172 CAUSES OF DISEASE 



actions there would be less trouble along these lines. 



There are many things which bring about diseases. 

 Among them are poor ventilation, direct drafts, over- 

 crowding, irregular feeding, dirty houses, con- 

 taminated runs, filthy drinking water, damp quarters, 

 and lack of exercise. Any one of these may cause 

 the poultry man lots of trouble, and any one of them 

 can be avoided if the proper interest is displayed in 

 the raising of chickens. Some of these causes for 

 disease must be considered when the first start is 

 made. Take, for instance, the construction of the 

 hen houses. In laying out the poultry plant hygienic 

 construction should be carefully considered in all of 

 the plans. Interior fixtures such as nesting boxes, 

 roosts, etc., should be removable so that the houses 

 can be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The 

 drinking fountains and feed hoppers should be of 

 such a pattern as will permit handy cleaning by the 

 operator. To be brief, much of the prevention 

 of disease lies in the kind of houses and fixtures 

 that are used. 



A sick hen will not lay, even though her ailment is 

 not severe. Nor will she lay immediately after 

 recovering, and hens that have had a severe case of 

 canker or roup are not fit for the breeding pen. They 

 should be killed and burned. In mild cases of the 

 latter disease it is advisable to doctor them, but 

 unless the case is mild they are not worth the 

 trouble. 



