AGRIC, DEPT, ' : , Agile. Dept- PROFIT OR LOSS CREDIT ri rood Breed in q Stock Meat Labor Unavoidable Jity PROFIT OR LOSS POULTRY DISEASES Causes Symptoms and Treatment With Notes on Post-Mortem Examinations E. J. WORTLEY, F. C. S. Illustrated ORANGE JUDD COMPANY 1915 LONDON KEG AN PAUL. TRENCH. TRUBNER & CO . Limited Vs/ b Main Lib. - -"• " <^ & Copyright, 1915, by ORANGE JUDD COMPANY All Rights Reserved Entered at Stationers' Hall LONDON. ENGLAND PRINTED IN U. S. A. PREFACE Poultry farming as a means of profit can be made successful only by maintaining the most vigorous and sustained campaign against disease. The aim of the poultry rearer should be to stamp out disease by preventive measures. Practical experience proves the inefficiency of many so-called cures, and points to the urgency of poultry- men endeavoring to understand more thor- oughly the causes of the ailments to which domestic fowls are liable. My aim is to put a concise handbook into the hands of poultry rearers, who should thus be assisted in determining the various diseases and in taking the precautionary steps important in preventing the introduc- tion and spread of contagious diseases. No effort is made to elaborate the scientific side of the subject. Those desirous of obtain- ing full information about the types of organisms that have been proved to be the specific causes of, or to be invariably asso- v 331234 PREFACE ciated with, particular disorders, may do so with profit by obtaining fuller works on the subject. Many scientific workers are de- voting their time to the problem of combat- ing diseases among poultry, and assistance is willingly given by officers of the ex- periment stations to farmers who desire to identify any disease causing loss in their flocks. The practical poultryman will recognize the fact that measures for the control of disease cannot be limited to sanitation and the treatment of sick birds, but, in reality, include such important matters as the selection of healthy stock, intelligent feeding, proper housing, and other details essential to the successful management of poultry. I gratefully acknowledge my indebted- ness to the works of Dr. D. E. Salmon and John H. Robinson, editor of Farm Poultry, and to the recent publication on poultry dis- eases by Dr. Raymond Pearl, Frank M. Surface, and Maynie R. Curtis. My thanks are due to R. S. Martinez for the care taken vi PREFACE in making the photographs from which the drawings for the illustrations in the chapter on Post-Mortem Examinations were pre- pared. Much valuable information has also been obtained from bulletins issued by the experiment stations of the United States and by the Ontario Agricultural College of Canada. E. J. WORTLEY. Vll CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROLLING DISEASE i 1. Importance of controlling disease. 2. Dangers of introducing disease. 3. Control measures. 4. Nursing sick birds. 5. The use of drugs and medicines. 6. Disinfection. CHAPTER II SUMMARY OF EXTERNAL SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT . . . . -14 1. Diseases affecting head and respiratory organs. 2. Diseases affecting organs of digestion and repro- duction. 3. Diseases affecting legs and feet. 4. Parasites. 5. Miscellaneous. CHAPTER III DISEASES OF POULTRY OTHER THAN FOWLS . 19 CHAPTER IV DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS . . . .22 (In alphabetical order.) CHAPTER V POST- MORTEM EXAMINATIONS . . . .99 1. Making the examination. 2. The normal condition of the internal organs. 3. Diagnosis of disease by post-mortem symptoms. ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FIG. PAGE Profit or Loss Frontispiece 2 Isolation ......... 5 3 Desolation 6 4 Poultryman's Medicine Shelves ..... 8 5 How Disease Is Spread . . . . . .10 6 Aids to Thorough Disinfection . . . . .12 7 Head Showing Brain Exposed 29 R I Windpipe Cut Open I t A Fungus That Causes Aspergillosis . . } 9 Bumblefoot ........ 36 10 Chicken Pox 38 11 Diphtheritic Roup 50 5 Chicken Affected with Gapes . . 1 , 1 Gape Worms I 13 Looking for Lice ....... 67 14 Three Lice That Commonly Affect Fowls . . 68 15 The Air-Sac Mite 74 16 The Depluming Mite ....... 74 17 The Red Mite 75 18 Organs of Reproduction of the Hen . . . -78 19 Examining a Fowl with a Suspicious Cold . . .84 20 A Roupy Eye . 87 21 Scaly Leg 88 22 The Mite That Causes Scaly Leg . . . .89 23 The Fowl Tick 90 24 Organs Affected by Tuberculosis and Blackhead . 91 25 Chickens Affected with White Diarrhea . . .93 26 Healthy Chickens 93 27 Worms in Intestinal Tract of Fowl . . . -95 28 The Parts of a Fowl 96 29 Skeleton of a Fowl -97 30 Post-Mortem Examination No. i .... 100 31 Post-Mortem Examination No. 2 .... 102 32 Post-Mortem Examination No. 3 .... 104 33 Post-Mortem Examination No. 4 .... 106 34 Post-Mortem Examination No. 5 . . . .no xi CHAPTER I GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROLLING DISEASE I. Importance of Controlling Disease THE ravages of disease add considerably to the difficulties of raising poultry in all parts of the world. It is the experience of poultry rearers that an annual toll has to be paid in the lives of young birds and older stock. Sooner or later, in addition, an epi- demic may break out and result in heavy losses and much discouragement. It is most important, therefore, to be able to recognize the symptoms and to know the causes of the many diseases to which vari- ous kinds of poultry are subject. Every practical effort should be made to reduce avoidable mortality. An unexplained death should be regarded with concern. It may point to the presence of a serious dis- ease. When there is not sufficient external POUtTKY DISEASES :«AND THEIR TREATMENT evidence for determining the cause of death, a post-mortem examination should be made (see page 98). The poultryman must know above all whether he is dealing with an infectious dis- ease or not. The discovery that a sudden death among his fowls is due to apoplexy will set his mind at ease. On the other hand, if a case of cholera occurs, the body of the dead fowl should be burnt, and a vigorous campaign started to prevent the spread of the disease; birds showing mopishness and other suspicious symptoms should be isolated; the houses, the feed troughs, the water vessels, and the yard to which the dead fowl has had access, should all be thor- oughly disinfected. 2. Dangers of Introducing Disease Perhaps more loss has been caused by in- troducing birds with disease into a healthy flock than by any other means. Readers will, doubtless, be able to recall occasions on which their own, or their neighbors', 2 GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROLLING DISEASE flocks suffered. An instance was recently related to the writer. A poultryman was offered two fowls, which he at first refused, but owing to the vagrant seller's importu- nity, he eventually bought the birds and let them loose among the home flock. On the following day one died; but no effort was made to discover the cause, nor was the dead fowl's body burnt. In a few days, a fowl belonging to the original flock died and, in three to four weeks after the purchase, two- thirds of the stock had died. It afterwards transpired that the vendor had lost several of his fowls from cholera, and the fear of further mortalities had been his reason for being so anxious to dispose of the survivors. On every farm where poultry is kept, there should be a quarantine ward for new purchases. The most careful breeders will isolate their own birds that have returned from an exhibition, for fear they may have contracted some disease there or on the journey. 3 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT J. Control Measures Practical experience and scientific in- vestigation have clearly proved that pre- ventive measures are more economical and effective than curative. Failing preven- tion, everything points to the importance of dealing promptly with the first cases, owing to the risk of infection of the rest of the stock. Control measures may be divided into three classes: 1. Proper housing and feeding of fowls. 2. General sanitation and disinfection. 3. Administration of medicine to sick birds. The details to which special attention must be given are covered by the following axiomatic rules: 1. Isolate birds recently purchased — for two or three weeks. 2. Isolate every bird that shows any sign of ill health. 3. Provide a fresh and pure supply of water in a shady position. 4. Add Epsom salts (one teaspoonful to a quart) once a week to the drinking water. Give chickens daily a liberal supply of bran in addition to their other food. 5. Feed birds on a varied diet, including green food. 6. Arrange that birds have to scratch for some of their food. 7. Construct houses, nest boxes, etc., so that they can be readily and thoroughly disinfected. Houses should be free from drafts. 8. Disinfect contaminated soil by spraying, liming, and resting. GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROLLING DISEASE 9. Visit the roosts at night to detect cases of wheezing due to colds, and to search for mites and other pests. 10. Keep on hand disinfectants, lice powders and medicines likely to be required. 4. Nursing Sick Birds The small margin of profit on a single fowl makes dosing with medicines and nurs- ing an unprofitable occupation, except in FIG. 2.— ISOLATION POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT the case of valuable stock. If the treatment of a bird is undertaken, it should be borne in mind that more depends upon attention to the rules of good nursing than to the administration of drugs. Comfortable quarters, warm and free from drafts, clean straw, and invalid's diet of soft and easily FIG. 3.— DESOLATION GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROLLING DISEASE digested food will all turn the chances in favor of recovery. Too often isolation is in effect a death sen- tence. The bird is put into cramped quar- ters, exposed to cold winds and beating rains, and, being in an out-of-the-way cor- ner, is, perhaps, neglected instead of being specially cared for. Fowls that will not take food should be fed lightly, but frequently, with a spoon in order that their strength may be kept up. All stale food should be removed. 