CHAPTER VII. 



DISEASES OF THE BONES. 



1. RICKETS. 



Rickets is a disease of the bones that prevents their 

 becoming hard and stift as they should, thus allowing 

 them to bend and become deformed under the weight 

 of the fowl. The bones that are most frequently sub- 

 ject to deformity in cases of rickets are those of the 

 legs and the breast bone because these carry the most 

 weight. Rickets usually results from improper feed- 

 ing. A growing fowl should not only have food to 

 make flesh but also to make bone, and unless this is 

 supplied in sufficient quantity and in an available 

 form, the imperfectly nourished bones develop the con 

 dition above described. 



The treatment consists in giving sufficient food of a 

 proper sort, such as grains of all kinds, ground bone, 

 ground shells, wallplaster from old buildings, broken 

 egg shells, etc. A composition in high repute among 

 ihe poailterers of England is Parrish's chemical food. 

 Phosphate of lime, which is the princi]>al and mosr 

 valaable ir.gredient of Parrish's chemical food, can Itr 

 administered in doses of two oi- three grains |)cr day 

 to each young chick that is notic<d to be rickety in 

 the least degree. 



