83 



LIVE STOCK. 



Poultry Notes. 



By G. W. Sturgess, m.r.c.v.s. 



DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



General.— There is little necessity to point out what the common indi- 

 cations of good health are, as most poultry keepers know when their birds are 

 healthy or at least soon recognise any departure from the normal. There is one 

 point in connection with the temperature which calls for passing notice. 

 The normal temperature of the fowl is very high, namely, 107 F. compared with 

 101 F. to 102 F. in the horse and ox. Any one taking the temperature of a fowl 

 might consider such a high temperature as indicating a very feverish condition 

 when it is not so. 



In connection with poultry diseases of an infectious nature, as in the 

 case ol similar diseases in other animals, it is important to bear in mind 

 "■isolation" of sick birds and "disinfection" of houses, nests and runs. Ex- 

 cepting wounds, fractures and similar complaints, in all cases a sick fowl 

 should be taken away from its companions and kept in a separate box until it 

 recovers or dies. The house and run should be cleaned and disinfected. The house 

 may be cleaned out with a solution of a disinfectant such as Carbolic acid, Jeye's 

 Fluid, Sanitas or similar preparations in water and then limewashed. The 

 wood work, perches, &c. may be given a coat of hot gastar, the ground of 

 the run dug over, food boxes and water troughs cleaned and scalded, nests 

 burned and new ones supplied. 



If ground permits it is better to give a fresh run altogether. These or 

 similar measures are indicated in the case of a very infectious disease which 

 should be suspected when two or three birds die one after the other showing similar 

 symptoms. 



Accidents.— Broken Ley.— A fractured leg is generally caused by a blow 

 from a stick or stone, or caused by rat traps, &c. If the fracture is in a thick 

 part of the leg close to . the body treatment is difficult, but fracture of the 

 shank bone which is easily accessible can be successfully treated. The bone 

 should be put into the proper position, care being taken to see the foot is 

 straight and narrow splints of leather (wetted before application to make it 

 pliable) or thin wood applied and the leg bandaged with a linen or calico 

 bandage soaked in boiled starch or covered with plaster of Paris and water 

 layer by layer while bandaging, either of which will when dry be quite 

 hard and firm. The bird should be kept fairly quiet, and in about ten days or 

 a fortnight if all goes well it begins to use the leg again. The bandage and 

 splints may then be removed, and only a bandage applied without splints, and 

 removed after a few days when the leg becomes strong. Care must be taken not 

 to bandage too tightly to cut the leg or to stop the circulation. If the toes 

 swell the bandage must be loosened. 



Broken Wing, — This is more difficult to treat. The wing should be tied 

 down to the body in the natural position and the bird confined in a comfortable 

 cage without a perch. If the flesh is broken the wound must be treated and 

 protected from flies. 