5. The Use of Drugs and Medicines Drugs and medicines likelyto be required should always be kept in stock. The weekly use of Epsom salts, as a mild laxative for preventing intestinal disorders, is strongly recommended. Little faith should be put in drugs said to cure tuberculosis, cholera, etc. Below is given a list of the medicines generally required. The doses given in the table are for a medium-sized adult fowl; three-quarters as much should be given for a half-grown bird, and about 7 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT one-fifth for a young chicken. Treatment should be repeated as necessary, and animals should be well nursed. FIG. 4.— POULTRYMAN'S MEDICINE SHELVES GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROLLING DISEASE MEDICINE DOSE OR STRENGTH DISEASE Stimulants — Brandy 3-10 drops in Aperients — Calomel warm milk 1 grain Diarrhea; liver disease Castor oil Epsom salts 20 grains to 50 Astringents — grains in food or warm water Constipation; diarrhea; r liver disease. ) Laudanum (relieves pain) Tonic and Febrifuge — 4-6 drops Diarrhea; dysentery. Diarrhea; dysentery. f Colds; fever; TOUT. For Worms — Turpentine ....*. in 1 teaspoon- ful castor oil I }- Worms (intestinal). Antiseptic Washes — (a) Carbolic acid (b) Hydrogen peroxide, (c) Creolin (d) Permanganate of 1-5% sol. 50% 2-5% sol. %-2% sol. j I Colds; roup; diphtheria; | cuts and injuries. Dressing Flesh Wounds— y2 creolin and x/£ sweet oil ... Cuts and injuries. To Reduce Swellings — Tincture Embrocation : Turpentine 10 drops (Cramp. Sweet oil 1 ounce Rheumatism. Insecticides — Lice powders Lice, mites. Sulphur ointment: 1 part Scaly legs. Lice, scaly legs, mites, ticks. 1 part Lard 2 parts NOTE. — By accepting that 1 *4 teaspoonfuls made up to a r«"-t v-"1i water gives approximately a 1% solution, any of the weak dilutions required by poultrymen can be easily prepared. POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT 6. Disinfection The important part played by micro-or- ganisms in causing and spreading disease must be understood before the value of dis- infection can be fully appreciated. The poultryman must develop a sense of sight that sees lurking microbes at every turn, especially in unclean corners. Figure 5 shows germs revealed by the microscope in the excrement of a bird suffering from FIG. 5.— HOW DISEASE IS SPREAD Germs of tuberculosis in the excrement of a fowl. (After Edwards.) IO GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROLLING DISEASE tuberculosis. The fact that this speck con- tained so many germs, although it was far too small to be seen with the naked eye, will give an idea of how epidemics may be caused by food, water, and soil contam- inated by excreta, nasal discharges, etc. Regular and thorough disinfection of woodwork, of feeding vessels, and of the drinking water should form part of the routine of poultry management, and a stock of disinfectants should always be kept on hand. It will be found convenient to have an iron drum with a tap for a diluted solu- tion, say 5%, of some standard disinfectant — e. g., creolin — that can be further diluted as required. Water. A stock solution of perman- ganate of potash, made by adding ten'grains to one quart of water, should always be kept on hand for purposes of disinfection. When there is danger of infection, two tablespoon- fuls of this solution should be added to every gallon of drinking water. Feeding Vessels. Clean with boiling water. ii POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT Houses and Fixtures. Spray with 2% to 5% creolin (or other disinfectant) and whitewash afterwards, or use whitewash to which 2% of creolin has been added. The FIG. 6.— AIDS TO THOROUGH DISINFECTION 12 GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROLLING DISEASE whitewash should be prepared with quick- lime. The house should first be cleaned out with an iron scraper and scrubbing brush, using a liberal supply of water (see Fig. 6). Soil. The most convenient of the follow- ing methods should be adopted : 1 i ) Spray surface with 5% creolin. (2) Spread straw over ground and set fire to it. (3) Fork over and lime. This method is not sufficient if serious contamination is suspected. POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT H Q ^ < CO w H 0-c r \ W PH o S § D 5 fc 2 1 g g-j | S "5« "c £ **• 0 -w oj S ~ •§,= «§ E . '1 S * 0 " ~ "O S'i 73 c _x .t; « -^ '5 jjj c w * c 1 ^ 4J O UJ "^ >» c ,0 p CO . ^ TREATM ktl f-si 1 £ '* to 0 C I gi S -g. till .i « crc 5 >,CX ex as .S ^ -^ u O ^- CO i •% ° i •o f^w^^c'g 2 **" ! 1 | £ ^3 t, 2£ to 4 1 irlsls^S.^ -o° o S. o ^2 £23 < K (8 : *oT "S . V : ^ : : 1 : 'o . X J= 0 • • 3 8 Z3 * • •73 o 73 : c/j • C P • *•* • CJ g S • "S ^ • 1 ^ • ^J ex | F 5 ex 03 I!c o ** 1 I 0 w 73 '• * B T3 C §§• : J g '• .„ • -J5 0 S3 jfl O • o J^ • ^ I c o M 41 u u cu ' f_l '3 H« II 1^ •^ O C 'S ° ° jag S ^ 0) ^ S r" ^ ^ £d CX^ 73 ^ *- o *^ UJ C c > 0 a •- c 75 J= *8C ex c > *u * &T 0 03 II 2 ,co £ 3 J 0 >,'£ e "i 55 iS "t c .2 c CT: t o 8 i wa CO £ D^ ^ ^ -H 1 " 3 ; 85 ^>t: . D * 4) H i | | • 03 I "5 . O C- •z 11! lit • 1) S tj U c • S £ (£ W) . 2 ~ I ^3 • ex /. Diseases aff atory orgai Air under sk Apoplexy . . Aspergillosis Brooder pnei rill u cd M !£ CflUUU rt I) 73 O u li !i i il UUQ WW* i i5 14 SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT ufj | 0 1 g •a c o > ^ ^^ ^Q d. "1 B 1 •o 0 c 1 . § jo •5 o c d •r — ~~ 3 ji "5 3 CO ^- 15 co CU 3 1 U! =2 C3 U -t u H •£2 O *' > 3 rt S O co oj E 4> .. « S CO OS H So"0 B« 5 « -a c b •S s o a> *l s ° 00 •°"S £-.= •0 l.i i ^ a •£c SoS jS i !" 111 MOi i 0 0, E m 0 J3 > WO ^ o j, ; ; i c 1) ; ; 12 T3 E • • cu T3 CO X H ""s tf T3 i o CO s .-= " l! c '5. T3 C .# 6 11 0 tn C 1 s § *J 0 0) C 3 1) CO tfl o-5 C co —• "O Sfc C 0 Z SO Q Q ^ OP •b <0 •a • • c • ^ ; : 5i S. So ; ;!5 2 •3 • 'u • ^ iii ! 'x' o a «^-> O I M «> I ! :S DISEASE acting head ns — Continu i jfl • 8 11 ?cting organ 'production: i 0) ^ 3 .S3 • « . II «> . • JS .> ^^ • 0 i la 4> 11 || « ^8* ^; "o jj ^ s§ 8.1 q^ Blackheac CQ -2 -2*0 0 UUU Cloacitis Constipat Coccidios Coccidios OJ u •5 15 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT !•!• Jl s 1 | iljls | o i TREATMENT I1!! if : — to > O.TJ a • i> 'S S 25 « If g g g °-s g « s^l§£S (2 ^5 5 HK u w uo uzxzu 2 : * : : '. '. ' ' : : : : : a o • o> • • '5 ' ' 12 • c • • 4 : : ; s i i i i 0 D " "* ' rt* d! * * o • • • • cu g ^ ^ : * g £ : : •a : : : n. 1 :£»2 W 'S • g S S to • ^-g ||° 4 o -P y u O °* rt " So WJ 3 "o •*-* £ < R • M . T3 u Jj O c : ^ 9 *> sc « ° 1- l"l*is • 2 «c^^-£- So ^ o .2 .S — • w c x O Q. 0> O "^ ^ -^^ C *ett ^ U | s«ll5i "° 8 I« £.£ -g-a « « S &«-S I II I ° I i S « 3 1 5 £ 5o3 D C/3 Q Q>- 1111^5 •o • • '•3-5 : : : : : : g : : J3 • • :::::: fl: MM :7 : g- : : • • " CJ • • 2 • JC 4) • • i? :::*•: u 9 °'5^ : : : u C H> ^~" ' ' o : : : : : •So ^ : : : .2.2 « o. • : u • o, : : : Q Jtel^ * i • • jSJjj « : i 8 8«| : : : 0 13 .2 • . T3 WC CO . 3 • b C i:i?4 I s-i i |l|- 2 - II S — So-c - o ' M 4> D. (, S •= <0 •- *a >^-- .2 *j o |^|fj| Q U U O QQ W tStS^o EC- ^3oo£^5 16 SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT £ 8 o '5 i f i i 1 * i i- - •s •§!: § i |i"! s --i : r. stil •< 3 D J 1 H H f- Kill affected birds; disinf houses, etc. Proper feeding; thorough c difficult to control. '* c a "§ a C<"04)Co< a E I •- W)'a M .«'M •" 8 la'5" ^ l|.s| 3 |.£8 1 1 |g|a .! jrl-^fill^l1 ^1 1^°^!? Pli||l|i^ i^ Pi^M J X CflQ WOS Q W Q Q 5 i 2~T > J J « i ° ! c3 ..S . . w . . MTJ • J- ; . • >> • • '-3 • • -a .S • S ' SYMPTOMS C -C 2 3 : - :l ill I Is :«1 j f ;: iii jj || i: f « |i :"l ! l-s ^ EXTERNAL Wasting away; Ian Dullness; many de rhea c e H !.S£ -g f | 8l ! 1 I Jjlfjl J gsaf; i c/3 Q MD- Pw O O 3 tt |?a i : ^ : : : : DISEASE ;ases affecting organs n and reproduction — C rculosis e diarrhea of chickens ?ases affecting legs an : ig : g § • • il ji : I I a I 1 1 I ? I &% i z 1 1 11 »| |8 & 8 S CO U U.O J« ^U, O J ^ 17 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT £ IS8?! ^0-S1 5w^ w « o JC^ZH^ z £zpuo | .* . . . a « ...2 o O *, x-3 ' -o o £ -° • I ** 2 £ _ • • — <0 £ W • ja **^j c 2^ • 1" '"- 0 • JS £.2 gr, 3 • § 3 .o*- aj •O'O1*.. ^c _ Q. O _ g1-^ IT ^^^hr6* >, <0 •o a~ g c ^ 'o £ J5 'S M.S "g x jj "g t< ^H = * S a «> ^cS'^M^ "wS^Ea '£^ C3X C «fe.- o ^OCO "^^ O 3 ^ O C "^ .SfflUJ D 03 _l (^_iWCt:. 1 ! I "** '. :. : :| : Mill iiiiltn i *o I 1^-5 :s : ••:::««: S «3sl_. : 3 : • :2^2 s w :-! ff.Sc .-. . « DQ UJ U. O I -J 18 CHAPTER III DISEASES OF POULTRY OTHER THAN FOWLS ALL classes of domestic poultry are to a great extent subject to the same dis- eases that affect the common fowl. The symptoms of such diseases are for the most part similar to those noticed when fowls are affected, and treatment must be on the same lines. In the management of turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowls and pigeons, the strictest sanitary measures must be enforced, as in the rearing of fowls. Owing to its importance, blackhead of turkeys is dealt with separately. It is one of the most serious of poultry diseases and causes heavy losses to turkey rearers. Care- ful study should be made of the reports of the recent investigations at the Rhode Island Experiment Station. Severe epidemics of diarrhea or cholera occur among all classes of poultry. Geese are subject to a form of cholera that appears 19 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT to be different from any kind that attacks fowls. Water fowl are not commonly in- fested with external parasites. Pigeons, on the other hand, are worried by fleas and ticks as well as mites. Smallpox of pigeons is similar to chicken pox of fowls, but pus- tular swellings may be found on the rump and the cloaca of the pigeon as well as on the head. The scaly leg mite attacks turkeys and the gape worm is sometimes a serious pest of poults. Below is given a list of some of the diseases of turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowls and pigeons: TURKEYS Blackhead Diphtheria Gapes Leg weakness Lice Mites Roup Tuberculosis Scaly leg White comb Worms DUCKS Aspergillosis Diphtheria Catarrh Lice Congestion of lungs Mites Cholera Worms 2O DISEASES OF POULTRY OTHER THAN FOWLS GEESE Aspergillosis Lice Cholera Mites Congestion of lungs Worms Diphtheria GUINEA FOWLS Aspergillosis Lice Cholera Mites Diphtheria Worms PIGEONS Aspergillosis Flea Canker Lice Chicken pox (smallpox) Mites Diphtheria Ticks Dovecot bug Worms 21 CHAPTER IV DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS Abscesses. Abnormal eggs (see Oviduct diseases). Air under skin (see Emphysema). Air sac mite (see Mites, air sac). Anaemia. Apoplexy. Aspergillosis. Atrophy of liver (see Liver diseases). Bacterial enteritis (see Diarrhea). Baldness (see Favus). Biliary repletion (see Jaundice). Blackhead of turkeys. Breakdown. Broken limbs (see Fractures). Bronchitis. Brooder pneumonia. Bumblefoot. Cancer (see Liver diseases and Ovary diseases). Canker (see Diphtheria). Catarrh (see Cold). Catarrh, contagious (see Roup). Catarrh of crop. Catarrh of stomach (see Gastritis). 