644 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK vH- 



Soft Crop. When the crop is distended with air or water it is known 

 as soft crop. Empty the contents by holding the bird upside down, 

 and pressing the crop. Failing this it must be punctured. Feed on 

 small quantities of soft food, and do not allow much water, which should 

 be slightly acidulated. 



EGG ORGANS. 



Troubles of the egg organs are frequent, especially during the 

 spring and summer, and are due to over exertion, or to weakness, but 

 if dealt with promptly are seldom serious, and can be easily cured. 



Soft Eggs, This is the commonest form, and some strains are very 

 prone to this bad habit, if weakness can be so called. The eggs are 

 laid without a shell. Under some conditions it is simply due to 

 deficiency of shell-forming materials, which can be easily remedied by 

 supplying lime, old mortar, broken oyster shells, &c. Fright, or 

 chasing of the birds, may also be the cause. But when it is due to 

 weakness, feed on rice to stop lajdng, and inject a little oil into the vent 

 daily. 



Egg Bound. When an egg is retained in the passage the state of 

 things is more serious, for until it is removed the trouble is hourly 

 aggravated. A dose of castor oil, and oiling the vent, will generally be 

 sufficient, if the mischief is discovered at an early stage. Failing that, 

 give the bird some chopped groundsel mixed with warm treacle. In 

 very obstinate cases the parts should be held over a jug of hot water, so 

 as to soften them. Care must be taken not to break the egg, or more 

 serious consequences will follow. 



Inflammation of the Oviduct. Scrofulous deposits, the breaking of an 

 egg in the oviduct, or an injury to the organ named may equally induce 

 this trouble, and the cause must be removed ere a cure can be effected. 

 Inject warm water, oil the vent and passages, give some aperient, and 

 if the obstruction, should there be one, is near the orifice, it must be 

 carefully removed. 



Prolapsus. Falling of the bowel, or " down behind," as it is some- 

 times called, is generally due to weakness from over laying. Give some 

 good tonic, return the bowel, and inject sulphate of zinc, dissolved in 

 water. Laying should be stopped to allow the parts to resume their 

 natural form. 



LIMBS. 



Many diseases of the limbs are due to internal causes, and must be 

 dealt with as such, and others are symptomatic of affections which are 

 treated under other heads. But there are those in which the limbs only 

 are affected. 



Leg Weakness. Young chickens are especially liable to this affection, 

 and a too rapid growth of the body, an inherent weakness, or the want 

 of proper bone-forming materials in the food may each or all be the 

 primary cause. To avoid this it is an excellent thing to give bone- 

 meal to chicks, for that material, if of the right kind, contains in- 

 gredients in which some soils are deficient, and which are not available 



