Arizona republican., 1891-04-14
POULTRY LORE.

 Extract from the Report of the Ottawa
 QCanada) Experimental Station.
 Two of the worst vices which fowls in confinement are given to are egg eating and feather pulling. The first is caused by being kept in too great numbers in limited quarters, craving for animal food: the nests not being dark enough, and the eggs exposed to view in consequence; the male bird being among the layers, and breaking an egg; hens laying soft shelled eggs. The second vice is caused by the absence of blood food, such as meat, fowls being in too great numbers, and not kept busy enough. Both faults, once acquired, are very difficult to stop. Prevention in both cases is far better than any cure. The nests for the layers should be as retired as possible, and a little difficult to approach. Eggs should be gathered as soon as laid.
 If the habit becomes general stop the hens from laying by ceasing the soft food and giving nothing but oats. If convenient, move the hens to a strange pen, and that will aid in stopping the egg production. If there is an incorrigi- ble egg eater in the pen she should be killed, or she will teach every companion to be as vicious as herself. In feather pulling "bit" is sold by dealers in poultry supplies to go into the mouth; another plan is to feed the pullers noth- ing but feathers, and separate them from one another. With care to have the layers kept in small numbers, with proper variety of diet, neither of these habits should be acquired.
 A few points to remember are: Make hens lay when eggs are dearest; breed stock when eggs areycheap. Keep non sitting breed to lay when sitters are matching, and pay expenses of latter. Breed as many chickens as possible and as early as possible. They all represent so much money. Keep all the bullets. They are worth $9 each as prospective early winter layers. Kill or otherwise dispose of all hens after three years of age. Breed the best flesh formers for market. Feed them up to as great weight as possible. Well fattened, well dressed poultry will bring the best price from the best customers. If not accus- toned to poultry begin with a small number. Learn to make a success of the few, then go on with a larger num- Der. Do not neglect the little essentials to success, such as lime, gravel, meat, plenty of clean water, green food, dust bath, etc., regularly supplied to layers.
 Poultry, like all other animals, are subject to disease. But with run, such as they would have on farm, and proper care in the cold, wet weather of a certain portion of the fall, diseases should be rare One disease common to poul- try is roup in it's different phases of cold, catarrh and throat affections. The first symptoms are running at the nostrils and sneezing. In it's more virulent form it is attended with swollen head and closed eyes and a most offensive dis charge. It is better on detecting case to kill the bird at once and burn it. If neglected it will contalninate all the others in the pen by dipping it's nos trils into the drinking water, and so dis seminate the virus. It is very conta- gious. A simple cold neglected will de- velop into roup. Treatment for a cold is to inject with syringe small quan- tity of coal oil, and if handy few drops five or six) of carbolic acid added. Two or three injections ought to effect a cure. Isolate the fowl from the others. The most frequent causes of disease are keeping too many fowls together and filthy quarters.