22 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS Chicken pox. Cholera. Cloacitis. Coccidiosis of adult fowls. Coccidiosis of chickens (see Brooder pneumonia) Coccidiosis of turkeys (see Blackhead). Cold. Congestion of the liver (see Liver diseases). Congestion of the lungs (see Pneumonia). Conjunctivitis (see Roup). Constipation. Cramp. Crop-bound. Crop, soft (see Soft crop). Crop, Catarrh of. Depluming mite. Diarrhea, bacterial. Diarrhea, mycotic. Diarrhea, protozoan. Diarrhea, simple. Diarrhea, severe. Diarrhea, white. Diphtheria. Diphtheritic roup. Dislocations (see Fractures). Dropsy. Dysentery. Egg-bound. Egg-eating. 23 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT Emphysema. Enlargement of heart (see Heart, diseases of). Enlargement of liver (see Liver diseases). Enlargement of kidneys (see Kidney diseases). Enteritis (see Diarrhea). Entero-hepatitis (see Blackhead). Epilepsy. Fatty degeneration. Favus. Feather-eating. Fits (see Epilepsy). Fleas. Fowl typhoid. Fractures. Frost bite. Gangrenous Ovary (see Ovary diseases). Gapes. Gastritis. Going light (see Anaemia). Gout. Grippe (see Cold). Heart, diseases of. Heart, dropsy of. Heart, enlargement of. Heart, rupture. Hypertrophy of the liver (see Liver diseases). Impaction of the crop (see Crop-bound). Indigestion. Influenza (see Cold). 24 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS Jaundice. Kidney diseases. Leg weakness. Leukemia (see Cholera). Lice. Limber-neck. Liver diseases. Lungs, congestion of (see Pneumonia). Maggots. Mites, air sac. Mites, depluming. Mites, red. Mites, scaly leg (see Scaly leg). Molting. Nodular tasniasis (see Worms). Ovary diseases. Oviduct diseases. Peritonitis. piP. Pneumonia. Poisoning. Prolapse of oviduct (see Oviduct diseases). Puffed skin (see Emphysema). Pyaemia. Rheumatism. Roup. Scabies (see Mites, depluming). Scaly leg. 25 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT Soft crop. Sore head (see Chicken pox). Ticks. Tuberculosis. Vertigo (see Apoplexy). White comb (see Favus). White diarrhea of chickens. Worms. ABSCESSES Not a common poultry complaint Symptoms. The flesh becomes inflamed and swollen and forms a "head" containing pus. Cause. A scratch or a small injury fol- lowed by inflammation due to pus-forming organisms. Treatment. Lance the abscess when "ripe" with a clean, sharp knife, cutting low so that the sore may drain readily. Squeeze out the pus; wash with i% carbolic acid or creolin and dress with creolin and sweet oil (half and half) until healed. The most common abscess is that which forms on the pad of the foot and develops into bumblefoot. 26 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS ANAEMIA, OR GOING LIGHT A condition that should incite the poultryman to investigate the cause Symptoms. Birds lose weight, or "go light," without any apparent reason. Cause. A general lack of thriftiness in the flock may be due to insufficient or poor food, to lack of exercise, or to bad ventilation of houses; lice or mites may be infesting the birds. On the other hand, birds may gradu- ally lose weight as the result of some such disease as tuberculosis (see page 90, as- pergillosis (see page 29), or worms (see page 94) . Treatment. Make any changes in feed- ing or management that may appear desir- able. Search at night for mites or lice on the birds; in the daytime examine the straw in nest boxes, the roosts, and the cracks and crevices of the woodwork for parasites. Much time may often be saved in discovering what is wrong with the flock by killing one or more of the affected birds 27 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT • and making a post-mortem examination to discover if a specific disease is the cause. APOPLEXY Not a common trouble Symptoms. Staggering gait and bewil- dered appearance; bird generally drops dead suddenly. Cause. Attributed to high feeding or over-laying. Treatment. There is usually no time for treatment, but if the attack is mild, put the bird in a dark place and give no food for a few hours ; give a dose of Epsom salts and add green food to diet. Bleeding from under a wing i$ sometimes tried. Post-mortem examination shows clotted blood on the brain, the other organs being normal. The name vertigo is applied to congestion of the brain as distinct from apoplexy due to hemorrhage of the brain. The fowl has fits. It is difficult to distinguish this disease from epilepsy (see page 55). The cause is little understood. 28 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS ASPERGILLOSIS A disease that exists more commonly than is usually suspected, and is the cause of the death of large numbers of young chickens Symptoms. Fowls gradually lose weight, mope, and die without any pronounced ail- ment except difficulty in breathing. In adults the disease may be mistaken for tuberculosis and in chickens for white diarrhea. Aspergillosis of chickens is dealt with under brooder pneumonia. Post-mor- tem symptoms are whitish or yellowish growths on the windpipe, that can only be definitely diagnosed under the microscope. Cause. A fungoid growth in the windpipe and bron- chial tubes, sometimes ex- tending to the lungs and liver. Fig. 8 shows the spores and filaments of the species of aspergillosis most commonly responsible Fic.7. — HEAD SHOWING BRAIN EXPOSED 29 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT FIG. 8.— ASPERGILLOSIS On left — Windpipe cut open. On right — A fungus that causes aspergillosis for this disease. Infection may be due to musty grain or dirty straw. Treatment. No medicines are of any avail. Protection lies in not using musty grain or moldy litter. Burn dead birds. BLACKHEAD OF TURKEYS A 'very serious disease, making the successful rearing of turkeys difficult and in some cases impossible Symptoms. Young turkeys, or poults, are most commonly attacked; there is loss of weight and loss of appetite; the bird appears listless and stands by itself with 3° DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS drooping wings and tail. Diarrhea is gen- erally one of the symptoms. The comb often turns a dark purple — a symptom that has given rise to the name blackhead. Death generally follows an attack fairly rapidly, but in some cases the disease may take a chronic form, while it is believed that recovery is occasionally effected. Post-mortem symptoms. The caeca (see Fig. 32) are enlarged, are diseased in parts, and are more or less plugged with cheesy matter and pus. The liver is diseased, being sometimes very much enlarged and covered with yellowish necrotic areas, gen- erally depressed in the centre (see Fig. 24^) . In cases of an acute attack, especially in young birds, one of the caeca only may be affected and the liver may not be invaded. The extent of the necrotic areas and the degree of the enlargement of the infected organs may vary greatly in different cases. Cause. The cause of blackhead has been shown by Drs. Cole and Hadley to be a coccidium. A full account of their work is published in Bulletin 141 of the Rhode 31 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT Island Experiment Station. Coccidia enter the digestive tract of the healthy turkey by means of food or water infected by the excrement of a sick bird. The organisms pass along the alimentary canal until they reach the caeca, the lining of which they attack, giving rise to the conditions men- tioned under post-mortem symptoms. How the infection spreads from the caeca to the liver is not clear. It has been conclusively proved that fowls, as well as pigeons, sparrows, etc., act as hosts for these parasites. Although adult fowls have a great degree of resistance themselves, they are a means of carrying infection to turkeys. Eggs may be one of the means of spread- ing the disease, as they may become con- taminated in the oviduct or the cloaca of birds affected with blackhead. Treatment. No remedy or satisfactory method of prevention has been discovered. The difficulty of effecting a cure is obvious when the nature of the disease is con- 32 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS sidered. Drs. Cole and Hadley summarize measures of prevention as follows: 1. Protect the yards and flocks which may have the good fortune to be uninfected with the blackhead organism by a thorough examination of all new stock, whether turkeys, fowls, geese or other domestic birds. 2. Keep the turkeys on grounds which are as fresh as can be obtained, and above all, keep them isolated from fowls and other domestic birds. 3. Keep every turkey in the flock under close observa- tion in order to separate and at once isolate any bird which gives evidence of the disease. To facilitate such observa- tions it is helpful to leg-band each individual, and to record its weight from time to time. Such a course makes it pos- sible to learn whether any birds are losing weight, and if this is the case, these birds must be regarded with suspicion, and separated from the rest of the flock. 4. If it is known that blackhead is present in any of the poultry, the yard should be kept free from English sparrows, and the poultry houses and grain boxes from rats and mice, which have been shown to carry the causative organism. 5. When it is desired to fatten birds for the market, begin to increase the rations gradually. Never attempt to fatten birds which, in successive weighings, show a loss of weight. Overfeeding does not cause blackhead, but fre- quently causes the sudden death of birds in which blackhead is present. 