130 CHIPS, PURGING, AND CONSTIPATION 



when the food was given in this state, and 

 water only allowed to the hen at brief inter- 

 vals during the day. 



About three weeks or a month from the 

 shell, chickens are affected with another 

 disease known under the name of chip. The 

 symptoms are as follows : the chicken sits 

 in a crouching position, with its feathers 

 drooping about it, appears reluctant or una- 

 ble to move, and keeps up a melancholy 

 chipping, as if in pain. I presume that this 

 is a catarrh, accompanied by much fever. 

 The only treatment I have found efficacious 

 was to put them into some warm place, and 

 allow them no food for twenty-four hours. 

 If the disease was not too far advanced, they 

 would, at the end of this time, become lively, 

 and eat readily. Chickens with this disease 

 should be shut up for some days, and only 

 let out in warm, dry weather. 



The other diseases of chickens are very 

 obscure, and some of them I only know by 

 name. Purging is said to be remedied by 

 dry food, with chopped meat. Constipation 

 is relieved by giving them plenty of fat or 

 grease. 



