in character. The Doctor says
this is correct. We said that filthy, over-crowded premises,
foul water, bad ventilation, neglect of the stock, and poorly pro-
vided quarters or food for poultry, helped largely to produce
what is called ** Poultry Cholera.” The Doctor says only the
same thing, in half a dozen long paragraphs.

It may be “blood poisoning,” as Dr. D. suggests. We did
not assert that it was not. Indeed, we think it quite imma-

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE TEM. 29

terial whether it be a blood, muscle, intestine, flesh, mucous
membrane, bowel, stomachic or brain affection. All, or any of
these diseases in fowls may be occasioned by, or originate
through, zymotie influences. The blood may thus be ‘* pois-
oned.” And though it is quite possible (as we all admit) that
its actual ‘* pathological condition is not known,” yet, as Dr.
D. clearly states, it has its origin ‘¢in a special miasm,”’ which,
by inhalation, produces, ete.

This is precisely what we affirmed. And, through inhala-
tion, imperceptible infusoria may be taken into the lungs, and
thus into and through the system, “ producing fermentive
action,’ as we believe. Now, what we want, Doctor, is a
clearly-proposed remedy for this trouble, set down in plain
terms.

We wiil only add that Dr. D. has evidently not availed
himself of a knowledge of the certainly demonstrated fact
(within the last ten years), promulgated by German, French
and Italian savans, that microscopic growths, either vegetable
or animal, are positively known to produce epidemics — such
as cholera, dyphtheria, scarlatina, epizootic affections, ete. And
we know of more than one American scientist who has also
demonstrated this.”

Here we opine is the gist of the thing, so far as the prime
cause is involved. Our fowls are poisoned “by a special
miasm,” and this miasm exists in some virulent and perhaps
concealed form, contiguous to the premises —in the grounds,
in the immediate neighborhood, amongst their food, etc. And
this cause must somehow be removed from the vicinities, or
from the premises, where the fowls are thus fatally affected by
its presence. .

It is very certain that this malady or distemper — from what-
ever cause it originated —is choleratie in its action, its symp-
toms, its violence, and its fatality. Thousands of good fowls
have been swept away by it, in the West and South. Poultry
men there are alarmed at it; and as in the time when the
‘¢swine cholera”’ was familiarly epidemic, the chicken breeders
have now become very cautious about the food and feeding of
their flocks, and more latterly the disease is not so prevalent.

If we have had this distemper present in New England at

80 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

all, it has not been of a serious character. It may be that our
’ climate here favors us in this respect. But all the complaints
that reach us, come from the west and south —and there this
plague has been very troublesome and severe.

We are not unmindful that in the past two or three years
we have had in New England many fatal cases from an internal
disorder among poultry-stock quite analogous in some of its
symptoms to this western so-called ‘* cholera.” But wherever
our attention has been called to this illness, we have upon
examination found the ailment to be a phase of slow fever, at
first, and subsequent virulent diarrhea.

In these instances, the birds have have gone down gradually,
but constantly, in condition, for weeks from the beginning.
Up to within a few days or hours before death, they have eaten
well, but have drank often — evincing continual thirst. Then
diarrhoea has set in sharply, and they have expired. I consider
this clearly a phase of dysenteric rowp — and for this only
should I treat the affection, if it should exhibit its symptoms in
my runs. Various “ Mixtures” are offered as correctives for
this disorder. I think the German, and Graves’ Roup Pills,
very good palliatives. The latter are highly commended by
H. A. Shorey, Wm. E. Shedd, Geo. F. Seavy, C. W. Cham-
berlain and others, who have used them with excellent results.

But there exists some local natural cause for this wholesale
destruction of domestic birds in certain districts, unquestion-
ably. This malady is largely fatal in its work, and in the west
it is clearly of a destructive character. It is said by those whe
have examined diseased yards, that the cause has been found
to have been generated in the place or its immediate vicinity
(in several cases) where the trouble was most fatally severe.
And this ruin was occasioned by the miasmatic, putrid, filthy
condition of the soil (and neighborhood) where these fowls had
long been kept.

In the hospitals, diseases known as small pox, virulent
typhoids, yellow fever, etc., are known at times to spread among
patients not hitherto thus afflicted —from the foul emanations

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 31

that exude from the actual fever subjects, when crowded into
such places through sudden emergency.

So it probably operates with this “‘ chicken cholera,” when it
once starts in a flock; and from the putrid emanations issuing
from the early affected birds — particularly if crowded in large
numbers together—the disease is swiftly communicated to
others, until the whole are sickened, seriously or fatally.

Take half a dozen well fowls at sunset, and shut them up
(in any season) ina clean, dry room, as large as fifteen by
twenty feet. Leave them there without any ventilating open-
ing in the apartment over one night, and visit the enclosure
personally next morning. If you are able to remain in that
room with those birds three minutes, with the door and win-
dows still closed tightly, you have a more muscular and less
sensitive stomach than the average of humans.