6. When birds have died of blackhead, their bodies should be promptly burned or buried in order to prevent the dissemination of the coccidia, either through the ravages of rats or skunks, or consequent to the natural processes of decay. BREAKDOWN Not often seen in the poultry yard Symptoms. The abdomen becomes en- 33 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT larged, hangs down at the back, and some- times touches the ground. Cause. Old layers are generally affected. The cause may be the strain of heavy laying, or may in cases be due to too much internal fat. Treatment. No satisfactory treatment can be recommended and the bird had best be killed. Such birds should not be used for breeding purposes. BRONCHITIS (CROUP) Not very common Symptoms. Bronchitis may be distin- guished by the rattling in the throat of the bird affected and by the rapid breathing and cough. The rattling is due to mucus in the inflamed bronchial tubes. In bad cases, birds mope, refuse to eat, and soon die. Cause. Bronchitis may develop from an ordinary cold, or may be due to sudden changes of temperature, or to exposure to rain, cold, and damp. Treatment. Keep affected bird away 34 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS from drafts and in a warm place; dose with Epsom salts (see page 9) and give soft food, e. g., bread, bran, and middlings, with milk. Wine of ipecacuanha has been recommended for cases in which breathing is very difficult owing to excessive inflam- mation. BROODER PNEUMONIA A 'very serious disease, causing the death of many chickens Symptoms. Chickens affected stand by themselves with roughened plumage. There is a whitish diarrhea, and this disease can easily be mistaken for white diarrhea. (See page 92.) Post-mortem examination will show yellowish spots on the lungs, on the walls of the air sacs, and on the liver and other organs, due to infection by the asper- gillus fungus. (See page 29.) Cause. Infection by a species of the as- pergillus fungus, the spores of which are probably inhaled. This fungus is common. The spores may be in the straw used for nests or for litter, or in the food, especially if it is at all moldy. 35 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT Treatment. There is no cure for an af- fected chicken, and the poultryman must aim at prevention. Vigorous sanitary measures are imperative. Clean straw or excelsior should be used for nests; eggs for hatching should be disinfected by wiping with 80% alcohol; incubators and brooders should be thoroughly disinfected. BUMBLEFOOT Not serious if treated early Symptoms. Lameness with swelling on pad of foot. Cause. Injury to sole of foot, developing FIG. 9.— BUMBLEFOOT 36 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS into an abscess. Heavy birds are more sub- ject than light ones to bumblefoot, especially if made to roost on perches that are too high. Treatment. Paint with iodine. Lance the abscess if it is sufficiently advanced. Lower perches. Birds under treatment should have their feet bandaged, and should be put on deep straw to prevent further in- jury while the wounds are healing. Not serious if taken in hand promptly. CATARRH OF THE CROP Not a common trouble Symptoms. Distention of crop with soft pasty matter of a more or less offensive character. Cause. Eating stale, putrifying food or some poisonous matter. Treatment. Empty the bird's crop by holding the head downwards and gently pressing the contents out through the mouth. Feed sparingly on soft food. 37 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT CHICKEN POX OR SORE HEAD An infectious disease that causes considerable loss among chickens and young birds in n^arm climates Symptoms. Small, scabby, wart-like growths and eruptions on the head, espe- cially on the comb and the wattles and around the eyes — in bad cases extending to the lids and even the mouth. Chickens and young birds are most commonly attacked by this disease, which spreads rapidly. FIG. 10.— CHICKEN POX Cause. The specific organism has not been definitely determined. Chicken pox may be started by the introduction of an 38 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS infected bird, and mosquitoes and other in- sects are suspected of being agents in its spread. Treatment. Prompt treatment may be very successful. Isolate affected birds. Apply tincture of iodine, first scraping off the scabs. Creolin 2%, or other disinfect- ants, may be used instead of iodine. Dirty coops are a contributing cause, and cleanli- ness of chicken runs and houses is important. Disinfect soil (see page 13) and wood- work (see page 12) regularly and with extra care when the first cases are noticed. When roupy lesions develop, as is sometimes the case, treat as for roup. (See page 83.) CHOLERA A serious and epidemic form of diarrhea for which no remedy is known Symptoms. Fowls die suddenly with apparently little reason. There are symp- toms of diarrhea and examination shows that the feces are a bright yellow or green instead of the normal color. Before death, fowls have fever and may be seen moping 39 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT and showing evidences of distress. For post-mortem symptoms see page 112. Cause. A contagious disease, due to bacteria, that, owing to infection of soil and drinking water by birds suffering from the disease, spreads rapidly through a flock. It is often introduced by the purchase of an infected bird that appears at the time of purchase to be well. Treatment. Prevention by strict sani- tary measures is what must be aimed at. It is believed that no cure is known for gen- uine cases of cholera. Isolate all new birds brought into the flock, especially when cases of cholera are reported in the neigh- borhood. The bodies of birds that have died of this disease are best burnt without delay. The germ of cholera appears to be both persistent and easily spread, and too much stress cannot be laid on the necessity of preventing its introduction, failing that, of quickly stamping it out. The sacrifice of a few birds to prevent the spread of the disease will be well repaid, for it has been necessary on occasions to kill a whole flock. 40 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS In some cases it has been found best to move unaffected birds to new quarters. Fowl typhoid, or leukemia, is a disease of the blood that may be mistaken for cholera. The poultryman must treat it in the same way. CLOACITIS OR VENT-GLEET Not a common disease Symptoms. Frequent small discharges of excrement and unsuccessful efforts to discharge when the cloaca (Fig. 32) is empty, the mucous membrane of which be- comes hot and inflamed. These symptoms are soon followed by an offensive discharge. Cause. A specific disease transmitted from hen to hen by the agency of the cock. Treatment. Immediately isolate affected hens; syringe out cloaca twice daily with 2% creolin; give mild purgative and put on soft food. Males likely to be affected should be examined, and diseased birds killed. Caution. The hands should be carefull POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT cleansed and disinfected, as a serious in- flammation will result if the eyes are rubbed with infected hands. This is a troublesome and risky disease to treat. COCCIDIOSIS OF ADULT FOWLS The germ of this disease does not usually affect adult fowls seriously, but causes severe losses among chickens and turkeys Symptoms. The external symptoms are not very pronounced ; there is loss of weight and in some cases diarrhea. The disease may last for a long time and birds may even recover. A post-mortem examination shows the walls of the caeca thickened and rilled with a pasty mass, while character- istic whitish or yellowish spots (see Fig. 24, d) are found in the liver. Cause. This disease is due to the same germ (a coccidium) that causes blackhead in turkeys. Adult fowls occasionally de- velop this disease, but appear to be able, as a rule, to act as a host for the germs without being themselves affected, although heavy 42 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS losses occur among turkeys or chickens that get the germ from them. Treatment. Copperas in the drinking water (three grains to a quart) has been recommended, together with the occasional use of calomel in one-grain doses, or one or two teaspoonfuls of castor oil. Thorough disinfection (see page 10) of houses and runs, etc., where affected fowls have been, is important. Burn the bodies of birds that die of the disease. COLD (SIMPLE CATARRH) Dangerous, because it may be confused with the early stages of roup Symptoms. Discharge from the nostrils and the eyes, with occasional fits of sneez- ing; loss of appetite, and moping. Cause. Cold and damp. Colds most frequently occur in wet weather and among poorly housed and poorly fed stock. Treatment. Warm housing and protec- tion from cold and wet. Give quinine — one grain to an adult fowl. Many believe in dosing fowls suffering from colds with 43 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT red pepper given in the food. When there are signs of stuffiness, the eyes and the nos- trils should be washed out once or twice daily. Carbolic acid 2%, or boric acid, about 3%, dissolved in water, is recom- mended for this purpose. Witch hazel has been found very effective. Caution. There is a risk of mistaking the early stages of roup for a simple cold. Further, birds are more likely to contract roup when suffering from a cold, and should, on this account, be isolated and regularly examined. Influenza. The term influenza, or grippe, is generally applied to a severe cold that has no symptoms of roup. CONSTIPATION Not common and seldom serious Symptoms. The bird suffering is dull and listless. Its efforts to evacuate are painful and unsuccessful. Cause. Internal blocking of the cloaca or the intestines, or, occasionally, of the 44 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS vent by dirt accumulated on the outside. Want of exercise and lack of green food are held to be contributing causes. Treatment. If constipation is due to dirt on the outside, cleanse vent by swabbing with warm water. When stoppage is in- side and can be felt through the vent syringe with sweet oil. In other cases, give a purgative such as castor oil or Epsom salts. If worms are suspected as the cause, give santonin (see page 9), followed by a teaspoonful of castor oil. CRAMP Must not be confused 'with more serious complaints Symptoms. Difficulty in standing and lameness, due to inflammation of muscles and joints. Cause. Damp and cold. Treatment. Put legs of bird in warm water; rub joints with embrocation and put in dry quarters. NOTE — In cases of rheumatism, tick fever, 45 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT i and tuberculosis, birds may show the same difficulty in standing that they do in cramp. CROP-BOUND (IMPACTION OF CROP) Not serious, as a rule Symptoms. The crop is hard and swollen. Cause. The blocking of the passage from the crop to the gizzard by a bit of stick or a stone, with the result that the food cannot pass out of the crop. Treatment. — Pour sweet oil down fowl's throat; work the crop with the fingers, en- deavoring to remove the obstructing object. If unsuccessful, cut open the crop and re- move the contents, making sure that the opening into the gizzard is clear. Sew up the cut made, stitching separately first the inner skin and then the outer. DIARRHEA OR ENTERITIS May take a serious and epidemic form Diarrhea is a common complaint among fowls, and in some cases takes a severe and DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS epidemic form. The latter form may be due to various causes, and it will be best, perhaps, to deal with diarrhea under the following heads : 1. Mild diarrhea. 