144 °° THE-HOME, POULTRY BOOK 
lack of exercise. The best remedy is to give the 
fowls wider range or to use a deep litter in the house 
and force them to scratch persistently for all the 
grain they get. Busy hens rarely have time to in- 
dulge in these evil practices. Of course, a generous 
supply of beef scraps should be given, if the trouble 
may be traced to a lack of sufficient meat in their 
rations. 
Scaly legs are caused by a parasite and the remedy 
is three tablespoonfuls of lard, two of kerosene oil 
and one of glycerine, which should be mixed warm 
and two drops of carbolic acid added. After wash- 
ing and drying the legs of the birds, this mixture 
should be applied generously and when warm. Two 
applications a week for a month will usually prove 
sufficient. 
Sick birds are not worth bothering with, as a rule. 
The amateur who keeps his flock well housed, well 
fed and in a sanitary condition will have little trouble 
with disease, anyway, if cautious about introducing 
strange birds. 
