RELIABLE POULTRY REMEDIES 



fat and their muscles atrophied. Fat and flesh are not the same thing. 

 Some fat is essential to health, but a very fat fowl is never a healthy one. 

 Proper exercise helps the fowl to keep up in flesh and muscle and to burn 

 up any surplus fat. The healthy fowl will hold its weight, allowing for 

 slight variation at different seasons. Lack of exercise tends to divert the 

 digested food from flesh forming and the development of eggs and turns it 

 to fat making. For some reason food seems to be disposed of more readily 

 in storage of fat than for the purpose for which we intend it. If we fail 

 to supply a sufficient incentive to proper exercise, we are almost certain to 

 defeat our purpbse in feeding. Sluggishness begets laziness; exercise begets 

 activity, and activity is necessary to health and the performance of the 

 normal functions of the body. 



Where the dry food hopper plan of feeding is adopted, fowls should 

 have liberal range, so that they will take the necessary exercise in ram- 

 bling about in search of bugs, insects and other natural food, otherwise the 

 dry grain should be fed in litter to encourage exercise. «, 



Exercise is very important for growing chicks. To do well, mature 

 properly, and make the best of their growing up, they should have a liberal 

 range. A good grass range on the farm will do much to help chickens to 

 outgrow any evil tendencies which they may have inherited. The range 

 should give them the freedom of a grassy field where they can get good grass 

 food, worms and insects. Old or young fowls should never be coddled* or 

 babied. They should be provided with a suitable shelter, and then allowed 

 to use their discretion about keeping under cover. The shelter should be 

 such as will provide protection against ^ind, rain and sun, and it should be 

 so arranged that they can run to it if they want to. 



Fowls usually lay more eggs in semi-confingment than on free range, 

 but the eggs of yarded fowls seldom hatch as well as those of birds which 

 have more freedom. Where birds are confined, they should have conofort- 

 able houses and good sized runs, plenty of litter deep enough to keep them 

 scratching and a sufficient supply of grain in the litter so that they can al- 

 ways find a little by scratching for it, lest they become disgusted from dig- 

 ging and finding nothing. If they are permitted to have plenty of outdoor 

 exercise and the houses are well sunned and aired daily, you will not find 

 the birds susceptible to colds from sudden changes in weather. Where it 

 can be avoided, fowls of different ages and conditions should not run to- 

 gether in the same flock. Fowls of various sizes and varieties do not do as 

 well running together as if they were in separate flocks. 



Tuberculous persons or animals, consumptives or other diseased human 

 beings should not be permitted to go near any live stock. To be successful 

 in breeding healthy fowls means that the breeder must at times sacrifice 

 sentiment and possibly some high-scoring or record breaking birds, but in 

 the end he will find that it pays. Constitutional disease is a danger too 

 serious to be overlooked, and every day those who are interested in the study 

 of poultry diseases find fresh evidence of its prevalence. If poultry is to 

 be kept from becoming a medace to public health, every breeder must do 

 his best to produce healthy poultry. 



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