2. Epidemic and severe diarrhea. 3. Dysentery. (See page 52.) 4. Cholera. (See page 39.) 5. White diarrhea of chickens. (See page 92.) Mild Diarrhea Symptoms. Looseness of bowels and staining of feathers around the anus with excreta. Cause. Indigestion caused by food which may be too laxative; e. g., excess of bran, or, by food which may be partly de- composed or may contain an intestinal ir- ritant. Cold may also be a cause. Treatment. Give Epsom salts, or castor oil. (See page 9.) Change diet if food is suspected. Often no treatment is neces- sary, but it is not wise to neglect cases that are apparently mild diarrhea, for fear they 47 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT may turn out to be an epidemic and con- tagious form. Diarrhea, Severe and Epidemic Symptoms. Excessive looseness of bowels, ruffling of feathers, depression, loss of appetite. A number of birds in the flock are attacked and death results. Cause. There are a variety of causes. Scientific investigation has led to the dis- covery of specific organisms responsible for various forms of diarrhea. It would be well for poultry rearers to study the results of such work, but, for the purposes of this book, it will be sufficient to state that the causal organism may be bacterial, mycotic, or protozoan. The owner of poultry will not usually be able himself to determine what type of diarrhea the fowls are suffer- ing from, but as a rule the treatment will have to be the same. Advice will have to be sought from an expert when dangerous epidemics are feared. Treatment. The most energetic meas- DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS ures of disinfection must be undertaken. (See page 10.) 1. Isolate sick fowls. 2. Disinfect soil of run thoroughly. 3. Clean and disinfect coops. 4. In bad cases, remove the rest of the flock from the infested run. 5. Give sick fowls Epsom salts, or castor oil; feed fowls on soft food. 6. If the diarrhea is not checked, give 6 to 12 drops of chloro- dyne. DIPHTHERIA OR DIPHTHERITIC ROUP A dangerous disease, and infected birds should be killed at once Symptoms. A cold, accompanied by whitish and yellowish patches on the back of the throat and in the mouth. These patches apparently form a false membrane and cannot be torn off without causing bleeding. The disease is sometimes known as canker. 49 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT Cause. This disease is often clearly a later stage of roup. It is difficult to say where one ends and the other begins. It has been claimed that the organism is the same as that which causes diphtheria in FIG. 11.— DIPHTHERITIC ROUP b, lower beak; /, tongue; m, false membrane. (After Harrison and Streit.) 50 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS human beings, but the weight of evidence is against this conclusion. Treatment. Diphtheria is extremely in- fectious. It is best to kill the first cases at once. If the bird is of particular value, it may be isolated and the patches on the throat swabbed with 50% hydrogen per- oxide or 5% creolin, with a small bit of cotton wool wound around a stick. If great care is exercised, 20% carbolic acid or 20% creolin may be painted on the patches, but neither should be allowed to touch the normal skin. Burn the swabs. Treat accompanying roupy symptoms as recommended under roup. The term canker is also applied to cer- tain spots or growths that occur on the throat. These are not in any way associ- ated with diphtheritic roup, or any danger- ous, contagious disease, and are due to in- jury or to an unhealthy condition of the mucous membrane. POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT DROPSY Not a common disease Symptoms. Distention of abdomen. Cause. Collection of liquid in abdom- inal cavity. Treatment. Treatment is seldom success- ful. It is best and most merciful to kill the afflicted bird. If it is desired to make an effort to save the bird, carefully punc- ture the lower portion of the abdomen with a trocar and squeeze out the liquid. Give invalid diet. DYSENTERY Serious if in epidemic form Symptoms. Severe diarrhea with blood in the discharges. Cause. Bacterial or other specific infec- tion of the intestines. Occasionally the eat- ing of some poisonous or irritating sub- stance will give rise to blood in the excre- ment. Treatment. Isolate bird, and give six to eight drops of chlorodyne on a small piece 52 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS of bread. Thorough disinfection (see page 10) of water, soil and house is neces- sary to prevent this disease spreading. EGG-BOUND An uncommon complaint Symptoms. The hen goes on and off the nest straining to lay. Generally the egg may be felt through the vent. After strain- ing for some time, she may succeed in lay- ing the egg, and treatment should not be undertaken until it is evident that the fowl needs assistance. Cause. Very young hens are more liable to this complaint, which arises from eggs of an abnormal size, from lack of muscular power, or from some other disorder of the oviduct. Treatment. It will be most merciful to kill fowls in much distress, as treatment is tedious and painful to the fowl. It has been recommended to hold the fowl's vent over steam from boiling water and then to pass an oiled finger up the vent. In bad 53 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT cases, pierce the egg and withdraw the con- tents, then break the shell and remove all the pieces. Great care must be taken to leave no particle of the broken shell behind. EGG-EATING A bad habit that may be controlled Symptoms. If remains of eggs are seen in nests or runs, the poultryman should be- come suspicious and make observations to prove whether any of his flock are eating eggs. Cause. Broken eggs or soft-shelled eggs left about the yard may be the cause of hens acquiring this bad habit. Treatment. All signs of broken eggs should always be immediately removed. The culprit, when detected, should be re- moved to a different pen and nest. Dark nests have been recommended. A^trap nest will prevent a hen from getting at her egg. EMPHYSEMA (AIR UNDER SKIN) Not a common disease of chickens Symptoms. In this disease of chickens 54 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS the skin becomes puffed out in one or more places, generally on the neck. In rare cases the puffing spreads over nearly the whole of the body. Cause. This disease is evidently caused by some obstruction of the air passages that forces the air to escape under the skin. Treatment. Let out the air by punctur- ing the skin. Give soft and nourishing food. It will probably be wiser not to use birds that recover from this complaint for breeding stock. EPILEPSY An unusual complaint Symptoms. The bird staggers about and has a fit. It may recover. Cause. It is difficult to discover a cause ; intestinal worms are suspected in some cases. Treatment. If it is suspected that intes- tinal worms are responsible, try the treat- ment recommended for worms. (See page 95.) 55 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT FATTY DEGENERATION Not contagious, but pointing to error in diet Symptoms. ' More or less sudden deaths of birds in good condition. Post-mortem examination shows an enlarged liver and masses of fat attached to the intestines. Cause. Something wrong with the diet; too much heat-giving food and want of ex- ercise. Treatment. Post-mortem proof of fatty degeneration in the flock should lead the poultry owner to change the diet, reducing the amount of heat-giving food, and giving more exercise. Some authors draw atten- tion to a fatty degeneration in which the liver is shrunken and shows fat globules under the microscope. FAVUS (WHITE COMB) Disfiguring, but easily controlled if treated early Symptoms. Whitish scabs or crusts on the comb, the head and down the neck. Cause. Due to a fungus that spreads, if 56 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS not treated, and that probably starts where there is an abrasion of the skin. Treatment. Treat in early stages of the disease by dressing with sulphur ointment. (See page 9.) Isolate bird. If the case has been neglected and allowed to develop, the crusts must first be moistened with oil and the surface scraped off with a blunt instrument. Then apply tincture of iodine or nitrate of silver. FEATHER-EATING Not a 'very common habit Symptoms. The presence of bare patches and injured plumage on birds should lead the poultryman to watch for feather-eaters. Cause. Irritation from insects, some defect in diet, or natural cussedness. Treatment. Isolate the offender, and, if persistent and of no special value, kill, for fear the bad example may be followed by others. If several fowls develop this vice, try hanging up a bone for them to peck at and thus distract their attention. 57 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT FLEAS An occasional parasite of poultry Symptoms. Fleas are found on the fowls or in the straw of their nests. Description, The flea that attacks fowls is known as the hen flea (Pulex gallince}. It is dark colored and has sharp mouth parts. Doubtless it causes the fowl it at- tacks much irritation in addition to loss of blood. Treatment. Keep poultry houses in a clean, sanitary condition. Dust the infested fowls with an insect powder or dip them in creolin, about \%. Burn infested straw. FRACTURES Broken bones of legs or wings can be mended by placing the bones back in their proper positions and binding with light splints. The splints may be removed in about four weeks. It will be found that shanks are easily set, but that broken wings give far more trouble. 