60 



THE BANTAM FOWL. 



gated. The proof that the symptoms are caused by lice is 

 to see the enemy. 



In this connection a very good answer appeared in the 

 notes and queries of a recent poultry paper. The question 

 was like this: "What is the matter with my chickens, they 

 have such and such symptoms?" Answer, "Look for lice, 

 and if you find them, remove by doing thus and so. If you 

 do not find any, do just the same, for they are there, only 

 you do not know how to look for them." 



In looking for lice on fowl, look close to the skin around 

 the vent and under wings; on chicks, examine head and 

 under wings; in the house, look on underside of roost and 

 into all the cracks and crevices. 



The prevention and treatment are identical. Keep drop- 

 ping-board clean in hot weather; sprinkle slaked lime over 

 it occasionally. Have the roosts and dropping-board ar- 

 ranged so that they can easily be removed. Take them out 

 in the yard twice a month, in summer, and paint them all 

 over with kerosene, at the same time paint walls and cracks 

 near where roosts belong. That same night go into the 

 house and sprinkle a little good insect powder over the 

 back of each hen. Clean out the nest boxes and paint inside 

 and out with kerosene. Refill with clean nesting material. 

 Never set a hen without dusting both her and the nest thor- 

 oughly with the same powder, and repeat at least three 

 times while she is sitting. When the chicks hatch dust 

 once a week, for the first two months of their lives. 



GAPES 

 This is an affection seen only in young chicks from the 

 third week to about the third month. It is, fortunately, not 

 common in moderate climates, although said to be quite 

 prevalent in the south. 



Gapes is caused by the presence in the windpipe of one 

 or more thread-like worms. These little worms attach 

 themselves to the lining membrane of the windpipe and 

 cause it to swell so that it fills the whole caliber of the pipe 

 and the chick dies from suffocation. The principal symptom 

 is gaping. The chick stretches his neck and opens his 

 mouth to its fullest' extent. He does this repeatedly and 

 soon refuses to eat, becomes dumpish, and, if not relieved, 

 dies. The only preventive is absolute cleanliness about the 

 coops and yards. 



The treatment of gapes is not very satisfactory. It con-- 

 sists in removing the worms from the windpipe. This can 

 be accomplished by means of an instrument known as the 

 gape worm extractor. The operation requires some skill 

 and more patience. When a large number have to be 

 treated the treatment is wholesale, so to speak, and the 

 usual method is to smoke the worms out. The chicks are 

 shut in a tight box, which is then filled with the fumes cf 

 burning sulphur or carbolic acid, or with finely powdered 

 slacked lime. The trouble with this method is that the 

 worms will stand about as much as the chicks will, and you 

 will be very lucky if you can stop at just the right moment, 

 that is, when the worms are killed and before the chicks 

 are. Chickens that have had gapes are feeble and deb li- 

 tated for a long time, and perhaps you will be more lucky, 

 on the whole, if your smoke kills both chicks and worms. 



Better direct your energies to stopping the spread of 

 gapes than to doctoring those already affected. Take all 

 the sick and place thom in a clean, dry coop, with 

 sand and air slaked lime on the fioor. Take the 

 rest of the brood and all the chicks that have had access to 

 the same yard, put them into quarters by themselves ard 

 watch very sharply, so as to remove each one to the hos- 

 pital coop as soon as it shows a symptom. Be sure that any 

 chicks that have not been exposed to danger are kept away 

 from the infected yard, from the quarantined chicks, and, of 



course, from the sick ones, until the disease is thoroughly 

 stamped out. 



The infected coops and yards must be disinfected.' A 

 good way to do this is as follows: Burn all old coops that 

 are not of much value; mix a hogshead of corrosive subli- 

 mate of strength 1 to 2,000; heat to boiling point enough of 

 this solution to saturate every part of the coops. Sprinkle 

 the rest of the solution over the ground. When the coops 

 are dry give a good coat of whitewash. Sprinkle air-slacked 

 lime over the ground until no earth can be seen. Leave 

 alone for two weeks and then spade and sow down to grass. 

 Put no chicks into this yard for two years. Fowl may be 

 kept in it after the grass is grown, if necessary, but no 

 chicks. 



PIP 



This is a disease of young chickens and is practically a 

 cold. It occurs oftenest in chicks whose parents have htd 

 roup, or have been inbred too much. It is sometimes caused 

 by damp and filthy coops. 



Treatment: Give dry, clean quarters, and wash mouth 

 and nostrils with a weak solution of chlorate of potash. 



CHICKEN-POX. 



This is a highly contagious disease Vhich affects both 

 old and young. It is rather rare. It is characterized by 

 black, hard warts or growths on the head and face. 



The only treatment is to quarantine and keep the war:s 

 greased well with carbolized vaseline. Fowls will generally 

 recover and be as good as ever, while chicks almost always 

 succumb within a week or two after they are taken. 



GOING LIGHT 



This is not a very definite term, and the condition to 

 which it is applied is also called consumption, scrofula, con- 

 gestion of the liver and inflammation. It occurs occasionally 

 in flocks that have the best of care, so it seems there is no 

 sure way to prevent it. 



It is undoubtedly a disease of digestive organs, possib:y 

 the liver. Autopsies often show a liver rather too large, 

 but no other abnormal condition visible to the naked eye. 

 The symptoms are great emaciation, extreme palor of face 

 and comb, ruffling of feathers and general dumpishness. 

 During the first of it the appetite is fairly good, but later 

 disappears entirely. 



When the disease attacks a chicken that is getting its 

 second feathers, as it often does, it is, as a rule, fatal. To be 

 of any avail treatment must be begun very early. Give sul- 

 phate of strychnine, one-two-hundredth grain, three times 

 a day, and color the drinking water with tincture of chloride 

 of iron. Feed meat, green food and some cooked food, as 

 bread or mash. 



When the patient is a grown fowl the treatment is some- 

 what different. Shut in a coop with clean sand on the floor, 

 give calomel, one-tenth grain, every two hours for five times, 

 and no food of any kind, but plenty of water. The next 

 morning, after these five doses, the droppings should be 

 found in the sand, abundant and rather loose; if they are 

 not, give a level teaspoonful of Bpsom salts. After the bird 

 has been well physicked in this way begin to feed soft focd 

 rather sparingly until your patient seems really hungry. 

 Give the strychnine and iron, as in the previous case. As 

 soon as the appetite returns put her back in the run where 

 she can get more exercise and variety of food. Watch her 

 carefully and if she grows worse again repeat the former 

 treatment of calomel. It is often necessary to do this three 

 or four times before thorough recovery takes place. 



Now in conclusion, just a word. Remember that you 

 will be well repaid for all the time and pains which you care 

 to spend in giving your Bantams all proper care to keep 

 them in good health 



