The Poultry Run.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 23 August 1911, Page 7

The Poultry Run.

TREATING SICK POULTRY

Whether the stock of poultry be large or small, it is well-nigh essential that a suitable place should be provided where sick or injured fowls may be placed in seclusion away from healthy birds. Every keeper of poultry ought to make some provision of this kind, and each fowl that shows signs of sickness should be isolated and closely watched as soon as there is any indication that something is wrong with it. If this was an invariable rule among poultrymen there would be much less sickness in their flocks, for the contagious diseases of poultry would be quickly recognised and readily held in check. Carelessness is responsible for much of the heavy mortality that now diminishes the profits of the poultry business. Prevention and Cure. not ne-

weather. They serve a double purpose. They enable a poultryman to shut up the sick birds and prevent the possible spread of. contagious disease, and they also help the sick birds themselves by cutting them 'off. from' the rest of the flock and protecting them from the persecutions of their companions. For it is chatacteristic of poultrydom for the healthy birds to turn on any member of. the flock that becomes weak or disabled, either from disease or injury. They will peck at it and harass it continually, without mercy. This is especially seen in the case of a bird that has become disabled so that it cannot get about with ease to feed itself. Many a one, when neglected, has crawled off in a corner to die of exhaustion in the course of a few days, that would have made a speedy recovery under proper care in a secluded 1 place.

Making a Diagnosis. The sick bird having been removed from the rest of the flock, the next thing to do is to'find out exactly what is the matter with it. Sometimes this may be done very easily, sometimes it cannot be done at all. The chief difficulty lies in the similarity that exists between the symptoms of many diseases. They resemble one another so closely that it is not always easy to distinguish one from another; and yet, in spite of resemblances that are often very puzzling, almost every disease presents some characteristic peculiarity that distinguishes it from other diseases. We must hunt diligently to find it out. Another cause of error is neglect to remember that a bird may have two things the matter with it at the same time. We are too apt to jump to conclusions instead of making thorough and complete examinations, and, mistaking the first indications of disease as the whole story, one may easily overlook a much more serious condition that lies latent. Most of the failures to find out the nature of the disease when a sick bird is examined are due either to a lack of knowledge, or a lack of thoroughness in making the investigation. We must keep our wits about us, and use all our powers of observation.

Seeing, Feeling, Hearing. Now let us consider briefly what there is to see about a sick bird which will help towards an accurate diagnosis. First, there is the comb, which in poultry is as important as an indicator of disease as is the tongue in the human being. Having lost the bright red colour of health, it may be pale, purplish or livid, or white, or ulcerated. Is the breathing natural? or is it rapid or slow? Is it noisy or quiet? Is there a discharge from the nostrils or the eyes? Is the throat clear and healthy; free of matter and grey or yellow patches? What is the color and consistency of the droppings? What is the attitude of the bird? the condition of its plumage? the expression of its eye? What can you feel? The condition of the body of the bird, whether there has been much fall-ing-off in weight, or not; whether there are unnatural swellings anywhere, and if any exist, what are their character; whether, for instance, a swelling in the belly is hard (retained egg), or soft (a dropsical accumulation of fluid). What can you hear? The noises of obstructed breathing, sometimes rattling, sometimes hoarse and strident. The sense of smell does not often aid us to distinguish between the mild catarrhal form and the severe and dangerous varieties. These are merely suggestions of the way to go about the examination of a sick fowl. We must leave the various diseases for another occasion.