KILL OR CURE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 153, 26 December 1936, Page 8

KILL OR CURE

We owe much to science and particularly to the veterinary worker who can prevent epidemics of common diseases. The late Chief Poultry Instructor, Mr. F. C. Brown, was always ready to offer advice on how to cure a sick fowl; merely use the axe! This was, and is, very sound advice. Many an; epidemic could have been prevented had the owner immediately killed the' first few birds infected instead of attempting to cure them, so leaving the rest of the stock open to infection. The way of correction in our disease troubles does not rest with the doctor, but with the breeder in the line of prevention, not cure. Feeding, housing, ventilation, and general management all play their part, while of them all sound rearing practice is perhaps most important.. A badly-reared pullet that' starts laying .at sixteen- to eighteen weeks of age is a distinct liability to any owner. This precocious type of pullet and cockerel must be culled out cither as a table bird or into the laying flock, for it. will never be of any breeding value. It is useless doctoring up flocks with various tonics excepting in most unusual circumstances, an<J then - oniy under expert advice. The latest method of treating- inferior, birds in England is to place, them in laying cages or battery cages, as they are called, and it has been found that many "culls" . respond well to this individual treatment. , While feeding, if any bird is noticed riot to be hungry and any. sickness is' suspected, then the bird should be isolated-at once. A light dose of Epsom salts may be given, and if the bird is not. quite well again in two-to.three days i will be best to "use the.axe." Strict cleanliness' in and 'around the fowlhouse is most important, and if all young stock can be" kept on ground where adults have never ranged good results should be obtained.