.so 



ill oidfi' U) pievfut it, a lovvi tliat is iioticod pluck 

 iug- feathers should be at once removed from the liock 

 before the others litive had time to learn the habit. If 

 it is not dtsirable that the bird should hv killed, several 

 methods for preventinn' the continuation of the habit 

 are recommended. The best and most humane is to 

 tile awav the bill in front and on the sides so that it 

 will not close tightly, but when shut leaves a space of 

 about one-tenth of an inch. This will prevent the bird 

 from grasping the feather with sufficient force to re- 

 move it, but will not interfere with eating. Another 

 remedy that has been suggested is to place a piece of 

 wire through the mouth as a bit and carry the upper 

 end of wirt through a liole that has been punctured 

 in the oomb. Tliis has the effect of preventing the 

 fowl from closing the beak tightly, and therefore from 

 palling out the feathers, but is rather a cruel proced- 

 ure and cannot be recommended. In all cases, fo^wls 

 inflicted in this way should be allowed a large yard, 

 so that they may have plenty of exercise. 



4. EGG EATING. 



This is another habit that spreads from fowl to fowl 

 similar to the above. If eggs are allowed to remain 

 too long" in the nests so that they become broken, or if 

 soft shell eggs are produced by any of the hens in the 

 tlO'Ck some of the fowls may get into the way of eating" 

 them, and the habit once started spreads from bird to 

 bird until in some cases it becomes almost impossible 

 lo secni'c anv eggs at all. 



