176 DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED BIRDS 
afforded a brood of chicks under the care of a hen. One of the most 
troublesome results is the habit of pecking toes. Anything unusual 
about the foot of a chick attracts the attention of another member 
of the flock which pecks at the foot. The attention of others is drawn 
to the action and they repeat the pecking. As soon as blood is 
drawn, the deep seated instinct of chickens to attack the injured 
or the weakling, is aroused and the victim is soon killed or seriously 
maimed. The habit is likewise manifested by pecking at the vent. 
In this way a chicken is disembowled in a surprisingly short length 
of time. Once the taste for blood is aroused, the chicks attack one 
another indiscriminately and cause heavy losses. 
The immediate remedy is to remove instantly all wounded birds, 
which must be kept in isolation until entirely recovered. General 
precautionary measures will include those designed to keep the chicks 
occupied with harmless pursuits. Various kinds of food hung so as 
to be somewhat inaccessible, furnish diversion. Dried meat has 
been so employed. 
Egg eating. The habit of eating eggs is often established by 
the accidental breaking of an egg. The practice spreads rapidly by 
imitation. Careful observation will reveal yolk stains on the beaks 
of offenders, who should be isolated or killed. 
Nests well supplied with straw will minimize the possibility of 
the accidental breaking of eggs, and darkened nests will prevent a 
broken egg from being seen. Craving for lime in the egg shells 
may be forestalled by supplying an abundance of oyster shells and 
bone. 
Feather eating and feather pulling. These habits constitute 
very troublesome vices not only among fowls but also in cage birds. 
A bird may pull out its own feathers or those of its companions. 
The sensation of having the feathers plucked apparently is not dis- 
agreeable, for a bird will stand quietly while another pulls out its 
feathers. Finally the birds taste blood on the emerging feather and 
as a result, never allow a feather to develop. The vice is often 
observed in cage birds such as parrots, among hens that are closely 
confined, and occasionally among hens lacking certain elements in 
the feed. Parasites of the skin are important causes of the itching 
leading to feather pulling. In some instances the eruption of nor- 
mal feathers during molting, occasions an itching sensation and 
starts the habit. Perhaps the most common cause is a monotonous 
diet of a restricted number of elements. Hens at large in warm 
weather can satisfy individual food requirements from among the 
