THE INTESTINES AND CROP 



trouble except from the massing of large numbers. A few worms make 

 little impression on the health of a bird, but if they abound in hundreds 

 they will have a decided effect on digestion. The large numbers, matted 

 and wiggling, may be a cause of stoppage; their irritation causes diarrhoea, 

 and their appetites diminish the nutriment intended to support the fowl. 

 The round worms are seldom passed in the bowel discharges. Now and 

 then a worm is passed, but it soon dies in the droppings or it is eaten by 

 some other bird. It is not till a bird is killed or dies that worms are known 

 to be present. The round worm varies in size from one third to five inches 

 in length. Its color is white. The hcjad is pointed like 'the sharpened end 

 of a pencil; the tail blunt like the end of a finger. 



Symptoms 



The symptoms of worms are those of indigestion. The comb and wat- 

 tles are pale, bird thin, with possibly a slight diarrhoea. 



Treatment 



If you suspect worms, try to remove them. Dissolve in the water that 

 is to be used for mixing the mash, two grains santonine for each bird to be 

 treated. Mix a small amount of mash, quite dry, and add castor oil, one- 

 half teaspoonful for each bird. Feed this to the suspected birds, watching 

 for the results of the "worm treatment." All droppings should be collected 

 often and put but of reach of the birds. 



W. Vale advises: "Beat a new-laid egg, with one tablespoonful of 

 oil of turpentine, and mix thoroughly by agitation. Give a teaspoonful 

 of this mixture night and morning for a few days; or divide a quarter of an 

 ounce of areca-nut in powder, into four parts, and give one part every morn- 

 ing, fasting, with a dessertspoonful of sweet oil two hours after each pow- 

 der." 



THE TAPE WORM 



The tape worm is not as common as the round worm. I have met 

 poultrymen who have never seen a tape worm; even when dressing fowls. 

 Perhaps if they had taken pains to examine the contents of the bowels 

 they might have another story to tell. Vale tells us that this tape worm, 

 "appears to be identical with the tape worm found in cats (Toenia crassi- 

 colis), and it is, therefore, highly probable that it is derived from the same 

 soiu-ce — that is, the fluke of the liver of the mouse; for it is an ascertained 

 fact that fowls will actually catch mice and eat them. I have seen brooder 

 chicks catch little mice and tear them limb from limb." 



Our fowls generall|y show no indication of the presence of tape worms. 

 Sometimes the birds will be uncommonly thin in spite of a good appetite, 

 but tape worm is not thought of. When the worm gets quite long, pieces 

 of the tail may be seen in the droppings, looking like narrow tape. 



Knowing, or even suspecting, that you have a case of tape worm to 

 deal with, give the bird six drops oil male fern in one teaspoonful castor 

 oil. The proper time of the day to give this is in the morning while the 



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