230 DISEASES OP FOWLS. 



for a space together, heaving and panting of the chest ; and in case 

 of a rupture of a blood-vessel, a drop of blood appearing on the beak. 



Remedy. Confirmed asthma is difficult to cure. For the disease in 

 its incipient state, it is recommended that the fowl be kept warm, 

 and be treated with repeated doses of hippo-powder and sulphur 

 mixed with butter, with the addition of a small quantity of cayenne 

 pepper. Ib. 



MOULTING. Although it cannot be properly denominated a disease, 

 still some attention is necessary in giving care to your poultry during 

 that period, particularly if it advances into the cold or damp season, 

 so as to have them warmly and dryly kept, and well fed with stimu- 

 lating food hemp seed, sunflower seed, caraway seed, and a small 

 quantity of black or red pepper ; the more warmly or comfortably 

 kept, the quicker the moult. Old fowls moult late, and consequently 

 do not lay till advanced in the summer ; while early pullets will moult 

 early, and lay all the winter, if warmly kept and well fed. Fowls 

 occasionally make the appearance of losing their feathers before the 

 actual moult, and appear miserably naked. The remedy is, keep 

 them comfortable, and when the moult comes on, their proper clothing 

 will be resumed in their new coat. A want of feathers is sometimes 

 effected by the fowls picking the young or bleeding feathers from their 

 fellows, which they get so much attached to, that they continue to 

 pilfer each succeeding young feather, until they cause such inflamma- 

 tion, as death, in some cases, will ensue. The remedy is, separate 

 such fowls until the feathers come to maturity, when they will discon- 

 tinue to pull them out. Nolan. 



ROUP. This is the most obstinate and most fatal disease 

 we liave to contend with. It generally attacks fowls from 

 October to April. The first symptoms are a difficulty in breath- 

 ing ; then follows a swelling of the head ; a discharge of foetid 

 matter from the nostrils ensues, and the fowl pines away and 

 dies, unless taken in hand on the first appearance of the disease. 

 This disease is very contagious, and when it appears, it is the 

 terror of the breeder, if he have many fowls. I would, there- 

 fore, recommend the most watchful care, as soon as cold weather 

 sets in, and the breeder should listen in his poultry-house, at 

 least twice a week, as his hens get settled on their perches, and 

 every fowl that breathes with difficulty, should be removed 

 immediately to a warm, dry, well ventilated room, and treated 

 as follows : 



To a quart of strong cider vinegar, add " one pint of cider- 

 brandy or whiskey, in which dissolve an ounce of assafoetida. 

 Keep this mixture bottled tight, and when used, heat it, and 

 apply as a wash three times^a day to the fowl's head, and as 

 warm as it can be applied. Wash the entire head thoroughly ; 

 then change the food of the fowl to the fine grains, such as 



