POULTRY FOR PROFIT 173 



should have at hand some such book for immediate 

 reference. 



Liver Disease 



Caused by lack of exercise, overfeeding, or feeding 

 too rich foods. 



Sanborn mentions as early symptoms: "Rough 

 plumage, watery diarrhea, first brownish then yel- 

 low ; lack of appetite and indisposition to move. The 

 comb may be purplish at first, becoming dark and 

 then quite black." The disease may be diagnosed 

 positively only by a post mortem examination, when 

 the liver will be found enlarged or congested or mar- 

 bled or spotted. 



Treatment. — Make the mash light and bulky; 

 feed green and vegetable food liberally ; compel exer- 

 cise by scratching. Get the fowls out a little every 

 day, or let them out altogether if it is possible ; cor- 

 rect any sanitary conditions that are not right. Dan- 

 delion tea mixed in the mash is a valuable medicine. 

 Give Epsom salts frequently. 



Crop Bound 



The walls of the crop may be over-distended with 

 dry grain, or, as more often happens, the lower por- 

 tion of the oesophagus becomes clogged by straws, 

 grass, feathers, or other substances. In either case 

 the crop fails to empty itself while the bird con- 

 tinues to eat. The real cause of impacted crop prob- 

 ably lies in low vitality due to improper feeding and 

 indigestion. 



Treatment. — If the crop-bound condition is 

 caused by swelled grain, the bird may often be 

 treated without an operation. First give the bird a 

 teaspoon of castor oil. After allowing this a little 

 time to work into the crop begin to knead the hard 



