Aug. 3, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S. W. 651 



Chapter XI. 



Various Diseases. 



The diseasss already treated are the most serious ones to poultrymen, and 

 responsible for the greatest losses. There are, however, many other poultry 

 ailments requiring but a small amount of care to restore the patient. Others, 

 which are of but apparently slight importance, if neglected may result in the 

 deaths of the affected ones, and the disease possibly spread to other 

 members of the flock. These will follow alphabetically. 



Abcess. — This is the name as applied to a collection of pus or matter, and 

 may form in any internal or external part of the fowl's body; sometimes 

 the result of an accident, while often the cause is not apparent. 



A common place for abcesses is the breastbone of growing cockerels, and 

 usually situated about half way up the breastbone, and may be any size 

 from a marble to, in rare instances, that of a golf ball. The skin on this 

 part of the fowl is very transparent, and the matter is quite liquid, its dark 

 blue colour showing through the skin. These abcesses, or boils, are most 

 easily treated, only requiring an incision, when the watery matter will run 

 out. The wound should then be syringed with warm water, to which a few 

 drops of disinfectant have been added, then dried. The slight incision will 

 heal up without further treatment. 



The cause of gathering is usually supposed to be an injury to the breast 

 by flying on to the roosts, and why cockerels should be more liable to the 

 trouble than pullets can only be explained on the ground that, as a rule, 

 the breasts of pullets are better covered with flesh than the growing cockerels, 

 whose breastbones are usually prominent ; and it should be noted that, in 

 two instances, when I killed birds with the object of discovering the cause, 

 in both the bone had been injured, it being the seat of the trouble. 



Another common location for abcesses, but of another form, is on the ball 

 of the foot, and known as Bumble-foot. The commencement of this trouble 

 is the thickening of the underparts of the foot, which ultimately become 

 inflamed. The tissue under the skin becomes affected, a thick matter then 

 forming. The pressure of the bird's body on the part irritates the trouble, 

 which, if not treated, gradually works into other parts of the foot and leg. 



The heavy breeds are most liable to the ailment, Dorkings in particular. 

 At the same time I have seen many instances of it in Leghorns and Ham- 

 burgs, while it is not unusual in Bantams, particularly the feathered-legged 

 breeds. Bumble-foot, although at first a simple looking ailment, is really not 

 so ; for although slow in development, if not treated, usually accounts for the 

 death of the subject. It is believed to be the result of a bruise from con- 

 tinually being kept on hard or stony ground ; while many think it is caused 

 by the fowl's flying from a high perch on to the hard ground. In connection 

 with the latter, I have had experience of keeping Brahmas which were never 

 allowed to perch, and cases of Bumble-foot were in the flock. 



