The Health of the Hen. 105 



edges should be treated with two per cent carbolic acid or creoline mixture. 

 Then sew the crop by placing the raw edges together and tying each time 

 the needle is passed through. Coarse linen or silk thread is equally good. 

 Do not put the inside lining edges of the crop together, but the raw edges. 

 Then disinfect again and sew the raw edges of the skin together. Give 

 the hen water and feed a little soft feed for three days. Incisions into 

 swellings and abscesses do little permanent good, for there is usually no 

 cure effected. Blunting or removing the spurs of the cocks often saves 

 the lives of others and keeps them from gashing the sides of the hens. 



DOCTORING POULTRY.— The general rules for guarding the health 

 of poultry, given above by Dr. Curtice, would, if followed out carefully. 

 prevent any serious outbreak of disease. There would be few deaths in 

 the flock except those from accident or old age. He does not advocate 

 dosing or fussing with sick hens, and he is largely right, because when 

 a hen becomes sick enough to make her condition evident she is often too 

 far gone for medicine. For those who wish to doctor their hens we add 

 a few simple rules of advice. Read the notes on Tonics for Poultry with 

 care, and do not be too anxious to stuff the fowls with medicine. Good 

 food and clean and comfortable quarters give a condition which no drugs 

 can possibly supply. 



Lice are responsible for many of the so-called poultry diseases. They 

 weaken the hen's vitality and put her into a condition which makes it 

 impossible for her to do well. A lousy hen may have ruffled feathers, a 

 dark comb, looseness of the bowels and other symptoms which indicate 

 some form of chicken cholera. What folly it would be to dose such a hen 

 with medicines or "tonics" and leave the lice on her body or leave 

 vermin in the henhouse which she occupies. Would it not be just as 

 great folly to doctor a hen for roup, and spray her throat and then put 

 her back into some damp and breezy house where other roupy hens stay? 

 This will show the wisdom of what Dr. Curtice says and the need of 

 proper care. If one wishes to try a "roup cure" on the nostrils or throat 

 the following will be found as good as any: Equal parts ammonia, tur- 

 pentine and glycerine. We have seen cases of roup that seemed to be 

 relieved by dipping the entire head into kerosene. One ounce of chlorate 

 of potash in a pint of water makes a good wash for cases of sore throat, 

 but of course hens needing any such treatment should be put by them- 

 selves. Reports are made of successful treatment of cholera by giving 

 in the early stages one teaspoonful of a solution of one ounce of hypo- 

 sulphite of soda in a pint of water. Dry, unslaked lime is sometimes used 

 to help chicks dispose of gape worms. The chicks are put into a civered 

 box with a layer of lime at the bottom. The whole thing is shaken to stir 

 up the lime into a dust. Do not leave the chicks inside over two minutes. 



