PROGRESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 145 



The yards should be plowed or harrowed. There is 

 wonderful power in freshly turned soil to absorb ana 

 banish foulness, parasites and disease germs. Tne 

 ground of the house and runs should have good natural 

 drainage. 



Any garbage, vegetable refuse, dead animals or filth 

 on the place should be promptly buried deep in the soil. 



The feeding of the fowls should be sanitary and sen- 

 sible, according to the directions and suggestions of the 

 previous chapter. Unbalanced rations tend to overwork 

 certain of the organs of digestion and render them liable 

 to take disease. 



Constant watchfulness of the flock will enable the 

 poultry keeper to detect any symptoms of indisposition 

 among his fowls. Birds which show even slight signs of 

 sickness should be promptly removed from the flock 

 and kept apart until they fully recover condition. 



TREATMENT OF DISEASES. 



If a fowl actually becomes sick there is usually little 

 to be gained by "doctoring" the creature. It is a safe 

 rule never to breed from a bird that has been sick and 

 there is rarely any profit gained from a fowl that has 

 suffered serious sickness. Some poultrymen, instead of 

 heroically beheading and burying a sick fowl, prefer to 

 try medical treatment. 



In seeking to cure poultry disease, the first step is to 

 diagnose the case, then ascertain the cause, next remove 

 or counteract the conditions leading to the disease and 

 finally attempt to remedy the damage done by the 

 disease. 



CLINICAL EQUIPMENT. 



The poultry physician will not require a large assort- 

 ment of instruments but should have at hand a few sim- 

 ple means for his purpose. 



A pocket knife with a sharp, thin blade is a prime 

 requisite. 



