3O2 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



feverishness. The attacked plumage should be drenched 

 every two or three days with Jeyes' Fluid diluted by two 

 parts water, whose taste will probably prevent feathers 

 being swallowed, and carbolated vaseline applied freely to all 

 bare places. The beaks of all offenders should be carefully 

 filed away from time to time, at the edges of the tips of 

 both mandibles, so that for an eighth of an inch the bill 

 cannot quite close ; corn can still be picked up, but the 

 beak will not be able to close upon and draw out a feather. 

 But, finally, care must be taken to reduce the numbers 

 to a proper proportion for the space, and, while feeding 

 adequately, to do so in a way to provide occupation for 

 the fowls. For it is the old enemy celebrated by Dr. Watts 

 who is chiefly to be combated. The grain may be scat- 

 tered sparingly and worked under the loose earth, or straw 

 scattered over it, to promote constant scratching ; or green 

 food may be supplied by half a cabbage cut open and 

 hung by a string ; or the animal food by a piece of cooked 

 liver or a large bone suspended in the same way. By such 

 means, and never forgetting the withdrawal of either 

 the special culprit (if any) or the special victim, or 

 both, can this horrible propensity be very frequently 

 overcome. 



VERMIN. 



Under this heading we include all living enemies of 

 the poultry-yard, both in the insect world and amongst 

 mammalia. 



Insect vermin in general seldom become very trouble- 

 some if the dust-bath be properly attended to, the houses 

 and sheds whitewashed at proper intervals, and occasionally 

 sprayed with dilute carbolic acid. But there are exceptions, 

 sometimes what may be almost called an epidemic, perhaps 

 from some less careful neighbour's premises, and special 



