432 Diseases of Fowls. 



Its course is generally rapid, and the bird will usually be 

 almost well or else dead within one week. 



LEG WEAKNESS AND LOSS OF FEATHERS. 



Causes. — Both these complaints generally arise from lack 

 of proper care or sufficient food, or from too high feeding. 

 They are diseases of debility. Old fowls suffer especially 

 from bad moulting. 



Treatment. — What is needed is a regular diet of good, 

 healthy food, and thorough cleanliness. To these should be 

 added a good tonic. There is one which is very celebrated 

 among chicken fanciers in England, known as ".Douglas' 

 Mixture.^' It is a most valuable article in the poultry yard 

 whenever the fowls seem weak andla nguid, or when any of 

 them are recovering from an attack of sickness. The receipt 

 for it is as follows : — 



Douglas' Tonic Poultry Mixture. 



Take Sulphate of iron, half a pound. 



Sulphuric acid, 1 oz. 



Pure soft water, 2 gallons. 



Mix and give to the fowls by adding one teaspoonful to each pint 

 of their drinking water. 



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. A little hemp-seed should also be given every 

 day, at this season, at least to all fowls of value; and with 

 these aids, and a little pepper on their food, with perhaps a 

 little extra meat, or even a little ale during the few weeks 

 the process lasts, there will rarely be any lost. 



CHICKEN LICE AND FLEAS. 



These are the pest of many a hennery. To prevent them, 

 the chicken houses should be frequently whitewashed, and 