58 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS If a fowl dislocates its leg or its wing, the joint should be gently pushed back into place. FROST BITE A strain on the bird's system Symptoms. Combs and wattles are most liable to frost bite, particularly in breeds in which these parts are large. Cause. Exposure to very low tempera- tures, especially if birds are suddenly turned out from warm quarters; dipping comb and wattles in water when the tem- perature is low. Treatment. Prevent by keeping birds as warm as possible during winter, and do not allow them to go out early in the mornings in very cold weather. Drinking water should be provided in a vessel from which birds can drink without wetting their wattles. In a case of frost bite, thaw the affected parts by gently rubbing with vase- line and afterwards treat with a mixture of 59 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT two grains of salicylic acid to one ounce of vaseline or lard. GAPES Serious in badly infested yards Symptoms. Frequent gaping and cough- ing; young chicks attacked, as a rule. FIG. 12.— GAPES On left: Chicken affected with gapes. On right: a, male and female gape worms; b, gape worms in windpipe. (From Salmon.) Notice if any worms are coughed up by the chicken ; if none can be found, but the gap- ing continues, put a stripped feather down the windpipe, as recommended under treat- ment, and see if any gape worms can be pulled up. 60 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS Cause. Small worms, red in color when engorged, which attach themselves to the mucous membrane of the windpipe. Af- fected birds cough up worms or ova, which infect the yard and sometimes the water supply. Earthworms taken from infested yards have been found to contain portions of gape worms, and may be one means of infecting poultry. Treatment. Isolate attacked poultry and disinfect coops and yards. The worms may be extracted from the windpipe of a gaping chicken with a feather stripped nearly to the end, and moistened, but not dripping, with oil of turpentine. Hold the mouth open, push the feather down the windpipe, and give it a sudden twist, which will dis- lodge the worms and allow of their being drawn up. Fumigation by holding the bird's head over an irritant vapor, such as that of carbolic acid poured into boiling water, is risky, but sometimes successful. If not cautiously done, much suffering may be inflicted on the bird. Post-mortem. Cut open the windpipe 61 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT and look for the worms, which may be easily recognized by Fig. 12. Male and female specimens will be found attached to one another. GASTRITIS (CATARRH OF THE STOMACH) Not a common complaint Symptoms. This disease cannot be readily diagnosed while the fowl is living; it is generally associated with catarrh of the crop. (See page 37.) The symptoms are similar. Post-mortem examination will show the lining of the stomach in an in- flamed condition. Cause. The inflammation of the lining of the stomach is generally due to eating de- composing food or other poisonous matter. Treatment. Empty the crop as recom- mended under Catarrh of the crop. Give one or two tablespoonfuls of castor oil and feed on soft and easily digested food with milk or barley water. Be sure that poultry are not allowed to run under trees that have been sprayed with arsenical poisons. 62 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS GOUT Not a common ailment Symptoms. The bird sometimes loses weight, and as the disease develops shows stiffness and an indisposition to stand. In some cases small nodules containing crys- tals of urate of soda occur on the underside of the toes. Cause. Failure of the kidneys to per- form their normal functions and consequent accumulation of urates in the bird's system in excessive quantities. Gout may be due to too concentrated feeding. Treatment. Medicines and treatment are of little avail. Endeavor to prevent by feeding a mixed diet. Post-mortem. In one form of this dis- ease, known as visceral gout, the liver and other abdominal organs are covered over with a powder-like deposit of the crystals of urate of soda. HEART DISEASES Not common, and cannot be treated The heart is an organ that is subject to 63 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT several serious diseases, but these cannot be detected with any certainty while the bird is living, and treatment cannot be recom- mended as likely to be successful. Post- mortem examination may show the follow- ing symptoms : 1. The heart sac full of serous liquid, in the case of pericarditis, or dropsy of the heart sac. 2. A reddening of the membrane lin- ing the heart, in the case of in- flammation (endocarditis). 3. An enlarged heart, in the case of enlargement of the heart. 4. Hemorrhage, in the case of rup- ture of the heart and of the blood vessels. INDIGESTION Disorder of the intestinal tract, that is not very serious Symptoms. The bird mopes and showrs signs of a capricious appetite. Either diar- rhea or, less commonly, constipation, may be a symptom. DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS Cause. Disorders of the digestive tract, due to error in dieting — for example, over- feeding, or too little green food and not enough exercise. Treatment. Alter the feeding, see that the water is clean, and give a dose of Epsom salts. (See page 9.) JAUNDICE Not a common disease Symptoms. A yellow comb may indicate jaundice, but there are no definite external symptoms. Post-mortem examination shows distention of the gall bladder, due to an excessive secretion of bile. Cause. Said to be due to continued con- gestion of the liver, arising possibly from too much heat-giving food. Treatment. If the disease is suspected, give one grain of calomel as a purgative and feed on more green food. KIDNEY DISEASES With the exception of gout, kidney diseases cannot be detected by external symptoms Gout (see page 63) is the commonest dis- 65 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT ease of the kidneys. In addition, there are some disorders of the kidneys (e. g., en- largement) that may be noticed on post- mortem examination. Little is known about these diseases ; there are no symptoms that can be recognized before death, and no treatment can be recommended. LEG WEAKNESS Constitutional 'weakness, to which the heavier breeds are more subject than are the lighter ones Symptoms. Fowls walk in an unsteady manner, without showing any specific cause for lameness. Young birds are more likely to be affected in this manner, particularly those of the heavier breeds. Cause. Too rapid growth, the bird out- growing the strength of its legs. Treatment. Reduce the quantity of fat- producing foods. Care in the selection of breeding stock is important. LICE Invariably present in small numbers, and likely to become a serious pest, if not persistently controlled Symptoms. Unthrifty look of fowl and 66 " DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS signs of irritation; desertion of nest by setting hens; and, of course, the detection of lice on the fowl: this may be done by FIG. 13.— LOOKING FOR LICE quickly turning over the feathers on the body and looking for the lice. Cause. Introduction of an infested 67 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT FIG. 14. — THREE LICE THAT COMMONLY AFFECT FOWLS (From Salmon.) a, Lipeurus variabilis. b, Menopon pallidum. c, Goniodes dissimilis. fowl ; neglect to dust fowls regularly to keep down lice, and to clean out fowl houses and change the straw of nest boxes. At the season that lice are likely to be most prevalent the poultryman should take precautionary measures. Description of lice. Lice are small insects ranging in size from 1-25 to 1-8 of an inch. They breed rapidly, laying their eggs on the feathers. They are not blood-sucking insects, but cause much irritation to the birds they infest. Several species are found on fowls. Fig. 14 shows three of the common species. Treatment. Dust fowls with fresh insect powder (pyrethrum). Smear sul- phur ointment on head and 68 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS under wings, especially in the case of chickens. Infested fowls may be dipped in 2% creolin. Dust setting hens with a lice powder before putting them on their nests. Infested straw should be burnt, and boxes, nests, fixtures, etc., should be thor- oughly sprayed with 2% creolin. LIMBER-NECK An occasional complaint Symptoms. The muscles of the fowl's neck become so relaxed that they cannot support the head. Cause. Limber-neck, due to partial or entire paralysis of the muscles of the neck, is believed to be associated with acute in- digestion or worms. Treatment. A strong purgative may be the means of effecting a cure by cleaning out any intestinal 'poisons and thus correct- ing the cause. If the treatment recom- mended does not effect a cure in a few days, kill the bird. 69 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT LIVER DISEASES The liver is affected by several diseases, and the poultryman, who finds a spotted liver on post-mortem examination, will be much aided in determining the cause, if he takes into consideration the symptoms noticed before the fowl died, as well as the changes in the other internal organs. The importance of the post-mortem examination is in distinguishing whether the death of the fowl is due to a contagious disease. The causes of diseased livers may be con- veniently divided into two classes: 1. Diseased livers due to indigestion, e. g., enlargement. 