l6 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



cotton seed meal needs to be particularly carefully watched in 

 this respect. 



C. Provide Plenty of Green Food. Under natural condi- 

 tions poultry are free eaters of green grass and other plants. 

 Such green food supplies a definite need in metabolism, the 

 place of which can be taken by no other sort of food material. It 

 is not enough merely to supply succulence in the ration. Fowls 

 need a certain amount of succulent food, but they also need fresh 

 green food. The Station has found green sprouted oats, when 

 properly prepared, to be an excellent source of winter green 

 food. Full directions for sprouting oats are given in Bulletin 

 179 of the Maine Station, a copy of which may be had upon 

 application to the Director of the Station. 



D. Provide Presh and Clean Drinking Water. The most 

 sure and rapid method by which infectious diseases of all kinds 

 are transmitted through a flock of birds is by means of the 

 water pail from which they all drink in common. Furthermore 

 the water itself may come from a contaminated source and be 

 the origin of infection to the flock. Finally it is difficult to de- 

 vise any satisfactory drinking fountain in which the water is 

 not liable to contamination from litter, manure, etc. All these 

 considerations indicate the advisability of adding to all drinking 

 water which is given to poultry some substance which shall act 

 as a harmless antiseptic. The best of all such substances yet 

 discovered for use with poultry is potassium permanganate. 

 This is a dark reddish-purple crystalline substance which can 

 be bought of any druggist. It ought never to cost more than 

 20C-30C per pound and a pound will last for a long time. It 

 should be used in the following way : In the bottom of a large 

 mouthed jar, bottle or can, put a layer of potassium permanga- 

 nate crystals an inch thick. Fill up the receptacle with water. 

 This water will dissolve all of the crystals that it is able to. This 

 will make a stock saturated solution. A.s this solution is 

 used add more water and more crystals as needed, always aim- 

 ing to keep a layer of undissolved crystals at the bottom. Keep 

 a dish of stock solution like this alongside the faucet or pump 

 where the water is drawn for the poultry. Whenever any water 

 is drawn for either chicks or adult fowls add enough of the, 

 stock solution to give the water a rather deep wine color. This 

 means i to 2 teaspoons of the stock solution to 10 quarts of 