The stench from the bodies of these half dozen well fowls is
sickening. How much more imperative is it, then, that the
quarters of sick fowls should be well ventilated, especially ?
And how necessary to the benefit of any poultry, sick or well,
must be a circulation of fresh, purifying air, and the ample
ventilation of their houses ? |

Now, the -cause for the generation of malignant disease
should not be suffered to exist at all. Fowls cannot be kept
in or upon such infected disordered foul spots. And the rem-
edy —to begin with—must be to remove the living stock
beyond the baleful influence of such miasmatic death-districts,
or apartments, or else remove the putridity, filth, and poison-
ous deposits (whatever they may be) from the fowl premises,
and their neighborhood. . ere

It has been costly work for some American breeders — as
we know — to fight this enemy! And the end is not yet, by
any means, unfortunately — although in some quarters, this
plague has come to be partially manageable.

The trouble is no doubt brought about, in the first instance,
from the exposure of the stock to infested, swampy, or foul

82 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

grounds and runs—or by keeping the birds in contiguity to
such miasmatic or befouled premises.

This disorder exhibits many of the symptoms which are
premonitory in human beings afflicted with malarial cachexia —
such asa paling and sallowness in the features, loss of flesh
and condition, rapid diminution of muscular strength, general
nervous lassitude and prostration, and the liability at any hour
to sink suddenly under any incidental disease that may assail -
the subject, at such a time.

The approved remedy for this affliction to humanity, is, the
removal of the patient entirely from the vicinity where the af-
fection originates, to a purer atmosphere, and uncontaminated
soil. And, subsequently, to restore the stricken bodily sys-
tem through wise treatment, good food, and sustaining tonics.

A similar method would in our judgment unquestionably re-
cruit a body of domestic fowls— but the suggested remedy
should be seasonably applied. And the sooner this change is
made, upon discovering the above noted choleratic or malarial
symptoms, the greater the proportion of birds will be likely to
be saved from death, after being attacked by this “ chicken
cholera.”

All we can add on this topic is that we never had any of this
disease show itself in our yards—and we sincerely trust we
never may become personally acquainted with its shocking
results.

If we should find it breaking out in our runs, we should di-
rectly apply the remedies we have suggested for aggravated dys-
entery. But so long as fowls are housed and kept and shel-
tered and fed as we have long been in the habit of attending
to ours, we do not fear any of these disastrous visitations,
among our flocks.

We reiterate. the convictions —impressed upon us during
long years of practical trial and experience in this business —
that cleanliness in the fowl houses, dry soil in the runs, pure
air and plenty of it, proper ventilation at all seasons, good
varied food, attentive care, fresh untainted water, absolute

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 383

exemption from vermin, and a love of the occupation, are the
requisites towards breeding poultry advantageously ; and these
comprise the necessities for keeping them in good health, and
continuous thrift.

With these — disease is kept at bay. Without all these re-
quirements, poultry can not be kept profitably, or healthily.
And we do not doubt if those who have been so sorely troubled
with what is denominated ‘* Fowl Cholera,” should adopt a
strict regimen of cleanliness, thorough ventilation, and good
eare for their stock, that they would experience a change for
the better among their poultry, at once; and have little cause
to fear this bad-named disease among their flocks, in the
future.

ACCIDENTAL MALADIES.

Under this head we include many of the nominal “ diseases ”’
of fowls — as set down in the categories of the poultry books
— to wit: — Apoplexy, heart disease, rheumatism, neuralgia,
deformities, frozen combs and feet, feather-eating, eeg-devour-
ing, wounds from fighting, temporary blindness, loss of plumage,
colds, common fevers, paralysis of limbs, the ‘ pip,” “ gapes,”
costiveness, discolored comb, bumble-foot, scaly legs, ete.

The above enumerated ills are more or less common in a mild
form among domestic gallinaceous fowls at all seasons of the
year. But these evils are incidental, or accidental in great part,
to poultry life. Some of these affections are not discoverable
by or explicable to the novice or amateur; and it is only the
experienced breeder who detects the real character of some
others of these difficulties, bad habits, misfortunes, or accidents.

Acute rheumatics, sprains, neuralgia, paralysis of the legs,
colds, coughs, and occasional temporary loss of vision (by the
closing up of one or both eyes) are simply local diseases, brought
about by local and removable causes. With any of these

34 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

troubles, fowls are usually not sick a great while at a time.
Lameness, or “‘ breaking down” in the legs from apparent
partial paralysis, is the most serious of all these accidental
difficulties.

If this proceeds from an affection of the spinal cord (as is
sometimes the case) it is incurable; though a fowl may live for
weeks or months after the attack — helpless as to locomotion
comparatively, but otherwise in good health.

If it occurs from a sudden contraction in the leg-muscles, or
tendons, it will be only temporary, oftentimes — and the bird
may recover by being placed upon a soft, straw-covered floor,
in a warm sunny place, and fed lightly with nourishing dry
food, for a week or two.

If the loss of the use of the limbs (as in very long-legged
cocks, frequently) is occasioned by a cracking of the skin and
flesh on the inside of the hock-joint — a common plaster of fir-
balsam bound tightly around the upper shank-joint, at the sore
spot, will ordinarily heal up the wound, and set the bird on
his feet again, in a little while. In this kind of case, the earlier
the break is attended to, after you first observe your fowl to be
weakening, drooping, and squatting upon his haunches around
the yard — the less time it will take to cure the opening, and
heal up this accidental cracking of the flesh.

