RELIABLE POULTRY REMEDIES 



Treatment 



Dr. Hill recommends: "If the disease proceeds, from a broken, and 

 unexpelled egg, immediate removal of the latter is imperative; for so long 

 as this (the cause) remains, it is perfectly useless to attempt the reduc- 

 tion of inflammation by administering calomel, tartar emetic, or any other 

 medicine. The finger oiled should be carefully introduced to explore the 

 passage at its lower end, and if the broken egg is within reach it may with 

 patience be removed with the finger. If too far away, then repeated in- 

 jections of oUve oil should be used, which will sooth the lining membrane 

 of the duct, and facilitate the passage of the collapsed egg. These measures 

 failing, then a proper pair of forceps is to be introduced, and the offending 

 object removed without further delay. This accomplished, the passage 

 should be syringed with a weak solution of carbolic acid, and tepid oil, and 

 20 to 30 grains of sulphate of magnesia administered and repeated two or 

 three times. For some days the fowl must be kept quiet and free from stimu- 

 ulating food." 



SOFT SHELLED EGGS 



This is not exactly a diseased condition, but may be the first symp- 

 tom of approaching danger. Over-stimulation of the egg organs by use 

 of spice, or so-called "egg foods," tends toward the production of thin- 

 shelled eggs. Even fright may hurry along the eggs before the shell has 

 been added. Worms may increase in the intestines to such an extent as 

 to stimulate the egg passage to push along the egg beyond its usual distance. 

 An over-fat hen has a tendency toward laying thin-sheUed eggs. In fact, 

 this is the usual cause of soft-shelled eggs. 



There come times when a knowledge of the causes of this condition 

 is useful, but even then we sometimes fail to correct the tendency to thin 

 or soft-shelled eggs. The hen that laid the brown eggs that took the first 

 prize and several specials at the Boston show in 1899, was sold to a man in 

 the west for twenty dollars. In spite of the fact that he wished to set some 

 of the eggs, and above all to be able to exhibit the best brown eggs at the 

 Nashville show, the bird at once developed a tendency toward thin-shelled 

 eggs. It seemed to be in perfect health. Food, exercise, magnesia in drink- 

 ing water, grit and oyster shells, everything thought of was tried, but noth- 

 ing seemed to make the slightest change. I think it likely that the bird 

 started by being over-fat, and this in some way set up an irritation of the 

 egg passage. Being unnoticed or neglected, the condition became chronic 

 and apparently incurable. 



Provided the cause is an over-fat condition, you can meet this diffi- 

 culty by providing a diet low in fat-producing elements, supplying grit 

 and oyster shells in abundance, making the birds work for much of the grain, 

 and adding a liberal amount of cut-clover to the mash. One or two doses 

 of sulphate of magnesia (one heaping teaspoonful to a pint of drinking water) 

 kept before the hens for a day, twice a week, will help remove the layers of 

 fat. 



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