Smyrna Times

The State Board of Agriculture Finds
Ailment in Kent County Fowls

The latest ailment developed among chickens in Delaware and the symptoms of which are somewhat like those that affect human beings, were several cases of gout among some Kent county fowl. Several chickens that had died with this ailment and the carcasses sent to the office of Dr. Frank Hare, poultry pathologist for the State Board of Agriculture had many of the symptoms indicating gout. A postmortem examination conducted in the laboratory at the State House proved to the satisfaction of the poultry pathologist that the fowl had suffered from gout.

The disease has brought on much after the manner in which human beings become affected with gout, that is a too heavy protein food. The poultry raiser, when questioned admitted that in addition to the meat scraps around the household which had been fed to the chickens he had also given them unusual portions of the flesh of fish. At any rate, the combination was too heavy in meat and the chickens suffered from swollen joints and hobbled around in much distress and suffering just like the man or woman does whose feet swell up and cause them intense pain from gout.

In diagnosing the ailment the heart, liver and intestines of the fowls were covered with mineral like spots. this coming from the blood, showing the abundance of lime in the vital fluid and which had crystallized on the organs of the affected chickens.

Dr. Hare advised the grower to cut down on the amount of meat scrap he was feeding the chickens and he did so with beneficial results to the flock, as no more have died.

Several cases of typhoid fever among the chickens have also developed recently and numerous cases of roup and cholera, with many colds.

These latter ailments. however. are usually prevalent in cold weather.

The State Board of Agriculture, through its poultry department, is continuing with much success the home record of fowls which poultrymen of Delaware have come to realize is a most important improvement in poultry raising.