Neuralgic affections are similar to the rheumatic, and these
are terms used synonymously among technical poultry men.
The nerves rather than the limbs are affected by this disease.
It is not a common complaint, however, and little is known of,
or about it.

Deformities — such as hump-back, knock-knees, wry-tail,
imperfect comb or wattles (of their kind) twisted wing-joints
or turned wing-coverts, crooked toes or feet, etc., are gener-
ally hereditary incidents in poultry breeding. Sometimes
these defects come from careless mating, or through breeding
jn-and-in too long ; that is, from the same family of stock upon
its descendants —or with its progenitors. The only remedy
for these ‘“‘accidents” is to avoid the use of such deformed

7

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 35

birds for purposes of reproduction of the species. A boiled
or roasted cock is not likely to transmit his imperfections to
posterity, if this is the only (and best) use that is made of his
carcass.

_Eggs are sometimes, when ready to be laid, accidentally
broken in the abdomen of hens. If the fowl be strong, and in
good condition at such a time, the disaster may be repaired.
A teaspoonful of castor-oil by injection, will work the wreck
away, in a single night. But this misfortune frequently
proves fatal, nevertheless.

Other hens —especially fat old Cochins and Brahmas, will
‘** break down behind,” occasionally, from this same cause; or
‘on account of their gross adipose condition, oftenest. They
will then waddle about upon their haunches and stern, with
their bodies erect, like that of a Penguin, naturally. But
they rarely recover from this condition, to be useful after-
wards. We have tried numerous experiments with this sort
of accident, with but slight success.

Frozen combs, feet, or frosted wattles —and white or black
comb (so designated from its different colors at times), are
occasioned by exposure in the night to severe chilly winter air,
as a general thing. With the class of birds wearing thin up-
right high combs, this trouble is common in New England and
the North, in our sharp cold winters. In these instances of
‘‘ frost-bites,” the wound may be cured by placing the comb or
wattles in cold water, or by bathing the affected parts with
fresh clean snow thoroughly, first — then by washing in cam-
phorated spirit, thoroughly. After this, bathe in sweet oil,
and press the latter into the pores of the comb or gills — over
and around the frost marks. Except in very severe cases, this
treatment will effect a cure. In any instance, the saving of
a goodly portion of the comb and wattles may be assured.
This remedy should be repeated two or three days, succes-
sively, for frost-bites, and the hen-house should be looked to,
directly — and all crevices or cracks sealed up, to exclude the

86 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

night frosts. These accidents very rarely occur during the
day and in sunlight.

*“* White comb” and “black comb” (so denominated, spe- .
cifically), are often confounded with frost attacks in the cold
season. But these two accidents are as common in warm as
in cold weather ; and, though similar in appearance at first, are
of another character in reality. These affections are claimed
by some writers as “a disease to which the Cochins, (Shang-
hais) are constitutionally subject.”

Now we have received direct from Canton, Shanghai, and
Whampoa, several different clutches of pure China fowls, in
our time; and we have bred them separately and together year
after year, for many years. But we never encountered or dis-
covered this ‘‘ constitutional’ impediment cropping out ina
single instance among the zmported birds. We set this asser-
tion down therefore as a mere whim. In addition to our own
Chinese importations, we have largely bred the imported
Forbes, Marsh, Brown, Drake, Cushing, Kerr, Palmer and
Cope Cochins, also; and with the originals, we never saw a
case of black or white comb disease, (except from frost-bite),
among them all. .

In later experience, however, — with the progeny of some
of this stock—and among the Dorkings, the Malays, the-
Javas, and lesser-sized fowls, we have met with and known of
this ‘‘ disease ” in many instances, as making its appearance in
small white (or dark) specks or fine scales, upon cocks’ combs
—and forming at length a rough flat scabby sore; which, if
not removed, will increase to the neck, and down the fowl’s
breast — rotting away the feathers, as mange destroys the hair
of dogs. It is a cuticle affection, nevertheless, and in our
judgment altogether ‘‘accidental” in character. It may be
cured by the application of a salve made of cocoanut and
tumeric — one part tumeric powder to four parts cocoanut oil.
These make a yellow ointment, and if rubbed on the affected
spots half a dozen times, every other day, will heal and cure.
“Loss of plumage” may frequently be accounted for by the

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. ot

presence of this affection in an advanced state — and this con-
dition is sometimes mistaken for ordinary moulting.

Feather-eating, and egg-eating, by fowls, are bad habits, but
are not a “disease.” For the first complaint, the birds should
be kept occupied, when cooped in confinement and compelled
to huddle together closely, for lack of spacious home quarters.
Strew the house-floor thickly with dry leaves, or short-cut
straw ; and into this scatter their daily allowance of dry grain-
food — oats, barley, broken corn, &c. They will scratch for
it, to the last kernel; and thus have no leisure to pluck the
feathers from the necks and sides of their otherwise. listless
companions. :

To prevent egg-eating, give them dark nests to lay in, in
secluded corners or passages, where they cannot see their eggs,
when dropped. They will soon forget this destructive kind
of trick.

