340 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



The symptoms are more often observed in chicks from ten days to 

 four weeks old. The affected birds are found gaping, sneezing or coughing 

 with an effort. When badly affected, the bird shakes its head frequently as if 

 suffocating; stands in a "dumpish" position with wings drooped and mouth 

 open. 



Treatment. All sick birds should be removed from the well ones. Coops 

 and runs should be thoroughly disinfected. To the coops apply an appli- 

 cation of hot whitewash. The ground or runs should be well limed with air- 

 slaked lime, spaded up and should be sprinkled with one of the following so- 

 lutions : A two percent solution of sulphuric acid in water or two ounces of 

 copperas (sulphate of iron) dissolved in a bucket of water, or a solution of 

 permanganate of potassium in water, half an ounce of the crystals in a barrel 

 of water; or a strong solution of creolin, two tablespoonfuls in each gallon 

 of water. The ground should be well sprinkled with one of the above solutions 

 after infected chicks have been removed. Then plow or spade and sprinkle 

 again. Repeat this disinfection whenever infected chicks have been on the 

 ground. Scald all drinking vessels used by sick birds. Burn all chicks which 

 die of gapes. 



Preventive Treatment. A piece of copperas placed in the drinking water 

 is said to prevent contagion. Tincture of asafetida, a teaspoonful in a quart of 

 water, is used for the same purpose and has a curative action. Three drams of 

 salicylate of soda in a quart of drinking water is also recommended as a pre- 

 ventive. 



A farmer in the tobacco raising section of western Ohio was bothered 

 considerably with the loss of a number of small chickens from gapes. One 

 day he was burning some tobacco stubs and a number of the gaping young 

 chicks walked into the smoke smudge. He noticed that as they came out they 

 were coughing and appeared to be greatly relieved. Deciding to experiment 

 he placed some others that were almost dead in the smoke for a short time 

 and then placed them in the open or fresh air. They also coughed and looking 

 closely he found numbers of dead gape worms on little chips on the ground. 

 He concluded that the smoke killed the gapes which were smothering the 

 chicks and. the fresh air revived them causing the worms to be coughed from 

 the throat. 



Just put a small cover of coals in a basket or small box the size de- 

 pending on the number of chickens, and cover it with a screen. After 

 placing the affected chickens in the box place some dampened tobacco upon 

 the coals. This will cause a smudge and the chickens will have to inhale 

 it. Cover the box for a minute or two. When the chickens begin to weave 

 about or fall over take them out into the fresh air which will revive them and 

 start coughing. The smoke will kill the worms, the coughing will expel them 

 and the chicken is relieved. Other chickens picking up the dead worms can- 

 not be affected with the disease. 



Put a small quantity of kerosene into the pan of drinking water accessible 

 to the chickens with gapes. Put several pieces of camphor gum in the drink- 

 ing pan. 



