DISEASES O-e POUr<TRV. 243 



CHAPTER XII. 



Injurious Habits or Vices. 



EGG EATING — FEATHER EATING, FEATHER PUI,I,ING. 



EGG EATING. 



®NE of the most troublesome and injurious of 

 the acquired habits of poultry is egg eating. 

 Undoubtedly the habit begins in most cases 

 by the accidental breaking of an egg in the 

 nest, but it rapidly spreads among the flock until a 

 large proportion of the eggs laid are purposely broken 

 and eaten by the hens. The heavy breeds of fowls 

 are most subject to this habit because they more 

 frequently break their eggs by stepping upon them 

 than do lighter birds. When an egg is broken it is 

 too tempting a morsel to be left in the nest. The hen 

 not only eats it, but often carries large pieces of the 

 shell about the house or grounds, pursued by other 

 members of the flock, each of which wants a portion. 

 In this manner a number of individuals soon learn 

 how appetizing are eggs and egg shells, and each in 

 turn becomes a teacher of others. 



It is plain that whatever conditions contribute to 

 the breaking of eggs in the nests may be considered 

 as causes of the habit. Thin -shell eggs are easily 

 broken, and, hence, a deficiency of shell-forming 

 constituents in the ration may be a cause. In other 

 cases an egg may be broken for want of sufficient 



