THE YEAR’S WORK 153 
portant in hot weather. All the feeders and drink- 
ing dishes should be cleaned daily and twice a week 
should be taken to the house and scalded. 
The chicks should have beef scraps always before 
them and should be given green food of some kind 
daily, if confined. 
It is well to spade up a portion of the yard each 
week. A little grain dug into the ground will en- 
courage the birds to take exercise. 
Begin getting rid of the old hens this month. 
Those which obviously are not laying and those 
which are persistently broody should go first. 
JULY 
Take extra precautions against lice this month. 
They multiply with amazing rapidity in hot weather 
and the hens are not in good condition to resist their 
attacks. 
If the house is very hot, make an opening in the 
back just under the roof in order to have a cross 
current of air. 
The old hens should be disposed of as fast as they 
stop laying. Feeding largely of corn will help to 
put them in good condition for market unless the 
weather is very hot. 
