POULTRY. 



189 



"breeding pen for the following spring. 

 Soft-shelled eggs are often caused 

 by fowls being confined, becoming 

 overfat, and from lack of mineral mat- 

 ter. " 

 Marketing. 



Uniform products command the best 

 prices. Purebred fowls produce uni- 

 form products. 



B^n marketing the cockerels as 

 soon as they weigh 1 1-2 pounds or at- 

 tain a marketable weight. 



Market white-shelled and brown- 

 shelled eggs in separate packages. 



When selling eggs to the country 

 merchant or cash buyer, insist that 

 the traasaction be on a quality basis. 



Ship or deliver eggs twice or three 

 times weekly. 



Small or dirty eggs should be used 

 at home. 



T\Tien taking eggs to market they 

 should be protected from the sun's 

 rays. 



Infertile eggs will withstand mar- 

 keting conditions much better than 

 fertile ^gs. 



Lice and Mites. 



The free use of an effective lice 

 powder is always in order. 



A dust bath Is very essential in 

 ridding the fowls of lice. 



In applying powder hold the fowl 

 by the feet, head down, and work the 

 powder well down into the feathers. 



Whitewash is very effective against 

 vermin. 



Common Diseases and Treatments. 



All diseased birds should be isolat- 

 ed. 



Colds and roup. — ^Disinfect the drink- 

 ing water as follows: To each gallon 

 of water add the amount of postas- 

 sium permaaganate that will remain 

 on the surface of a dime. 



Canker. — Sprinkle a little flowers ofi 

 sulphur in the mouth and throat of 

 the bird and put some chlorate of 

 potash in the water. Also carefully 

 remove the exudate with the aid of 

 warm water. 



Chicken pox. — ^Apply a touch of 

 iodine and carbolated vaseline to each 

 sore. 



Gapes. — New ground and vigorous 

 cultivation will often remedy this 

 rouble. 



Diarrhea in hens. — ^Low-grade wheat 



flour or middlings Is good for this trou- 

 ble. Also give teaspoonful of oastor 

 oil containing flve drops of oU of tur- 

 pentine to each fowl. 



Bowel trouble in chicks. — Well-boil- 

 ed rice mixed with a little charcoal 

 will often check this complaint. Dis- 

 solve 15 grains of crude catechu in 

 each gallon of drinking water. 



Rules. 



All farmers and poultrymen should 

 adhere strictly to the following rules 

 in handling their poultry and eggs: 



1. Keep the nests clean; provide 

 one nest for every four hens. 



2. Gather the e^gs twice daily. 

 3.Keep the eggs in a cool, dry room 



or cellar. 



4. Market the eggs at least twice a 

 week. 



5. Sell, kill, or confine, all male 

 birds as soon as the hatching season 

 is over. 



As far as possible have your eggs 

 of a uniform size and color. There is 

 a premium due for uniformity and 

 good size in eggs. 



Candling Eggs. 



Eggs are candled very easily. A 

 new-laid egg when held between the 

 eye and the light has a clear appear- 

 ance, the yolk is practically invisible, 

 and the air cell is about the size of 

 a five-ceut piece. 



Unless the eggs are put in pickle 

 or held in cold storage, the air cell 

 gradually increases in size, and the 

 yolk becomes visible. 



Cold storage and pickled eggs may 

 have small air cells, but the yolks are 

 conspicious. 



The Egg Tester. 



1. Egg-testing box. 



2. Hole through which the light 

 shines and before which egg is held 

 to be tested. 



3. Chimney. 



4. Bottle of water placed between 

 light and No. 2. 



5. Reflector to be placed behind 

 light. 



An ordinary lamp or electric light 

 is placed in the box so that the light 

 shines through No. 2, 



