196 SECOND THOUSAND QUESTIONS IN AGRICULTURE 



caused by cramped quarters or rubbing against something contin- 

 ually. If it is from these causes then it would not be so much of a 

 risk, but if it is a natural wry tail certainly do not breed from her. 



For Sitting Hens Which Are Quitters. 



Several days after setting my hens they leave their nests, their combs 

 turn black, and they have a greenish dysentery; are healthy before I set 

 them; they have a separate pen or house ; are fed wheat; have clean water, 

 dust bath, and plenty of ventilation in the house. Have lost about five 

 hens and their settings of eggs in the last week. 



Have you examined the nests for mites? Do this at once, for 

 they drive hundreds of hens off their nests by sucking their blood; 

 then of course the comb turns dark and finally black and the hen dies. 

 Open up the feathers and see if you can find them; also see if the 

 eggs are specked as if flies had been on them; if so, you have found 

 the cause. The remedy is to disinfect the house at once. Put some 

 tobacco stems in the nests and clean off the hens with a dip made of 

 creolin and water just warm. If there are no mites, your hens have 

 indigestion. In this case, parch in the oven all the wheat you feed 

 to them. Do not burn, but just bake slowly until it smells so nice 

 you want to eat it yourself. Give them all of this parched wheat and 

 rolled oats they will eat, and put half a teaspoonful of tincture of 

 nux vomica in a quart of water; divide that among all your setting 

 hens. Some hens are so feverish over setting that they neglect to 

 get off the nest to eat and drink until the digestion is impaired; then 

 it is too late unless the hen has very good vitality. Go around 

 early in the morning and lift off all setting hens that have not been 

 off. In this way get them started right and then they get off 

 regularly. Hens have no judgment at least they don't use it when 

 broody, so we have to show them what is best. 



How to Distinguish a Guinea Cock. 



How can we tell the male from the female guinea fowl, at any age 

 say one year old. They look so much alike; nobody seems to be able to 

 tell which is which. 



C. S. Valentine, author of "The Beginner in Poultry," says: 

 "Males are distinguished from females chiefly by their cry. The 

 males are slightly larger than the females; the voice is more strident, 

 and where the young are being fed, the male's careful auxiliary pro- 

 tection of the female and her little ones distinguishes him. One may 

 make unnumbered efforts to head off the male from his family, but 

 he always will appear between his charges and the threatening peril, 

 to insure protection." 



The Chances With Duck Eggs. 



Is it true that duck eggs bring a better price than hen eggs? 

 The truth of the statement is doubtful; unless you make a market 

 you will not get as much for them. Bakers and confectioners like 