Wounds occasioned by frost, from fighting, or other acci-
dental causes, may be healed up speedily with a wash of car-
bolic, or castile soap-suds, and then with rum or whiskey,
alternately, for a few days. Olive oil as a final ointment for
cuts and flesh contusions, is very healing and effective — and
for ordinary inflamed eyes and head, a wash of weak white
vitriol, or alum water, or alum and camphor combined, is
excellent.

‘* Bumble-foot,” tumors upon the thighs, abscesses, and
unnatural enlargement of the tendons or limb-muscles, are all
local and accidental difficulties.

Bumble-foot is caused by bruising the sole; and occurs with
heavy fowls that roost too high up, and come clumsily to the
hard floor or earth, in descending from their perches. It may
be dissipated, if discovered in season, by active friction and
rubbing with strong liniment. If not, it will grow to an abscess,
which must be opened to the core, and healed up thoroughly
afterwards, to save the fowl. But this occasional affliction is
hardly worth the trouble it costs to cure it; and it can only be

88 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

remedied so as to restore the afflicted bird to subsequent use-
fulness, by seasonable treatment.

Rupture of the oviduct, or egg-passage, and enlargement of
the lower intestines — either of which cause old fat hens of
the heavier varieties to “* break down behind ”’ frequently, is a
difficulty known in the experience of most poultry breeders.
As ‘we have elsewhere hinted, this is a vexatious affliction,
where the hen is a good one, or a favorite — and it is hard to
manage it successfully, toward restoration.

The difficulty may be alleviated, but it can scarcely be
cured ; since the occasion of the bagging down of the abdom-
inal extremity of the bird is a gradual falling of the over-
grown and over-fattened interior, which from its excessive
weight and enlargement distends the parts outside of the
cloaca, unnaturally ; from which distension it rarely, if ever,
contracts to its original shape again.

The remedy for relief in this case, is, to place the fowl at
once upon extreme low diet ; and first to starve off and reduce, -
if possible, the excessive overgrowth of internal fat, which has
filled up the lower abdomen. After afew weeks, the hen will
resume her wonted uprightness in gait and appearance, ant
may come round all right again.

If the cause of her breaking down is not. this kind of inter-
nal rupture, but proceeds from the accidental breaking of an
egg, inwardly — as is often the case — though the outward in-
dications may be similar, the treatment for this last mentioned
trouble is alluded to in another place. The two difficulties
are quite different, in reality, and require altogether different
management.

We often see fowls, particularly half-grown birds, that slug-
gishly mope about, seek the sun’s rays, close their eyes dream-
ily and half open the bill, at every breath they breathe.
Otherwise they seem well, and.in fair condition. Look to the
birds directly, that exhibit these symptoms. If concealed ver-
min be not at work upon their skin and flesh—these indica-
tions are tokens of an approaching attack of roup.

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 389

Remove such bird or birds at once from the rest. Give the
mustard or ginger and rhubarb pills, for a day or two. Allow
them, for three or four days to drink no water that has not a
dash of Tincture of Iron, or Cayenne pepper init. Feed low
for a week, keep them dry and warm —and they will recover.

There is a disease of not uncommon occurrence among the
Asiatic varieties of fowls, that has baffled the wits of most
experts and breeders of the larger species — the symptoms of
which are not unlike those which present themselves under
rowpy conditions.

The affected bird (oftenest a male fowl) will begin to show
this affection by the usual drooping and indolent disposition.
He will wander and mope about the house or run, and peck
his feathers, continually —as if he were beset with vermin, or
as if his skin and flesh were itchy, or irritated, in some way.

The appetite does not at first seem to be affected, but he be-
comes useless to his mates, and is inclined to shun them. His
flesh is feverish and hot to the touch, and he is restless and
constantly striving to alleviate the annoyance, by thrusting his
bill.actively through his plumage, from breast to rump.

This I believe to be a cuticle affection, induced from internal
causes, and resulting from dry feeding, constantly. An excess
of whole corn as a daily feed, will produce this; and where
poultry-keepers find it ‘*too troublesome” (as some do) to
give their birds varied and cooked diet — with a regular allow-
ance of vegetable or green food, their year-old fowls will fre-
quently show this ail. Unless the trouble is understood, and a
change in their regimen is adopted, they will worry and pick
and harass themselves to death.

I have seen several instances of this kind, and I have
recommended physicking, directly. Give a teaspoonful of
castor-oil, and a pinch of powdered rhubarb, in cooked soft
feed, with sulphur pills every other day, in alternation for one
week. Allow the sick bird mo dry feed (especially corn) in
the meantime. Place him if convenient, upon a clean grass
run, and let him have no drinking water except such as is im-

40 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

pregnated with Cayenne pepper, or asafetida. In ten days—
if taken seasonably —I have never known a case where the
bird did not fully recover. If the grass run can not be had,
feed chopped onions and cabbage (raw) daily, for green food,
and once a day give a-meal of boiled rice; and he will do
nicely.

