178 Roup 



ROUP 



{Croup) {Contagious Catarrh) {Diphtheria) 



V 



When the mucous membrane of the throat, mouth and nostrils be- 

 come inflamed with a fixed membrane that can not be removed, the chick- 

 ens are said to have diphtheria. Portions of the membrane can be re- 

 moved as in many cases of roup the chickens are said to have contagious 

 catarrh. Roup, catarrh and diphtheria are probably all caused by the 

 same disease germs. These highly contagious diseases effect chickens, 

 turkeys, pigeons and guineas. Birds may obtain this disease in a show 

 room or it may be brought into a flock by the introduction of new birds 

 that have had the disease. A bird may carry this disease to a healthy 

 flock after they have apparently recovered. , 



CAUSES 



From my experience it is true that conditions that would produce 

 a cold in a person invites roup to a flock of chickens and people are in- 

 clined to believe that all air is laden with germs of roup. 



I am inclined to believe that a chicken that recovers from roup may 

 be capable of spreading the disease for a year or more. A dark, damp, 

 close, unventilated hen house where many chickens are tightly shut up 

 together is favorable to the development of roup. In such places, the 

 chickens are not only forced to breathe foul air, but if there is a sick 

 chicken in the bunch the disease is sure to spread. Plastering of chicken 

 houses is a mistake. Wheat straw placed above the chickens instead of 



