DISEASES OF POULTRY. 215 



first indication that the birds are pulling feathers is 

 the loss of plumage, bareness and redness of the skin 

 over the posterior part of the back. Sometimes the 

 skin has become abraded by repeated pecking and 

 sores result. If the birds are watched carefully, they 

 will be seen to catch one or more feathers in their 

 beaks, tear them out and swallow them. They are 

 apparently most fond of the young, growing feathers, 

 the quills of which are filled with blood. 



Various causes have been assigned for this habit, the 

 most probable being improper rations and insufficient 

 exercise or idleness. In some instances, it may 

 originate from irritation of the skin caused by animal 

 parasites. In general, it may be said that anything 

 which produces an abnormal appetite predisposes to 

 feather eating. 



As preventive measures, the birds should be given 

 a free run or they should at least be made to scratch 

 for a large part of their food. This exercise improves 

 their digestion and gives them something to occupy 

 their time. As in some cases, the habit is due to in- 

 sufficient animal matter in the ration or to feeding too 

 long on a single kind of grain, particularly corn, one 

 of the first measures adopted should be a well balanced 

 ration containing skim milk, meat, bone, vegetables 

 or green feed and frequently varied. 



The Geneva, N. Y. experiment station applied to 

 the feathers lard or vaseline in which powdered aloes 

 had been mixed and after continuing this treatment 

 for some time the habit disappeared. This success 

 was thought to be due to the disagreeable taste of the 

 aloes. It is some trouble to apply this mixture, how- 

 ever, and unless the fowls are of particular value, it 

 is probably better to rely upon exercise, variety of 