The common habit in vogue of feeding dry corn to fowls, as
a staple: allowance, is a great mistake. For laying hens, such
feed is almost as useless as pine chips would be, so far as as-
sisting them in the production of eggs. For growing birds it
is also unnecessary, and by no means economical. ‘ Dam-
aged”’ corn thus used by many chicken-raisers, is worse than
the good merchantable article. But whole corn—as a chief
feed to old or young poultry, of either sex —is next to worth-
less. This grain should never be used in excess, at all, and
three-fourths of all of it that is fed to your birds, oughi first
to be cooked.

An evening feed of cracked (or crushed) corn, is advisable.
When you are fattening fowls, for slaughtering, cooked corn
meal and vegetables, half and half, is the thing. At all other
times, feed but scantily of this grain — unless you wish to ren-
der them inwardly fat, and stop your hens from laying well.
This error in feeding causes fever, indigestion, constipation, and
skin eruptions. It is too heating, too dry, too clogging —by
itself. And the system of varied food, daily, with but a fourth
or a fifth of corn, in any shape, is by far the most nourishing,
the most satisfying, and the most economical as to prime cost,
We seriously recommend this advice to all who have never tried
our plan, because we know from experience, oft-repeated practi-
cally, precisely what results from this method.

In former times, the common name given to almost all the
ails to which domestic fowls were subject, was pip. If a bird
sneezed, or breathed with difficulty, his owner declared at once
‘he’s got the pip!”” If the chicken got lousy, or failed in
health and appetite, “‘ that bird’s got the pip,” was the usual

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 41

announcement. And so, whatever happened among the fowls,
it was “the pip.” °

The silly plan adopted by novices in certain quarters, of
clipping the end of the tongue of chickens thus affected, is not
so commonly in use, in this enlightened day, as formerly. This
is not of the slightest utility, and it is brutal, as well. The
scaly appearance of the tongue is but symptomatic — and has
no reference to the disease itself. This dryness disappears, or
sloughs off, usually, as the bird recovers, and the fever in the
throat and gullet abates. A bit of garlic given daily, the size
of a common pill, three or four times, will help the birds. And
a low diet for a week will complete a cure, in ordinary cases.

For the pip is simply a phase of roup, as we have elsewhere
stated. If the bird thus affected be examined, his nostrils will
be found closed, his throat and tongue is dry, and oftentimes a:
scaly hardness forms upon the tip or upper surface of the
tongue. The fowl snips, or pips, in its attempt to cough or
throw off this dry substance. And it is said that when the scale
is removed from the tongue, the bird recovers.

This is simply incidental to his cure. Many birds do not
show this very hard scaly substance on the tongue, when suffer-
ing from “‘ pip” — and still they pip and sneeze, or cough and
gape, precisely as do the others.

Itisroup. And for that disease only should they be doctored,
if doctored at all. It is not a serious matter, if taken in hand
in time. Nor are any of the roup phases unmanageable, if we
go about attempting their cure in good season. Here is where
we mostly fail. And once more I recommend that watchfulness
for the approach of this affection, in any of its various forms, be
carefully and constantly kept up, towards a prevention of its
prevalence.

““Scaly leg” is a disorder very unsightly, and afflicts old
fowls, chiefly. ‘The disease appears upon the surface of the
shanks, forms slowly, and is altogether parasitical. If permit-
ted to mature, it grows into rough, greyish-white bunches, and
terminates in sores. .

42 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

To cure it, take it early, and wash the limbs in warm whale

_ oil or carbolic soap-suds thoroughly, first. Then apply sulphur
powder mixed with lard, as a salve, for two or three days.
Then cleanse, and finish with kerosene, rubbed on with a coarse
flannel. The infinitessemal insects are thus destroyed, and the
trouble disappears.

Asthma, (so denominated by some writers) is a phase of roup ;
which disease we have already described. This is. simply
another name for this common affection—aud will be relieved
by the treatment we have suggested.

Gout — which affects only old fowls —is not uncommon to
such birds as have been indulged in high feed ; or those that
are forced up to heavy weights annually, for the show-pens.
When the birds become gouty, there is no difficulty in discoy-
ering the fact. And as they do not attain to that ‘ aristo-
cratic” disease until they have outlived their usefulness to
themselves or their owners, the sooner they are slaughtered
the better for them and their keepers. ‘

Moulting, or the annual feather-shedding of all birds, is de-
scribed by some authors as a ‘ disease,” also. This is but a
natural occurrence. Fowls are not “in condition” at this
period, but they are not sick —in the true interpretation, at
such times. They need better care, just then, nevertheless,
since this is a critical transition; and good two or three-year
old hens, kept for breeding stock, should be especially looked
after, judiciously fed, kept away from the annoyance of the
males, and they will generally pass through their moulting
safely.

For ordinary feverishness, costiveness, and apparent low
condition — a change of diet, with fresh green food, and clean
quarters, gives relief. The “ pip” and the ‘“‘ gapes” are not
very common, nowadays, and are never serious complaints.
These are but ‘‘ incidental,” to chicks, and will usually take
care of themselves, if the birds have a good range, and fair at-
tention to their daily wants, otherwise.

Both these latter affections come from neglect in their care,

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 43

from free access to rotten dung heaps, and by housing in damp
barn-cellars or cheerless houses, as a general thing. And
upon these points of poor management we have spoken very
explicitly in these pages.

