DISEASES 



Foreword 



Many poultrymen deny having sickness in their flocks 

 and we have even known of some operating on a large 

 scale who profess to lose few if any birds. This makes 

 it hard on the beginner and to the writer it seems unfair 

 because of the discouragement felt by the beginner who 

 encounters trouble and loses birds. The writer knows 

 he has been there. And it is his purpose herein to pre- 

 pare the inexperienced for possible trouble. He will also 

 give his experience as to mortality. The reader who is 

 susceptible to suggestion is reminded of the fact that the 

 writer earned the title of this book in spite of his experi- 

 ence with disease and mortality ; without that sad experi- 

 ence he would long since have retired to a life of ease. It 

 might be proper to add that we have met but few retired 

 egg-farmers. 



What has been said in connection with diseases of 

 young chicks might well be repeated here, however. Do 

 not take too seriously the stuff put out by "the medicine 

 man;" bear in mind that to sell his goods he must show 

 you, perhaps in your own flock, an apparent reason for 

 using them, and remember that he has not come to you 

 as a matter of philanthropy. He has come to you liter- 

 ally looking for trouble and as is always the case he who 

 seeks that finds it, especially so if he makes money by it. 



From the writer's point of view the research work that 

 has been done toward eliminating or controlling disease 

 among chickens is both woefully and pitifully of minor 

 extent. The individual object, "just a chicken," does not 



