172 



MRS. BASLEY'S WESTERN POULTRY BOOK 



other organs appeared to be healthy. I 

 hope that you may be able to tell me 

 what the growth was and if there is a 

 cure for it, in case any of the other hens 

 have such symptoms. The hen was about 

 two and a half years old. Would age 

 have a tendency to hinder her? — Mrs. 

 H. R. B. 



Answer — Your hen had what is called 

 an -ovarian tumor. The trouble is very 

 common, and yet we don't know very 

 much about it. I am inclined to think 

 that if investigations covering a large 

 number of fowls kept under a variety of 

 conditions were made, it would be found 

 that cases of tumor like this are more 

 abundant among fowls kept closely con- 

 fined, or fed heavily for egg production, 

 than among those kept under more nat- 

 ural conditions. It is quite reasonable 

 also to suppose that the offspring of 

 hens heavily forced for egg production 

 would show weakness of the reproduc- 

 tive system, resulting in diseases of this 

 character. It possibly also may come 

 from, an injury of some kind. Undoubt- 

 edly some strains or families are more 

 subject to it than others. There is no 

 cure for it and the only preventive is to 

 keep the hens healthy and busy. 



To Remove Spurs — The English 

 method of removing spurs : to success- 

 fully remove spurs from an old bird it is 

 necessary to have a couple of baked po- 

 tatoes fresh from the oven ; first take a 

 long strip of damp rag, wind this around 

 the bird's shank, both under and above 

 the spur, so that the potato will not burn 

 the bird's leg. Next take one of the hot 

 potatoes and place it upon the spur, 

 driving the spur well home. Allow the 

 hot potato to remain upon the spur for 

 five or six minutes, then remove the po- 

 tato and with a sharp pen knife nick 

 around the base of the spur, then insert 

 [he point of the knife in the point of the 

 spur and gently pull, when the whole of 

 the outer shell will come away. The 

 next thing to do is to shave off the point 

 of the remaining spur and the bird will 

 be much better and safer for breeding 

 purposes. 



This English plan does not appeal to 

 me. but as it is a novelty I give it. 



The Eastern way of removing spurs, 

 or young calves' horns: Take vaseline 

 and oil around the root of the spur, take 

 a stick of caustic, moisten and rub the 

 points thoroughly. This has to be done 

 when the birds are young, say six 

 months old. The calves' horns are re- 



moved in the same way by clipping the 

 hair off and rubbing the small horns. 

 This has to be done when the calf is 

 only a few days old. 



I have always removed the spurs by 

 sawing them off and then filing down 

 the rough edges. 



Overeat Hens — I have about two 

 dozen Buff Orpington hens and have 

 had no eggs for four months. They 

 appear as healthy as can be. For some 

 time I fed them wheat twice a day and 

 the table scraps. I began to think I 

 was not feeding the proper foods; then 

 I got bran and an egg maker and also 

 bought cabbage for them and still no 

 eggs. They have lots of exercise and 

 gravel and are so fat you cannot eat 

 them. Please tell me what to do to re- 

 duce the fat. The past two weeks I 

 have been giving them just the scraps 

 from the table. Tell me, is that the 

 proper method to reduce fat? — Mrs. 

 A. C. S. 



Answer — Your hens are so fat that 

 they cannot lay. The whole inside of 

 them, is filled full of fat so the eggs 

 cannot pass down the egg duct. The 

 best plan would be to kill and eat, or 

 sell the fowls, because they will not 

 make satisfactory layers after being so 

 fat. 



However, if you wish to keep them, 

 your only plan will be not to give any 

 grain, or any table scraps until they are 

 reduced in fat ; give only green alfalfa 

 or lawn clippings, for two weeks, then 

 commence and feed half an ounce of 

 meat per hen per day and lawn clip- 

 pings ; no grain or bread, and in about 

 a month they may begin to lay. 



Pendulous Crop— I have a hen, and 

 its crop hangs down so far that when it 

 walks its feet are always hitting it. We 

 cut it open once and only the corn and 

 feed it had eaten came out of it. I have 

 thought I would kill it, but I was afraid 

 it might be a tumor and that the hen 

 would not be fit to eat. She seems 

 healthy otherwise. 



Answer — Your hen has a pendulous 

 crop. This is usually caused by over- 

 feeding of mash at some time in her life. 

 It sometimes can be cured by a surgical 

 operation. I would advise you to kill 

 and eat the hen, as in time the crop will 

 become sore. You can easily see before 

 you eat it if a tumor has developed, in 

 which case bury it. 