** Gapes ” in chickens is an affection sometimes produced by
the generation of small prickly worms in the throat of young
dirds. Not always, however. This is occasioned by foul feed-
ing and damp quarters, again. The parasite matures into a
worm inthe gullet and bronchial tubes, and annoys the af-
flicted chick, excessively. ;

It has been argued by some — with considerable show of
reason, that these worms originate from the eggs of a peculiar
kind of louse that infests the bodies of domestic birds, at
times, and which enters through the nostrils and deposits the
larve that produces the “‘ gape-worm,”’ eventually.

We would not from choice attempt a cure for this, ordina-
rily — since the methods advised are more troublesome than
young fowls thus diseased are usually worth. But ‘‘ gapes”
~ are not now nowadays much heard of among fowl breeders.

The worms which cause this ‘“‘gaping’’ demonstration in
fowl, are in the throat, and must be removed —if the evil is
expected to be cured. When the discovery of this pest is
made, give the bird cracked corn and oats or barley soaked in
spirits of turpentine, for one short feed, two or three days in
succession.

This will surely kill the worms — though it may sometimes
kill the fowl, if overdosed with it, as in instances reported not
infrequently, where this or some equally powerful medicinal
agent is made use of in excess to “‘ cure”’ sick birds, by inex-
perienced hands.

For example, a man writes ina late poultry paper that if
you wish to cure “ gapes”’ in chickens, “ dissolve in water as
much soda as it will soak up ; and then stir in your meal dough
&c., until it is thick enough — and give your chickens all they
will eat. This is a sure cure,” he concludes !

Well, let us see how this operated with a novice soon after-

44 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

wards, who tried it, and reported thus ;— “I attempted the
remedy, and I believe it is worse than the disease! An hour
after feeding with this mixture, I found six out of ten chick-
ens lying stretched out, with their claws closed tight, and legs
perfectly stiff. I thought my Light Brahmas were all killed
by this dose. But I bled some, held others under a stream of
cold water, and finally got them out of their cramps. But
they were no better of their gapes. Will you now give mea
remedy to cure this as well as the other?”

This reminds me of a similar case within my own experi-
ence, which occurred some years ago. A man wrote me —
*“ My fowls had got the sore head (roup). I went to the
poletry books, and they said give ’em tuppentine and onions
and brandy; that’ll cure ’°em. And so I did—an’ it killed
ev ry one on ’em deader ’n thunder, that very night!”

But the gapes in chickens may occur without the presence
of the aforesaid worms, at all. This gaping is seen fre-
quently when the young birds have the “ pip,” as it is termed.
If we are disposed to go to the trouble, a quill-feather stripped
of all but a third of its softest down, dipped in kerosene, and
then thrust into the small gullet-passage of the throat, and
there turned around quickly once or twice — when drawn out
will bring up the little worms, and destroy them. But it must
be done cautiously, and two persons are required to do this
well.

If chicks are valuable, this will answer. But first ascertain
if they have any worms, before giving them “ all the dissolved
soda they will eat in meal dough”’—or any other poison!
Crushed corn or broken wheat, soaked in strong alum water,
is said to be a good remedy, ordinarily, for this worm-trouble.
Yet in all cases with young stock, the simplest medicines and
the least given, are the most effectual, to birds that are prop-
erly fed and provided for in healthy quarters.

As to advice touching the cure for accidentally fractured
limbs, which certain authors offer prescriptions for, we can

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 45

only say that we never attempted to remedy this misfortune,
except by cutting off the victim’s head, instanter.

If the case occurs with a cock, he would ‘rarely be worth a
sixpence to breed from, (if he could be restored) after recov-
ing from a broken leg. If it occurs to a hen, the mending of
her fractured shank is a questionable piece of surgery, at the
best. And we look upon all such experiments as cruel to the
unfortunate fowls, and quite worthless to their owners, even
if successful; while, as we are all aware, not one poultry
keeper in a hundred is competent to set a broken limb prop-
erly, even if such surgical operation were desirable. If he
call in a doctor, the bill of expense would be more than most
fowls are worth.

The habit alluded to, on page 37, which some fowls have of
eating the feathers off their mates (which is only a habit), is
variously prescribed for by those who rarely succeed in check-
ing or abating this nuisance. The fowls addicted to this trick
should be watched, and the quiet victims who listlessly stand
to be thus disfigured, may, upon the parts where the feathers
have thus been plucked, have generously rubbed over the spots
an ointment made of lard, sulphur and kerosene — which the
depredators will not eat a great deal of, subsequently! But I
have found the system suggested in another place, of keeping
the birds employed (so that they will not be thinking of indulg-
ing this vitiated appetite) very much the best way to prevent
the evil. If they. are busied with scratching for their food,
scattered amongst the leaves or straw in their pens, they will
not stop to pluck the feathers from their companions’ necks and
sides, very often.

These accidents and incidents occur in all poultry yards
more or less. But where fowls are properly tended and
housed and treated, far less of these complaints are known,
than upon the premises of the careless, indifferent, or reckless
breeder. Andit will be found by the humane, considerate
and kindly disposed keeper of this useful and interesting class
of live stock, that a share of his attention given daily to the

46 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

condition of his fowls, a watchfulness for their reasonable
needs, and an eye open to the probable or possible approach of
these troubles, will save him toil and money both, in his fowl-
breeding experience.

