Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/260



N a wet climate it is advisable to have some shelter for the fowls during the daytime, where they will be out of the damp and rain, yet not absolutely confined. A verandah round the fowl house is a good plan.

Fowls suffering from roup should be isolated at once to some warm dry place out of all draughts. Wash the offensive matter from the nostrils two or three times a day with warm water and vinegar, or weak alum and water. Give a teaspoonful of castor oil directly you notice the disease, and some hours after a pill of sulphate of iron 1 gr., camphor 1 gr., cayenne 3 grs., liquid extract of aloes 1 gr., extract of aconite $1⁄6$ of a gr. Repeat night and morning till better. For a chicken only give half a pill for a dose. It is a very good plan to get a dozen or so of these pills made up and always keep them handy, as in severe cold they are excellent, and one can often save a valuable hen a long illness by giving one of these in time.

Another pill easily mixed up with a little bread or dough is of cayenne pepper 1 gr., sulphate of copper ½ gr., copaiba 4 drops. Give one night and morning in cases of roup or severe cold. Give nourishing food, and see that the water the birds have access to is pure. To find out whether a bird is suffering from cold, look under the wing where he keeps his head at night, you will find the feathers all stuck together and hard if he has a cold.

Most of the very heavy breeds are subject to this, and I have heard it said that Dorkings are more liable to it than any other. It comes on the ball of the foot like a hard corn at first. Caustic applied regularly is advised by most fanciers, or hot fomentations when the swelling becomes inflamed and full of matter. Unless a bird is very valuable it is hardly worth while bothering with it, better to kill him and have done with it. The only experience I