OBJECTIONABLE HABITS 



working for the greater portion of their food, and see that they get the ani- 

 mal food they require. Anoint the feathers about the picked area with an 

 ointment made by adding a teaspoonful of extract of aloes to a cupful of 

 laxd, rubbing the same well together. After one or two bitter doses of feath- 

 ers thus treated, the birds will usually stop pulling and eating them. In 

 some cases it is necessary to get rid of the feather eating birds or else use 

 "poultry bits." These bits are simply pieces of soft leather sufficiently 

 large to prevent the bird from closing its beak on a feather, but not large 

 enough to interfere with eating. They are held in place by a fine wire passed 

 through the nostril. These bits can be made at home, but can also be ob- 

 tained through dealers in poultry supplies. 



DEPRAVED APPETITES 



Fowls quite often develop the habit of eating every filthy thing they come 

 in contact with, drinking from stagnant pools and barnyard filth. Young 

 chicks will eat their droppings, etc. This is what is known as a depraved 

 appetite and is caused by some digestive disturbance or their inability to 

 get pure, fresh water and food to eat and drink. 



Give such fowls and chicks a good grass run. Supply a little fresh raw 

 beef daily. Keep a dry mash and pure, sweet beef scrap where they can have 

 access to it" at all times. 



CANNIBALISM 



Chicks often develop the habit of pecking at each other's toes, eyes, 

 etc., sometimes with serious results. They have been known to kill and eat 

 their companions. This is cannibalism and is generally caused by too close 

 confinement and an insufficient supply of green and animal food, particularly 

 a lack of green food. Another cause given for this "toe picking" is that 

 of feeding soft or wet mashes so that the chicks can get into it with their feet. 

 This mash gums up or forms little balls on the toes of the chicks and in pick- 

 ing at it they draw blood and thus form this bad habit of picking each other's 

 toes. The habit once formed is difficult to control and thejworst offenders 

 should be at once removed or killed. 



Treatment 



Divide the chicks into flocks, not over 25 or 30 each, provide them 

 with litter of mow sweepings, cut clover or alfalfa to scratch in, and see that 

 they are plentifully supplied with granulated bone and beef scrap in addition 

 to their grain food. Keep charcoal always before them. You will find it 

 advisable to hang up a strip of fresh beef flanks for them to pick at. If they 

 can be kept from picking one another until they are full feathered out the 

 trouble will undoubtedly cease except in the case of a few individuals that 

 might as well be killed. 



93 



