30 Diseases of Poultry 



they will do this on the range. In the case of adults (in 

 cold climates) the most feasible way to bring this about is 

 to provide litter and make the birds scratch for their food. 



V. External Parasites 



In hygienic poultry keeping the birds must be kept reason- 

 ably free at all times of lice, mites, and all other forms of 

 external parasites. Directions for dealing with this matter 

 are given in detail farther on in this book in the chapter on 

 External Parasites. It is desired here merely to call atten- 

 tion to the matter as one of general principles of hygienic 

 poultry management. 



VJ. Disposal of Dead Birds 



On every poultry plant and around every farm there are 

 bound to occur from time to time a greater or less number of 

 deaths of chickens and adult fowls from disease or other 

 natural causes. The disposal of these dead bodies offers a 

 problem to the poultr^Tiian, the correct solution of which 

 may in many cases become a very important matter. This 

 is especially true in the cases of death from contagious 

 diseases, which include a considerable proportion of the 

 deaths of poultry generally. The method usually practiced 

 by the farmer and poultryman for the disposition of dead 

 carcasses is unsanitary in the extreme. To throw the dead 

 bodies on the manure pile is to invite the spread of disease 

 on the plant. Burying is far from being a satisfactory way 

 of dealing with the matter for two reasons. Unless the grave 

 is dug deep, which costs a good deal of time and labor, there 

 is considerable likelihood that dogs or other marauding 

 animals will dig out the carcasses, and, after feeding on them, 

 scatter the remains around on the top of the ground. 



