274 PROGRESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 



In extreme cases the fowls may turn cannibals. 

 When the pulling of a feather draws blood, the fowls 

 are set wild by the sight and taste of the red fluid, and 

 may peck the victim to its death. 



If the habit reaches this stage or any of the fowls 

 of a flock become confirmed feather pullers they may 

 be killed and used for the table. To overcome or pre- 

 vent this vice the rations should be corrected, plenty 

 of room allowed or straw used as litter and small grain 

 scattered in it to encourage natural exercise 



The naked neck of a victim of feather pulling may 

 be smeared with carbolated vaseline. 



EGG-EATING: Fowls do not prove profitable when 

 they become' consumers of their own products. The 

 habit of egg-eating may be readily started if a soft- 

 shelled egg is dropped and breaks open on the floor, 

 or if eggs are crushed by the layers in the nests. Egg 

 forcing foods, the use of condiments and the lack of 

 crushed oyster-shells or other supply of carbonate of 

 lime tend to the production of eggs with soft shells. 



A sufficient number of attractive nests will help to 

 prevent crowding at laying time. If the nests are se- 

 cluded or darkened there will be less tendency of the 

 layers to croUrd into one or two favorite nesting places. 

 Nests may be made having canvas bottoms with a hole 

 in each through which the egg, as soon as laid, drops 

 into a space below the nest. Such nests should be well 

 darkened and soft cloth or chaff should be placed under- 

 neath for the egg to fall upon. 



Any fowls that become confirmed egg-eaters should 

 be used for the table. 



DRINKING OR EATING FILTH: Fowls sometimes ac- 

 quire abnormal appetites and become addicted to drink- 

 ing at sink-drains, barn-yard pools or stagnant puddles 

 or devour excrement, decaying flesh, etc. Digestive dis- 

 orders and diseases are liable to follow. 



In warm climates if the fowls find a decomposing 

 carcass of any animal and feast upon it they are very 

 likely to suffer from ptomaine poisoning, resulting in 

 the so called "Limber-neck" and- slow death. 