—_w Roo

TO CONCLUDE,

We will only add that the ground we have taken in the first
pages of this treatise is the true position ; inasmuch as actual
experience, and the accomplishment of clearly defined results
warrant the deductions assumed, that, notwithstanding certain
theoretical writers (who have a goodly knowledge of the
physical ills that afflict humanity) count the number of diseases
of poultry by scores — there are really less than a dozen kinds
of sickness that will give fowl-breeders any trouble.

The majority of these ailments are directly traceable for their
cause to the errors and short-comings, carelessness and inhu-
manity of those who are responsible for the unprofitable and
unfortunate results attending their ignorance and indifference.

The different diseases noted in this treatise, embrace all the
maladies that are habitual among domestic poultry. If any
others occur in the experience of American fanciers or breeders
of fowls, they are exceptional — not generally prevalent.

And we apprehend that if such exceptional cases are known,
they may be readily traced to a correspondence with some one
of the leading ‘‘diseases’’ herein mentioned; the cause for
which will also be found to be similar to those which we have
endeavored briefly but clearly to explain.

We have made no attempt here at a display of technical
terms, or through studied appellations and mystical phrase-
ology contrived to confound the ordinary reader. We “* take
no stock” in the profound theories that certain learned authors
have set forth, regarding what we look upon in the main as a
very simple affair.

HOW TO AVOID AND CURE THEM. 47

The Asiatic varieties in late years incline to lose the original
bright yellow skin npon the leg, so desirable in that class, when
‘they come to be a year or two old. This has been observed by
breeders who cannot readily account for the radical change
that occurs with many Cochins and Brahmas, after chickenhood,
which show clear lemon or orange colored shanks, at hatching.
The skin of the limbs blanches frequently to flesh-color, or
almost to white, in their second year.

This will happen to fowls that have frequent access to the
ash-heap, or to such as are permitted to roll in unleached ashes
for their daily bath. Thealkali bleaches the leg-skin. If fowls
are kept upon dry lime-rock soil this result will be seen, often-
times. The only remedy for this disappointing occurrence is
to avoid keeping the stock limited to dry hot floors, or permit-
ting them to visit the fresh ash-heap. Birds that enjoy a free
grass-run or pasture for a range, are rarely affected in this way.

There is one important recommendation in ministering to
these fowl-ails, which we have always found so necessary to
average success in treating the invalids, that we feel constrained
to insist upon its observance, for the common benefit of poultry-
men and their stock. And this is that fowls should never be
over-dosed.

The less medicine given them — as a rule — the better they
wiil be off, in the end. They need but very little in quantity,
at any time, to operate on them to their advantage, or their
destruction. It is easier to kil) a good bird with over-dosing,
than to work its recovery by judicious physicking. And many
of the mineral and powerful medicines proposed by those who
have never studied‘a domestic fowl’s actual construction and
constitutional habits, are utterly useless as remédies for their
little ailments.

So we repeat that the simplest remedials are always the best.
What we understand the nature of, and what we know will
work in a certain way, regularly and effectively — such as
sulphur, castor-oil, powdered rhubarb, alum, sal-soda, alcohol,
camphor, cayenne, tincture of iron, garlic, etc., when properly

48 DISEASES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY.

administered, are the sort of medicines which should be made
use of — and not the numerous chemicals and minerals advised
by those who do not appreciate a fowl’s composition, or natural
formation.

In the hands of uneducated persons, all these unknown and
subtle preparations are simply destructive to the life and health
of the feathered tribe; and in our own experience they have
rarely proved either useful or beneficial, when we have experi-
mented with many of them. For this reason, we advise and
apply in practice the simplest remedies, invariably ; and strive
so to keep the birds, and provide for their daily needs and com-
fort, that they may require but little dosing, as a general thing ;
which we consider much the better mode of management, in
the long run.

Entertaining this view, which is established in our own mind
as the wisest —through study, and years of experiment — we
have passed beyond appreciating the many elaborate methods
advised by learned chicken-doctors, who have written first and
last upon intricate ways and means to cure common fowl ails.

The farmer or ordinary poulterer is at a loss to understand
this pedantic advice. Nine times in ten, the condiments or
decoctions recommended by some of these savans could not be
procured in our interior country towns, at all! When obtained,
the buyer has no knowledge of their use, and is unequal to their
rightful application. Therefore we have, in plain language
and unmistakeable terms, endeavored to address the contents
of this treatise to the clear understanding of those who may be
generally profited by adopting the advice contained therein.

We could never appreciate much of this high-sounding flum-
mery regarding poultry, its ailments, and their “scientific”
treatment — since we know very well how different are the
constitution, the physical construction, and the functions of a
gallinaceous fowl, from those of a human being.

