VARIOUS BLEMISHES AND THEIR CAUSES. 



the middle toe especially curving round in- 

 stead of being straight. This has thrown 

 many an otherwise good bird, and is generally 

 due originally either to a smooth 

 Crooked hard floor in the rearer, or later, 



"^o*^- to perches too broad and flat, or a 



shelf with too little bedding. Newly 

 hatched chickens are sometimes ruined for life 

 even in the drying box, the two limbs slip- 

 ping apart on a smooth floor, with consequent 

 strains which are never recovered from ; many 

 knock-knees and loose hock joints are also 

 caused in this way. But the more common 

 result is crooked toe. The nail being unable to 

 sink into the floor, raises the toe near the point ; 

 and to avoid slipping, relieve strain, and get 

 more "grip" on the ground, the toe turns rather 

 sideways so as to lie on the floor. We have 

 seen many a brooder and rearer with wooden 

 or zinc floors, and a mere sprinkle of peat moss 

 or other litter which slips about loosely, allows 

 the claws to reach the smooth hard surface, and 

 is of no real assistance except to cleanliness. 

 Enough material should always be supplied to 

 lie firmly as a bedded floor ; not so little as to be 

 blown about with a puff of air. On this the 

 chickens can walk firmly and comfortably, the 

 toes not being strained ; and if later on such as 

 roost are given perches which the claws can 

 really ^rrtjr/, without being stretched flat, there 

 will be very few cases of this annoying disfigure- 

 ment. Some advise curved toes to be treated 

 by binding them to splints, and appliances are 

 even sold for that purpose ; but this belongs to 

 a class of advice and treatment chiefly given in 

 display of pretended superior knowledge. We 

 liave known such means faithfully used on 

 various occasions, but have never known a case 

 cured yet ; and a moment's thought must con- 

 vince any breeder of the injurious effect of 

 binding or fastening into one rigid line, mem- 

 bers meant to be flexed and refle.xed at every 

 step. We have known disease of the hock joint 

 to follow from such unnatural proceedings, but 

 not the cure of the crooked toe. 



We have mentioned overcrowding in a 

 brooder as apt to cause overgrown combs at a 

 tender age ; it has in some varieties a marked 

 effect in another way, causing the 

 A Cause of appearance oi white feathers xwVlW- 

 White desirable places. Many in England 



reathera. have suspected this result, in Brown 

 Leghorns especially ; but in Ameri- 

 ca, where this breed is often reared in large 

 numbers, the fact has been established beyond 

 doubt. One breeder reported that whilst chicks 

 reared by hens were all right, those in a large 

 brooder had white feathers on their backs and 



breasts as well as wings ; others have found that 

 where a few in a brooder kept sound, others 

 more crowded, from the same stock, would show 

 white in nearly every chicken. Some think the 

 reason is in greater liability to vermin ; others 

 that the tender young feathers are bruised by 

 close contact ; others that it is a consequence of 

 general loss in vigour. The main point is the 

 fact, which should be kept in mind. 



There can hardly need any reminder of the 

 absolute necessity for a stud book, in which the 

 parentage and descent of every chicken hatched 

 is carefully recorded for present and 

 Necessity for future consultation. It is a great 

 Kecords. assistance if all the males used, and 



at least the best of the hens or 

 pullets, have names given to them ; or one 

 family may have one common name, and the 

 individuals be distinguished by numbers, as Bates 

 did with his Duchess line of Shorthorns. If 

 the breeder also sells eggs, sending them out 

 honestly from the same stock he himself uses, 

 he will record particulars also in his register of 

 egg sales, if he is a wise man. We reproduce 

 from the first edition of this work the following 

 specimen, because in all but tlie proper name 

 it was an actual transcript from our own egg 

 book of 1S70, which is now destroyed. We 

 were breeding from three cocks that year, and 

 the pullets Princess and Countess were the 

 pick of the females in our opinion. 



April 10. 



May 2 



Mr. John Smith, 



Elankville 



3 Goliath (l Princess), 4 Uncle Sam (2 

 Countess), 3 Sambo. 



Result — 7 ; (l Uncle Sam and 2 Goliath 

 were clear). 



The result of the sitting is very often stated, as 

 it was in this case by the purchaser on May 2, 

 and generally the names are reported also, as 

 here, if marked on the eggs. The possible 

 advantage of all this will now be very obvious. 

 Suppose, as is possible, we had very bad luck 

 ourselves from Uncle Sam, who is perhaps too 

 old to breed again, and that in December 

 Countess is either dead or sold, and we seem 

 " out " of that strain, and want it. Looking 

 over the egg sales book, we find Mr. John Smith 

 must have had one, and may have had two 

 chicks from the best bird in Uncle Sam's pen ; 



* From experience, we never allowed a purchaser more 

 than ten Brahma eggs in any one sitting. It was the same 

 number we used ourselves. Incubators are of course quite- 

 another matter, but were scarcely used then. 



