POULTRY DISEASES AND TIIKIR TKl'.AT M KXT. I// 



f;-et into the (nidurt at nearly the same time and Ijecomc sur- 

 rounded by eoninion layers of albumen. 



Eggs witb tbree yolks are very rare. An egg of this kind 

 laid by a pullet at this Station is shown in lig. 42. 



I)uiiisioii ill Eggs. The number of different foreign sub- 

 stances \vhicli at tmv time or another have been found enclosed 

 in eggs is great, 'i'hc list includes blood streaks or spots, blood 

 clots of firm consistency and often considerable size, lumps of 

 bacteria, worms, fecal matter, etc., etc. 



From the practical standpoint the only inclusions which need 

 consideration are blood spots. I\Iany inquiries are annually 

 received at this Station as to w'hat causes these spots and what 

 to do to get eggs which will be free from them. These inquir- 

 ies are most frequent in the spring months. The only thing 

 zvhicli can be done in such cases is to candle the eggs, and sell 

 only those ichicli shore no spots. Hens which arc ])erfectly nor- 

 mal often lay eggs with blood spots, especially in the spring of 

 the year when laying is heavy. The blood which makes the 

 spot probably comes in most cases from the ovarian follicle. 

 When this ruptures a little blood escapes into the oviduct and 

 is caught up in the albumen. The so-called "liver" or "meat" 

 spots in eggs are in nearly every case thoroughly hardened, 

 well packed together, blood clots. They may be of large size. 

 These inclusions do not represent, as they are sometimes said 

 to, portions of the oviduct wall which have been torn off and 

 enclosed in the egg. 



Eggs of Abnormal Shape. There are many other kinds of 

 abnormal eggs besides those here discussed, but as they have 

 no practical significance it is not desirable to devote further 

 space to them. In closing this section we append some figures 

 showing in outline some of the curiously shaped eggs which 

 have been found. 



Vent Gleet (Cloacitis). 



This is a true venereal disease of poultry. It usually begins 

 with a hen l)ut is transmitted in copulation to the male, and by 

 him to other birds in the flock. 



Diagnosis. Salmon gives the following clear account of the 

 symptoms : "The first symptom observed is the frequent pas- 

 sage of excrement which is voided in small quantities almost 

 as rapidly as it reaches the cloaca. Often the bird endeavors 

 12 



