DISEASES AND PREDATORY ANIMALS 



loosened up in this way the material in the crop can usu- 

 ally be forced out through the mouth by holding the bird 

 with its head down. In case it is not possible to clear up 

 the difficulty in this way, the crop can be opened by cut- 

 ting through the skin and through the wall of the crop 

 itself. In making the incision pull the outside skin to one 

 side so that when it is allowed to slip back to its normal 

 position after the cut is made, the incision in the crop 

 will be covered by the outside skin. The material can 

 then be taken out with the handle of a spoon or some 

 similar instrument, being sure that the obstructing sub- 

 stance is removed. The crop is then sewed up again, pre- 

 caution being taken to sew up the walls of the crop and 

 the skin separately. 



Worms. Turkeys are quite subject to intestinal or 

 round worms. They occur both in young poults and in 

 the adult fowls. These are slender, white, threadlike 

 worms which may be present at times in considerable 

 quantities. In order to prevent trouble from this cause 

 it is well to worm the breeding stock in the spring before 

 the ovaries begin to function and laying starts. It should 

 be done at this time in order not to interfere with the lay- 

 ing. Give each turkey a dose of sweet oil to which a few 

 drops of chenopodium or American wormseed oil has 

 been added. Nearly a half cup of this mixture can be 

 given as a dose for a large bird, and in this quantity there 

 should not be over three or four drops of wormseed oil. 

 The young turkeys as well as the adults are apt to be 

 greatly troubled by worms. In many cases it may prove 



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