DISEASES.] 



POULTEY. 



[diseases. 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE DISEASES OF FOWLS, AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



As the poet Burns has affirmed that the best- 

 laid schemes of mice and men " gang aft ajee ;" 

 so may it, with equal certainty, be affirmed, 

 that the strongest, as well as the weakest 

 of animated beings, are the subjects of oc- 

 casional disease. From this penalty incident 

 to life, fowls are no more exempt than other 

 animals ; consequently, when the poultry- 

 keeper sees one of these beginning to droop, 

 or to fail in appetite, it is better, at once, to 

 have it dressed for the table. If, however, it 

 is of great value — perhaps a Spanish cock, worth 

 more than a sovereign — a trial to save its life 

 should be made. 



The most common diseases to which fowls 

 are liable, are the following : — 



ACCIDENTS. 



When these show themselves in bruises, 

 loss of feathers, fractures, ulcers, &c., they 

 may, in most cases, be left to nature. When 

 bones are broken, however, the patient had 

 better be consigned to the cook ; but in less 

 severe cases of accident, common sense will 

 generally dictate the remedy. 



ASTHMA. 



This disease is accompanied by panting, 

 gaping, and difficulty of breathing, and is 

 usually caused by the sudden and frequent 

 change of weather which takes place in this 

 country. Poultry, having originally been 

 brought from warm climates, still inherit the 

 natural love for heat, transmitted to them by 

 their progenitors, and are, notwithstanding the 

 feathery covering with wliich nature has pro- 

 vided them, easily aflected by climatic in- 

 fluences ; and hence the colds, catarrhs, coughs, 

 and consumptions to which they are subject. 

 Eor asthma, the treatment recommended is 

 warmth, with small doses of hippo powder, 

 frequently repeated, and sulphur mixed with 

 butter. 



CONSUMPTION. 



This disease is pronounced incurable ; but 

 a change of air and warmth is recommended. 



880 



CORNS. 

 These may generally be extracted with the 

 point of a penknife. Should weight have 

 brought them to an ulcerated state, a little 

 lunar-caustic may be applied to them with 

 success 



COSTIVENESS. 

 When this occurs, change the diet, and let 

 it be given more sparingly than usual. Thin 

 porridge is good. For a cure, give a little 

 castor-oil with burnt butter. 



DIARRHCEA. 



This disease is usually caused by damp and 

 improper food. Therefore change the diet, 

 and have the fowl taken into a dry place. 

 Should the disease become very severe, ad- 

 minister chalk, and a little starch, mixed with 

 cayenne in porridge, and give it a little warm. 



FEVER. 

 In all febrile affections to wliich fowls ar 

 frequently subject, give castor-oil, with a little 

 burnt butter. Also, let the birds have a 

 change of air, if possible, with light food, and 

 not much of it. 



GOUT. 



Administer pellets of colchicum. 

 may also be found useful. 



Sulphur 



INDIGESTION. 



This is caused by over-feeding and want of 

 exercise. Administer powdered gentian and 

 cayenne in the food, of which the usual quan- 

 tity should be lessened. With this regimen 

 let the fowls have an open walk to run in. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE TRACHEiE. 

 The disease to which this term is improperly 

 applied, is an inflammation of the tail-gland. 

 The symptoms are — difficulty of breathing, 

 dimness of sight, constant gaping, and total 

 loss of sight ; a discharge from the nostrils, 

 that gradually becomes purulent and foetid; 