2. Diseased livers due to a specific disease, e. g., tuberculosis. Diseases Due to Indigestion In this class may be included degenera- tion, inflammation, congestion, enlargement, and atrophy of the liver. There are more or less distinct differences in these diseases, but the only possible methods of treatment 70 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS known at present are very much the same. Symptoms. There are no definite ex- ternal symptoms. The poultryman's sus- picions should, however, be aroused if fowls apparently in good health die suddenly. A post-mortem examination will reveal a liver of abnormal size, or somewhat shrunken, and of unhealthy texture. Cause. The cause is generally something wrong in the feeding. Fowls may be eat- ing too large a proportion of heat-produc- ing foods and not enough green food. If an enlarged liver is associated with an ex- cessive layer of fat covering the internal organs, it points to too large quantities of carbohydrates. Treatment. Correct errors in feeding. Give more green food and let the fowls scratch for some of their grain. If errors in feeding and general management are not obvious, make experimental changes. Diseased Livers Due to Specific Diseases Tuberculosis, coccidiosis, gout and other specific diseases are responsible for spotted POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT or diseased livers. (Fig. 24.) The sec- tion on diagnosis by post-mortem examina- tion gives further information on these sub- jects and shows how the principal diseases may be distinguished. The term cancer is sometimes applied to cases in which there are tumors on the liver. MAGGOTS Occasionally found in flesh wounds of poultry Symptoms. A flesh wound that instead of healing develops into a sore with a slight running. On examination, maggots will be found. Cause. Several species of flies are al- ways ready to lay their eggs in any available wound or sore; therefore wounds must be watched in the case of poultry, as with all other animals of the farmyard. The eggs laid by these flies hatch and develop into small footless grubs commonly known as maggots. Treatment. Wash the wound with I to 2% creolin; remove as many of the maggots as possible with a pair of tweezers or a 72 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS feather. If the maggots are deep-seated, stuff the wound with a cotton wad saturated with strong creolin or 10% carbolic acid. Examine next day and remove dead mag- gots. Treat again in a similar manner if the maggots are not all killed. Fish oil, or iodoform made into a paste with vase- line, will prevent the flies depositing their- eggs, if smeared on the surface of the wound. MITES (AIR-SAC) Not a common parasite Symptoms. There are no definite ex- ternal symptoms. If the bird is very badly affected, there may be evidences of suffoca- tion. This may end fatally. A post-mor- tem examination will show the mites in the air passages and bronchi as small yellowish and whitish particles, which on careful ob- servation may be seen to move. Cause. A small mite (Sarcoptes l&vis) which infests the air sacs and bronchi. These mites, when present in large numbers, 73 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT obstruct the air passages and cause suffoca- tion. A secretion from the mucous mem- brane affected, results from the presence of the mites and increases the obstruc- tion of the air passages. Treatment. The fumiga- tion method tried for gapes has been recommended, but there is little reason to expect success. FIG. 15 THE AIR SAC MITE (From Salmon.) MITES, DEPLUMING (SCABIES) Symptoms. Bare patches on the bird's body due to the loss of feathers. The rump and the breast are most fre- quently attacked. Cause. A small mite (Sarcoptes Icevis) found on the bird's body near the base of the fallen feathers. Treatment. Isolate af- fected birds; rub bare patches and neighboring 74 FIG. 16 THE DEPLUMING MITE (From Salmon.) DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS portion of body with sulphur ointment (see page 9) or dip body of fowl in a solution of about 2% creolin. MITES (RED MITE) A serious pest Symptoms. Unthriftiness of birds. Cause. A small whitish mite, which ap- pears red when filled with blood. These mites suck the bird's blood at night and hide during the day in the sockets of the perches and in the crevices of the woodwork. Treatment. Examine the fowl house at night. Dust hens with an insect powder; thoroughly spray houses and perches with 5% creolin or other disinfectant, and squirt kerosene oil or turpentine into cracks and crevices. A specially constructed mite-proof perch, or one that can be easily removed, should be used. MOLTING Molting is not a disease, but may prove 75 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT trying to poultry not in the best condition to stand the strain of the process. Hens overtaxed with forced laying and cocks running with too large a number of hens are most likely to suffer. Molting occurs in healthy adult birds every twelve months. The process, which is a natural one, should be allowed to take its natural course unless the fowls appear weak and depressed dur- ing the period. In such cases specially nourishing and stimulating food should be given. Anyhow, it would be well to pay particular attention to the feeding of birds during the molting season. OVARY DISEASES Hens suffer from various diseases of the ovary, which may become shriveled and use- less or gangrenous. Tumorous growths, sometimes called cancers, are also found. As diseased conditions of this organ can be detected only by post-mortem examination, and as no remedies are known, the subject need not be dealt with more fully. DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS OVIDUCT, DISEASES OF Abnormal eggs must be regarded as due to functional disorders of the oviduct. One cause of soft eggs is lack of shell-forming material; therefore a liberal supply of powdered oyster shells, or lime in some other form, should always be accessible to laying hens. Other abnormal eggs occur, such as those with double yolks, without any yolk, with blood clots, etc. No treat- ment can be suggested beyond feeding a varied diet and avoiding too stimulating or over-heating foods. Prolapse of the oviduct may occur. The protruding portion should be oiled or vase- lined and gently pressed back. PERITONITIS Not common and not contagious Symptoms. Loss of appetite, fever and evidence of discomfort and pain in the stomach, especially if the abdomen is pressed with the hand. Post-mortem ex- 77 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT Undeveloped ovules in ovary. Partly developed ovule show- stigma. Here the follicle wall breaks and allows the ovule yolk to leave the ovary pre- paratory to laying. An empty follicle in which the stigma and the yolk passed out. Opening of oviduct. Portion of oviduct distended, allowing yolk to pass down. Walls of oviduct which secrete albumen forming the white of the egg. Membranous lining added. Portion of oviduct that secretes shell-forming substance. Cloaca. FIG. 18. — ORGANS OF REPRODUCTION OF THE HEN (From Salmon.) DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS animation shows inflamed appearance of membrane of the abdominal cavity. Cause. Serious inflammation of the wall of the abdominal cavity. Treatment. Put the bird in a quiet place. Aconite (see page 9) , to reduce the tempera- ture, and opium, or one drop of laudanum, to relieve pain, have been recommended, but as a rule it is best to kill the bird. PIP Generally the effect of some other disorder Symptoms. A hardened scale formed at tip of tongue. Cause. Generally due to cold or other disorder affecting the breathing of the bird. Treatment. Do not try to tear off the growth on the tongue by force, but moisten with vaseline or glycerin until it becomes loose. Give soft food. PNEUMONIA AND CONGESTION OF LUNGS Generally fatal Symptoms. Extreme depression and 79 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT great difficulty in breathing. Difficult to distinguish in the living bird from a very bad cold. Post-mortem examination shows the affected lung filled with an exudate. The lung sinks if put in water. Cause. Following on a cold, the lung becomes congested with blood and a dark, viscous matter. Pneumonia may be con- sidered a further, and generally final, stage of congestion. Treatment. A cure is seldom effected, but in the case of a valuable bird the follow- ing treatment may be tried: Keep the bird in a dry, warm place; paint the skin above the lungs with tincture of iodine; give aconite. Feed on soft food and give a stimulant. POISONING Symptoms. As a rule the poisons that fowls eat are mineral. The most pro- nounced symptom is evidence of pain. In cases of arsenical poison there is diarrhea. A poison containing a copper compound 80 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS acts partly as an emetic, causing the fowl to make an effort to vomit. In cases of mineral poisons, post-mortem examinations show inflammation of the stomach and the digestive tract. Sources of poison. Poultry are likely to get poisoned from the following sources : Fertilizers (e. g., nitrate of soda) used on fields in which fowls scratch for food. Such cases are rare. Insecticides and fungicides (e. g., Paris green [arsenic], lead arsenate, Bordeaux mixture) applied to plants under which fowls run. If sprays are mixed in correct proportions and used in normal quantities, there is little danger to poultry feeding on the grass below sprayed trees. Great care should, however, be taken in disposing of the sediment and the residue after spraying operations are completed. Rat poisons (e. g., phosphorus, strych- nine, baryta). These poisons are particu- larly dangerous when mixed with cornmeal or other bait attractive to fowls. The best way to set rat poison is to put it in a piece 81 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT of piping of such a diameter and length that fowls cannot reach it. Salt. Food mixed with salt for other domestic animals may be accidentally given to fowls. Chickens are the most likely to be poisoned by excess of salt. Treatment. If fowls have eaten poison- ous substances, the fact is not usually dis- covered until after death or until it is too late to administer an antidote. Most of the poisons fowls are likely to eat act as irri- tants of the digestive tract. Milk and white of egg should be given. It is advis- able to give a stimulant, such as half a tea- spoonful of brandy. PYAEMIA Not contagious, and not common Symptoms. This disease cannot be diag- nosed except by post-mortem examination and microscopic identification of pus-form- ing organisms in the infected areas (whitish spots) of liver, spleen, etc. Cause. Pus-forming organisms believed 82 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS to enter the blood through a wound in the skin. Treatment. As there are no external symptoms, treatment is not possible. RHEUMATISM Not a common trouble Symptoms. Lameness and stiffness of joints. Cause. May be due in some cases to too stimulating food and to dampness. Treatment. Put affected bird in dry quarters and vary food, adding more greens. Rub joints with embrocation, or turpentine and oil. ROUP (CONTAGIOUS CATARRH) One of the most serious contagious diseases Symptoms. The bird first has symptoms of an ordinary cold, such as running at the nostrils and sneezing. Definite evidence of roup is the offensive odor detected on open- ing the bird's mouth. The exudate is also offensive. The disease may attack the eyes, 83 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT which then become inflamed and swollen; a tumor, containing offensive, yellowish, cheesy matter, sometimes develops. The FIG. 19.