FOUNTAINS AND WATER SUPPLY. 



SI 



sometimes to lacerate the viscera. The best 

 way is to make some flints red-hot, and throw 

 them into cold water ; they will then pound 

 up more easily, and in better condition. Pounded 

 crockery has been advised, but is unsafe, as 

 it often contains lead-glaze ; and pounded glass 

 has several times been known to cause death 

 from internal haemorrhage caused by severe 

 wounds. Grit for young chickens should be 

 very small, only the size of very coarse sand. 

 Some people carry the matter of grit too far, 

 and mix it in the mash every time. If it 

 is always in reach of the birds, adults will take 

 what they need of it, and on a good mis- 

 cellaneous range they will need no special 

 supply, but pick up all that they require. 



The water supply is, in its way, as important 

 as the food. The water vessel must be filled 



fresh every day at least, and so 

 Water arranged that the birds cannot 



Supply. scratch dirt into it or make it foul. 



The ordinary poultry-fountain is 

 too well known to need description, but better 

 constructions, made in two parts, are shown 



Fig. 20, — Water Fountain^ 



in Fig. 20. The centre figure is generally made ; 

 both of the two others are patterns made by 

 Spratts, and have some advantages in rather 

 better protection of the surface of the water. The 

 advantages of the double construction are that 

 the interior can be examined, and the vessel 

 well sluiced out to remove the green slime 

 which always collects by degrees. For large- 

 combed breeds it is necessary to use shallow 

 pans ; and Fig. 16 reversed, with the wide part 

 uppermost, is a capital pattern. When the 

 water has to be placed in a shed filled with 

 loose earth, to which the fowls are confined, 

 it should be a little raised, and a piece of board 

 or other protection be so placed as to protect 

 it from dirt being scratched into it. Grown up 

 fowls must never be left without water. During 

 a frost, therefore, the fountain should be emptied 



every night, or there will be trouble next 

 morning. Care must always be taken, also, 

 that snow is not allowed to fall into the drinking 

 vessel. The reason has puzzled wiser heads 

 than ours, but any real quantity of snow-water 

 reduces both fowls and birds greatly in con- 

 dition. Stale and sun-heated water is also 

 very injurious, often leading to obscure diseases 

 of an intestinal character ; the fountain should 

 therefore be kept in the shade. In very frosty 

 weather it is best to discard fountains for 

 shallow pans, which should be slightly greased; 

 the ice will then not adhere to the sides, and 

 there will be no trouble beyond filling the pans. 

 In this case warm water is also advisable, and 

 will often postpone freezing for hours, but the 

 temperature should not exceed about 120° when 

 poured into the pans. 



Some fowls undoubtedly do themselves 

 harm by over-drinking. This may possibly be 

 set up by some temporary feverish condition ; 

 but it is so common in confinement, that we 

 suspect it is often a mere bad habit. It may be 

 checked to a considerable extent by a bit of 

 camphor in the water, or a few quassia chips, or 

 a little iron. The camphor can do no possible 

 harm, and is some preservative against gapes 

 and catarrh; the very slight tonic effect of the 

 quassia will be rather beneficial than otherwise ; 

 and in cold or wet weather the effect of iron in 

 warding off catarrhal roup is well known. In 

 such weather we would in fact always add iron 

 to the water, in the shape of a small lump of 

 sulphate (green vitriol) the size of a nut to half a 

 gallon, or a teaspoonful of the ordinary chemist's 

 tincture of iron. The sulphate will make the 

 water rusty, but this can be prevented by 

 adding a few drops of sulphuric acid. In hot 

 weather, if it is thought that the fowls are 

 drinking too freely, it will be better to use the 

 quassia. Drugs of any kind should be used as 

 little as possible while birds appear in good 

 health and condition. 



There is one special time of crisis in every 

 season, however, when all fowls should be 

 carefully watched, and need special 

 Moulting. care and treatment. The process 

 of moulting, though a natural one, 

 and usually a healthy one, is in any case a 

 severe drain upon the system. Before moult 

 freely comes on, the general condition should be 

 ascertained. Those fowls get through moult 

 the best which are just a little spare in body 

 at the commencement, so that they may bear a 

 little extra diet, and slight gradual increase 

 in weight during the process. This should not, 

 however, be begun till new feathers have actually 

 started : whilst casting feathers only, a fowl 



