160 ENEMIES AND DISEASES OF POULTRY 



the dog that is trained for the purpose will bark at the 

 noise and will chase the birds of prey away. 



DISEASES 



GENERAL REMARKS 



A disease is any derangement of a living organism, but 

 the term ailment is usually applied to slight disorders. 

 Though there are many diseases of poultry, and some 

 serious ones, comparatively few fowls are diseased, when 

 the large numbers of fowls in the country are considered, 

 and poultry that is kept in sanitary quarters and has 

 proper food is the least likely to become diseased. 

 Hence, the importance of preventive measures. 



Poultry in poor health will exhibit a dull, sluggish, 

 and listless appearance, which is the strongest evidence 

 of a lack of vitality, and will go to roost early and 

 remain there in the morning until long after the other 

 fowls are out looking for food. When they do leave 

 the roosts they will walk about as if they were not 

 strong enough to drag their legs and feet after them. 

 Fowls in poor health will have a bloodless appearance, 

 will have an absence of healthy brightness in their 

 eyes, faces, combs, and wattles, and will show a general 

 lack of condition, which is always accompanied by a 

 lack of appetite and a failure to assimilate properly the 

 food they eat. Hens in poor health will lay but few 

 eggs. Whenever fowls have had their vitality reduced 

 so that they exhibit the symptoms described they will be 

 susceptible to the attacks of all kinds of diseases. 



There are few symptoms that are of practical value 

 in the diagnosis of the diseases of poultry, for the reason 

 that many symptoms are common to several different 

 diseases. A few general symptoms are, however, of 

 value. Fowls that are diseased become listless; they are 

 inclined to stay apart from other fowls, and will stand 

 in out-of-the-way places or beside a fence sunning 

 themselves, their heads hanging and their feathers 



