LIVE-STOCK AND DAIRYING. 373 



else to obtain their food. In summer the use of yards 

 or the range will give the birds the needed exercise. 



Grit. It is not sufficient to furnish poultry with 

 grain, animal and green food, but grit must also be sup- 

 plied. Poultry have no teeth and grit performs the 

 function of grinding the food. Broken glass and 

 ground oyster shells should always be before the birds. 

 Oyster shells are rich in lime, which constituent is neces- 

 sary for the formation of firm shells. Grit may be pur* 

 chased from any of the leading poultry supply houses. 



Dusting Boxes. The use of dusting boxes proves 

 beneficial as a preventive against lice. Poultry must 

 be supplied with dusting boxes for their good health. 

 Fine road dust is excellent, and enough of it should be 

 secured in the summer or early fall to last through the 

 winter and early spring. The dusting box should be 

 kept clean and new dust added from time to time. The 

 use of loam or clay soil is not satisfactory as it tends 

 to pack or cake. Coal ashes finely ground are some- 

 times employed. Wood ashes should not be used as 

 they tend to bleach the legs and dry up the skin and 

 feathers. A dusting box 2 l / 2 to 3 feet square and 7 

 to 8 inches high is ample for 20 to 25 birds. The dust- 

 ing box should be situated so that the sun will shine on 

 it part of the day. 



Marking Poultry. In order to keep a record of 

 what each hen is doing and her age, the marking of 

 poultry is important. This may be accomplished by 

 the use of numbered legbands. The legbands should 

 be placed on the pullets as they mature. Sometimes 

 the poultryman punches a hole in one of the four webs 

 of the feet each year. Legbands and punches may be 

 purchased from any of the leading poultry supply 

 houses. By marking poultry a complete record can be 

 kept of every bird and those that are not profitable 

 may be killed. All the older birds can be disposed of 

 when their usefulness is passed. 



Care of the Setting Hen. In selecting hens for sit- 

 ting, the irritable, nervous and weak hens should be 



