28 3ENEHAL MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY. 



The reason has puzzled wiser heads than ours, but it is &fact 

 that any real quantity of snow-water seems to reduce botli 

 fowls and birds to mere skeletons. 



It is well in winter to add to the water a few drops of a 

 solution of sulphate of iron (green vitrol), just enough to give 

 a slight mineral taste. This will in a great measure guard 

 against roup, and act as a bracing tonic generally. The rusty 

 appearance the water will assume is quite immaterial, but 

 may be avoided by adding a few drops of sulphuric acid. The 

 best plan, perhaps, is to keep a large bottle of the celebrated 

 " Douglas * mixture," respecting which we can speak with un- 

 qualified approval, as a most valuable addition to the drink in 

 cold weather of both fowls and chickens. It consists of half a 

 pound of sulphate of iron and one ounce of sulphuric acid 

 dissolved in two gallons of water ; and is to be added in the 

 proportion of two table-spoonfuls to each pint of water in the 

 fountain. Whilst the fowls are moulting, the above mixture, 

 or a little sulphate of iron, should always be used; it will assist 

 them greatly through this, the most critical period of the 

 whole year. With this aid, and a little pepper on their food, 

 with perhaps a little extra meat, there will rarely be any lost. 

 With hardy kinds and good shelter such precautions are 

 scarcely necessary ; but they cost little, and have their effect 

 also on the early re-commencement of laying. 



In addition to their regular food it will be needful that the 

 fowls have a supply of lime, in some shape or other, to 

 form the shells of their eggs. Old mortar pounded is excellent ; 

 so are oyster-shells well burnt in the fire and pulverised ; of 

 the latter they are very fond, and it is an excellent plan to 

 keep a " tree-saucer " full of it in their yard. If this matter 

 has been neglected, and soft shell-less eggs have resulted, the 



* So called because published in the Field newspaper by Mr. John 

 Douglas, then superintending the Wolseley Aviaries. 



