CHAPTER XII. 



Some of the More Common Poultry Diseases. 



There are comparatively few diseases that need give the 

 poultry keeper much alarm. I have heard it said that our do- 

 mestic fowls are subject to as many diseases as human beings. 

 But if this is so (which I greatly doubt) many of these dis- 

 eases are so rare that they need not be taken into considera- 

 tion. In .this chapter I shall mention only the more common 

 ailments and give some rules for their treatment. 



HOW TO DISCOVER THE BEGINNINGS OF SICKNESS 



There, are four ways by which the poultryman may discover 

 the beginnings of sickness. 1. General appearance. A fowl 

 in health is alert and active, plumage smooth, comb red, eye 

 bright and clear, appetite good. A sick fowl js generally 

 dumpish, plumage rough, comb pale or purple, appetite poor. 

 2. Respiration. Certain kinds of disease affect the respiratory 

 organs and manifest themselves in the breathing. The best 

 time to detect a disease of this sort is after the birds have gone 

 to roost. If the birds on the roost sneeze from time to time, if 

 the breathing is labored, if there is a rattling, bubbling or 

 snoring sound, something is wrong and needs attention. 3. 

 Excrement. The excrement is a pretty good index of the 

 health of a hen. Where the bird is in perfect health the excre- 

 ment is dark green in color, tipped with white, somewhat 

 moist. Where the excrement is soft and watery the digestion 

 is disturbed. Where it is light green in color there is danger of 

 serious trouble. If upon examination the excrement shows 

 that considerable food is passing through undigested, the bird 

 needs to be supplied with grit. 4. Odor. Some kinds of dis- 

 ease especially roup are accompanied by an offensive odor, 

 and can at once be detected by the smell. 



SEGREGATE SICK BIRDS. 



I would advise all poultrymen to fit up a small building for 

 a. hospital, to which all sick fowls may at once be removed. In 

 the case of a contagious disease this is especially important, 

 for the sick bird if allowed to remain with the rest may com- 



