The independent., 1907-04-25

or less call for cures for leg weakness
among young chicks We have found
that leg weakness Is more prevalen. in
the chicks that are early hatched and
what might be called over-grown than
among the smaller birds and those
Matched later i'm the season. Very
often the whole flock will be affected,
generally the cockerels having most Of
the trouble After they get about four
months of age they begin to sit around
all day refusing to get out and hustle
on The range. They walk as much as
they can but the worst thing about
the disease is that it keeps them from
foraging until the trouble disappears.
The larger birds such as the Brahmas,
Langshans or Cochins are more af-
fccted than the Plymouth Rocks. or
Wyandottes although the lighter fowls
have their share of leg weakness Too
great an amount of fattening food
which is generally fed with the idea
Of increasing weight of body beyond
the ability Of the legs to carry same
has often much to do with cases or
leg weakness. The best scheme is TO
feed so as to prevent it, Remove the
cause Of the trouble if you think It
is over-feeding that does it and give
the chicks but little grain of fatten-
ing nature. We have never had any
trouble with leg weakness where
ground oats were literally fed in the
mash feed and where hulled oa.s were
given daily when the youngsters were
feathering or until they were about
three months of age There is nothing
like good oats as a bone and muscle
forming food. Leg weakness among
the chicks does not bring with it the
total loss of appetite. very often on the
contrary ii affecting them in the OPP
posite direction, they being mora vora-
cious than ever.
Do Not Cross Breeds.
The only cross breeding of poultry
| that pays is crossing pure-bred male
or the ordinary barn yard females. TO
cross pure-bred chickens is follow. Ii
| for instance, you are breeding Ply
| mouth Rocks and you seek to improve
| their laying qualities in crossing them
with the Minorcas, it will be an inn
| portant job poorly begun. You had
best go to breeder of Plymouth
| Rocks who is making a speciality in
his flock for the egg production and
secure enough birds 10 infuse new
blood into your flock. Crossing pure
| bred fowls detracts in tho produce
| from the good qualifications OF each OF
the parent varieties. This has been
proven times without number The
| idea that something especially good
| may he obtained by crossing Is a de-
lusion. The common impression q
that crossing OF breeds will show a
| marked Increase In health and general
| vigor OF the flock that results from
| H. There Is some truth In this but
there Is no more truth in II than the
| truth that may be demonstrated by
! the addition OF new blood In a pure
bred foek Of fowls. said new blood
coming from a healthy lock OF pure
bred fowls of the same variety. Much
attentlon must be given 10 keeping m
/ the vitality In the average flock. Thcte
are any number Of poulttymen 9hu
are devotlng their time Ia the hreed-
| ing up of heavy laying iiocka aud II
| IL was not success they would not
b. IN the business They flnd a good
call for the majority of hearty stock
1 tiiai they c-f =rafc end thla ~ good
tirHren Many poultry Keepers under