DISEASES OF POULTRY 223 



BEAK AND THROAT OBSTRUCTION 

 Cause: Lodgment in the beak or food canal of a for- 

 eign substance, such as a kernel of corn, sunflower seed, 

 bone, etc. 



Symptoms: Fowl jerks its head suddenly and fre- 

 quently attempts to swallow. If a close examination is 

 made the foreign body can be felt from the outside. 



Treatment: For the removal of such obstructions, 

 no special treatment is needed further than to use care 

 and avoid any injury to the beak or throat. Feed nutri- 

 tious food, as wheat bran mashes and vegetables and see 

 that they have a liberal quantity of good pure water at 

 all times. 



BLACKHEAD 



(Infectious Entero Hepatitis of Turkeys) 

 Cause : Due to a protozoa taken into the system with 

 the food or drinking water. This parasite enters the 

 caeca which becomes inflamed and discolored and the 

 liver is enlarged and studded with yellowish spots about 

 the size of a pea. 



Symptoms: Although this disease is termed Black- 

 head, the discoloration of the head is not necessarily 

 present in all cases ; neither is this condition confined to 

 this particular disease. One of the first symptoms is 

 loss of appetite, followed in most cases by diarrhoea. 

 The fowl becomes weak and loses weight rapidly. Ex- 

 amination of the liver after death will determine whether 

 or not death has been caused by Infectious Entero Hepa- 

 titis. The dead birds should be burned to prevent the 

 spread of the disease. 



Treatment : Prevention is one of the most important 

 factors as this disease is very contagious and the pro- 

 tozoa once implanted in the turkey runs is almost im- 

 possible to eradicate. Provide clean, well ventilated 

 coops and feed clean, wholesome food and good fresh 

 water to drink. 