— EXAMINING A FOWL WITH A SUSPICIOUS COLD course of the disease may extend over sev- eral weeks or months and there may be cases of chronic roup. Some cases end fatally DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS in a comparatively short time. The form of the disease, in which yellowish patches develop on the throat, is dealt with under diphtheria or diphtheritic roup. Cause. Cases of roup occur when birds are subjected to draft and damp, but the cause must be infection with disease germs. It is believed that the almost constant pres- ence of the germs is due to lack of regular disinfection and to birds in the flock be- lieved to have recovered from a previous attack of the disease, but that, in reality, are suffering from chronic roup, and are able, whenever suitable conditions arise for an outbreak of this disease, to infect the rest of the flock through the drinking water and the soil. Treatment. The seriousness of this dis- ease makes it imperative for the poultry rearer to isolate immediately any birds showing any suspicious symptoms. If treatment of the infected bird is taken in hand early, and carried out faithfully, a cure can be effected, but it is often wiser to kill and burn infected stock. In treating 85 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT birds, the mouth and nostrils should be washed out with 5% carbolic acid, or with 50% hydrogen peroxide, or with 2% per- manganate of potash. It is important to clean out the passage of the nostrils, and this may be done by: 1. Pressing against the roof of the bird's mouth from inside and squeezing the nostrils from above downwards. 2. Syringing out the nostrils. 3. Dipping the fowl's head for a few seconds in a solution of the dis- infectant. Great care should be exercised in this method of treatment, which is only recom- mended when permanganate of potash is used. It is well to keep birds isolated for some time after apparent recovery. When the eye is affected (see Fig. 20), the tumor should be carefully lanced and the cheesy matter removed, after which the cavity should be rinsed out with one of the dis- 86 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS infectants recommended above; such treat- ment may have to be repeated time after time. As an after effect of a cold or of roup, conjunctivitis or sore eyes may develop. A discharge comes from the eyes and the eye- FIG. 20. — A ROUPY EYE lids become stuck together. Bathe the eyes with hydrogen peroxide mixed with an equal quantity of water. If this condition follows an attack of roup, there is danger that the fowl has not entirely recovered, and may be a source of infection to the rest of the flock. 87 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT SCALY LEG An unsightly affection that, although contagious, does not spread rapidly Symptoms. A rough and scaly growth on the legs of the bird. Cause. A small mite (Fig. 22), known as Sarcoptes mutans, burrows in the skin FIG. 21.— SCALY LEG A. Showing early stages of attack. and gives rise to the unsightly growth (Fig. 21 ) that gives this disease its name. Treatment. Soften the scaly growth by washing and soaking the legs with warm water and soap. Scrub the affected portion DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS of the legs with a brush and then treat as follows: Dip the legs in kerosene oil, holding them there for not longer than a few seconds. If the kerosene oil is mixed with sweet oil, or if the legs are wet first with water, there will be no risk of the kerosene prov- ing harsh, as sometimes hap- o , t . / SCALY LEG pens. Sulphur ointment (see page 9) may be used instead of the kero- sene oil treatment. SOFT CROP Not a serious complaint Symptoms. Distended crop, soft to the feel. Cause. Over-eating; or food turning sour in the crop. Treatment. Hold bird downwards and squeeze contents of crop through mouth, taking care not to suffocate the patient. Repeat treatment if necessary. Put on low diet for some time, feeding slowly and sparingly. POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT TICKS A pest found in the Southern States and tropical countries Symptoms. The fowl has fever, appears depressed, and stands in a cramped position. Cause. The fowl tick (Argas minatus) , which hides during the day in cracks and crevices, sucks the fowl's blood at night and in- * S$ troduces a fever-producing FIG. 23 parasite. THE FOWL TICK . a. Aduit. Remedies. Examine sick b. Larva. birds during the day, and visit the roosts at night, for proof of the presence of ticks; carefully search under perches, in nests, and in corners of woodwork, etc. Spray woodwork with 5% creolin; squirt kerosene oil, or turpentine, into cracks and crevices. TUBERCULOSIS A very serious poultry disease Symptoms. This disease may be present in a poultry yard for some time without being detected. Suspicion should be 90 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS aroused if birds gradually lose weight and die. If a bird that has gradually been getting thinner, goes lame, or loses the use of a wing, without ap- parent injury, the evi- dence that tuber- culosis is present is strong, but positive proof of its presence can be obtained only by post-mortem and microscopic examina- tion. This disease gen- erally attacks adult birds. Cause. The specific organism causing this disease, known as the Bacillus tuberculosis (FlO" £ ^ inferfrS the FlG- 24- — ORGANS AFFECTED BY \* *&• ^/J J U-CUI& LllC TUBERCULOSIS AND BLACKHEAD liver (Fig. 24), the a. Normal spleen. i /T7' \ J ^- Tubercular spleen. Spleen (-Tig. 24J, and c. Portion of tubercular liver. t d. Blackhead liver of turkey for other organs, least f re- comparison with c. a and b after Edwards. POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT quently the lungs. The disease may be in- troduced into a flock by the purchase of an infected bird, and may be spread by unin- fected birds picking up the excrement of diseased birds with their food. Treatment. There is no known cure. The insidious manner in which this disease advances through a poultry yard makes it a very serious malady. Birds suffering from it should be killed and burnt. Thorough disinfection of coops, etc., should be made. Strict attention to sanitation will help in preventing and controlling this dis- ease. If many birds in a flock are believed to have tuberculosis, it would be well to destroy the whole flock and start again, preferably on fresh ground. WHITE DIARRHEA OF CHICKENS A very serious disease, causing the death of large numbers Symptoms. Chickens are generally at- tacked when 10 to 15 days old. They ap- pear listless, their feathers become rough, and they stand about with drooping wings. A white diarrhea is soon noticed. Chicken 92 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS FIG. 25.— CHICKENS AFFECTED WITH WHITE DIARRHEA Ten-day White Leghorn chickens showing symptoms of bacillary white diarrhea. (After Rettger & Stoneburn.) after chicken shows similar symptoms and dies, resulting in much loss and discourage- ment to the poultry rearer. Cause. Various causes, such as im- proper or stale food, may upset the chick- en's digestive organs and give rise to a whitish diarrhea, but the term "white diar- rhea" is best restricted to a contagious form of diarrhea due to minute parasites in the intestinal tracts of chickens. A coccidium FIG. 26.— HEALTHY CHICKENS Normal ten-day White Leghorn chickens. (After Rettger & Stoneburn.) 93 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT and a bacillus have been proved by different investigators to cause very similar forms of white diarrhea. A distinct form of white diarrhea, known as brooder pneumonia, is described on page 35. Treatment. This disease is a very dif- ficult one to control. Incubators and brooders should be thoroughly disinfected. Special care should be taken in the feeding during the first few weeks. Chickens should not be overfed. The feeding of dry bran is recommended, as it tends to keep the bowels in a healthy, active condition. In the form of white diarrhea due to a bacillus, suspicion rests on the hen and the egg as sources of infection. When the dis- ease becomes serious, and general sanitation and proper care of chickens do not control it, the advisability of obtaining the eggs for hatching from a poultry farm free of white diarrhea should be considered. WORMS Intestinal parasites that occasionally become serious Symptoms. General debility; worms or 94 DISEASES AND PESTS OF FOWLS segments of worms,- seen in the droppings. If there is doubt as to whether a flock is suffering from worms, give a suspected bird a strong purgative and keep it up so that the feces may be examined for worms. If doubt still exists, the sus- pected bird should be killed and a post-mor- tem examina- tion made. Cut the intestines open length- ways (see Fig. 34) with a small pair of scissors and wash them out with water so as to de- tect the smaller worms, and the tapeworms attached to the lining of the intestines. Cause. Two classes of worms are com- monly parasitic on fowls — round worms (see Fig. 27) and tapeworms. There are generally a few specimens of worms in the intestines of fowls ; but only when the num- 95 FIG. 27. — WORMS IN INTESTINAL TRACT OF FOWL (After Bradshaw. From Pearl, Surface & Curtis.) POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT SICKiES MAIN TAIL FEAfHERS EAR tOBE SADOLE BACK COHB 1/13 WJMS COVERTS TH!