We have striven to keep in view the fact that poultry-keepers,
as a rule, are neither educated doctors or accomplished sargeons.
What the professional man may understand about surgery, an-

HOW. TO AVOID: AND CURE THEM. 49

atomy, chemistry and medicine —is one thing. What the fowl-
breeder desires to know, is, not what the studied technical names
of the ailments that assail his birds may be, but what is plainly
and clearly the trouble, when they are ill; and how he may go
about curing or alleviating their ails, without being obliged to
cram himself with the intricacies of the materia medica, or be-
come a proficient in Latin and Greek, to enable him to decide
what he must administer, to cure his sick chickens.

If the writer has succeeded in making himself understood,
herein — that is something! He comprehends what he has
written, himself, at all events.

Filth, cold and wet yards, poor shelter, improper food, tainted
drink, starvation, neglect, sunless houses in winter, or lack of
shade in summer, close confinement, lousy nests, dirty floors,
foul feed troughs, want of ventilation, etc., etc., are the causes
of fowl disease, and death among them.

Reform this, altogether, or do not attempt to breed poultry,
is our advice. And if the suggestions made herein towards the
performance of the higher and better part in fowl-keeping be
followed — we are quite confident that poultry-breeders will be
troubled very little with “ diseases” among their flocks.

With the nicest care and the best arrangements, however,
fowls in American poultry yards and runs will inevitably get
- sick, more or less —as they will elsewhere.

During the past two years, it has been noticeable that more
complaints were current than ever hitherto, of ails among fowls.
And this fact induced the author to prepare these pages, in a
concise and complete form — limiting the treatise exclusively to
the subject of diseases of domestic poultry, because no book
devoted to this topic alone was in print, and the call for such a
work was very general.

As we stated in the opening of this treatise, it is important
that we know clearly what the matter is with our fowls — when
out of trim — before we begin to dose them. This being satis-
factorily determined, we can then go about assisting them to
throw off the disorders, and do this intelligently.

ADDENDA.

“YAWS.”—A NEW NAME FOR Rovp.

Since the first edition of this work was issued, the attention of the
author has been called, through several private letters, to a newly
NAMED disease that is said to have made its appearance of late in
the South and South-west, which one writer has denominated by the
novel title of ‘*‘ Yaws ;” a term which is defined by some lexicographer
as a disease occurring in hot countries, characterised by tumors or
ulcers of a contagious type, resembling strawberries, outwardly—
which affection (in human beings) is accompanied by emaciation, &e.

A correspondent at Louisville, Ky., writes me that indications quite
similar to these appeared upon the heads and necks of several of his
Leghorns, Games, Bantams, &c., but that his Brahmas had not been
affected with it. Still, he ‘* considers it certainly contagious.”

The symptoms are the forming of small white specks, at first, which
soon spread over ear-lobes and wattles ;—and the sides of the face
and poll are covered with ‘‘ bumps,” or bunches, which extend to the
throat, form into ulcers, and then the birds die.

This is a clear case of virulent Roup. There is no doubt about it, in
our mind. The name ‘‘yaws” given to this disease is no more appli-
cable to it (in chicken language) than would be the ‘‘ itch!” Andas
to its being ‘‘caused by musquito-bites,” this is simply folly.

Webster defines the term ‘‘ yaw” as ‘‘rising in blisters, breaking
in white froth,” etc. The ‘‘warts,” or ‘‘bumps,” or bunches thus
formed, are white (or colored) pustules. These little ulcers gather
. upon the comb-base, around the nostrils, upon the cheeks, &c., and
if not dispelled, they grow to blotchy sores, turn dark, fill with pus,
swell the glands, close up the eyes, obstruct the nostrils, follow into
the gullet, and choke or worry the birds to death, finally.

The trouble is first caused by their taking cold, and it 1s contagious.
If taken in season, it can be cured. It is roup, only—in an
aggravated shape. ‘Take the affected birds away from the well ones, _
IMMEDIATELY when you note the first indications. Wash the head
and nostrils with alum-water, or diluted vitrol. Bathe the affected
parts THOROUGHLY, three times a day. Place the fowl in dry warm
quarters. Put Cayenne pepper into the drink, and feed on nourish-
ing but low diet—with ginger and rhubarb pills for physic.

Treat the birds precisely as you would for an attack of roup—of
which this is clearly but one violent phase. And if they are not too
far gone when you begin with them, they will recover in ten days.
The pustules will disappear, the cold will pass off, and there need be
lost not one in twenty, that may be at first affected with this ailment.

There should be no pELAy after the first white or red spots show,
to see what these ‘‘blotches” will come to! They are forming into
pustules. They areincipient ulcers. Physic and nurse the sick birds
as for roup, and you can save them.

Parties whose poultry has been thus assailed, have innocently
trumped up the ‘‘ yaws” disease ; which assails the negroes in very
hot climates, as does ‘** Yellow Jack” and ‘‘ Small Pox,” and which is
slightly analogous to roup among domestic fowls, perhaps. But this
‘¢yaws” is simply one more new name for a very old chicken disease.

PRICE SO CENTS.

pisFAse

OF

BOMESTIC POULTRY.

HOW TO AVOID, AND CURE THEM.

Sees
By GEO. P. BURNHAM.

<I
WITH A PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHO,.

_ ——737GR00-—.

MELROSE, MASS.

1876.

Copvrighted by G. P. BoRNHAM. 1876.

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