Arizona republican., 1898-06-15
HEALTH AND ITS CONSERVATION.

HEALTH AND ITS CONSERVATION. 1 It is well understood among success in raising poultry is to keep the stock healthy.
 | If the original stock is purchased l from other breeders, the transaction should not be entered into without the most careful examination. Personal investigation is far preferable to buy | ing by letter. Without knowing all the points thoroughly, healthy stock can be seen at a glance Red combs will first attract the attention. Smooth bright plumage and a general spright- ly air are also signs of good health. tAc- tiVity also denotes health. Mopy, sleepy-looking fowls are usually so from over feeding, and hence are too fat: they are therefore not healthy. A fat hen is decidedly out of condition, and is liable to contract almost any disease to which fowls are subject l Once the stock is purchased and is in q perfectly healthy condition, great pains should be taken to keep it so. It would be well for all buyers to ask what system of feed ing has been used in order that the same may be continued after the fowls change quarters. Many flock. is thrown out of condition by sudden change of feed Again, fowls accustomed to being yarded may be given free range with advantage, but fowls, on the contrary, used to free range cannot be suddenly yarded and do as well. Healthy fowls will lay smooth, fair sized eggs, and such eggs will hatch @ good percentage of chicks. Small eggs, large eggs. and misshapen eggs denote poor condition, and will seldom hatch.
 i There is one thing that will throw hen out of condition so quickly as lice Careful breeders realize this and take evry precaution against these pests of hens life. It requires con- stant and ever-watchful care to keep flock free from lice. It is well known fact that all hens have lice
 When the lice can be kept down with in a reasonable number the fowl may thrive. but when the lice get the upper l hand, the hen immediately surrenders and begins to droop.
 June is a good month in which to be- gin the fight against the summer lice Hot weather generates more lice than cold; hence to begin early in June may mean a successful battle before the ex- treme hot weather sets in. The only
 way hen can free itself from lice without the help of man, is by the dust bath. This is natures cleansing pro- cess. If the ground is soft and dusty, the hen seeks at once dusting place
 Whatever the hen can do for herself
 to keep healthy Is so much labor saved for man; therefore she should be en- cOuraged to help herself as much as possible.
 Lice unfortunately are not entirely
 confined to a hens body. They breed in the coops and eventually fill every corner and crevice. A thorough clean
 ing at least twice year (once a month
 would be better) is imperative if GOODS
 are to be kept lice free. A dash of
 kerosene here and there will not do it,
 but careful spraying of every inch
 of the wood of the coops is necessary
 The very spot missed by the spray will , afford the lice resting place. A , splintered roost should be carefully ex- amined; frequently such spot be- comes perfect hive of lice.
 !, Hens free from lice hatch clean healthy chickens. Nine-tenths of al [ chick diseases are caused by lice. How | frequently we hear the question, 'What ails my chicks?" The correct answer to this is commonly lice. If you lool [ for them and don't find them, lool } again; they are sure to be there if you chicks are droopy. This is especially true of chicks matched and brooded b, l hens Incubated chicks are fortunate 7 ly free from lice, unless they acciden |. tally come in contact with hens. Man,