Poultry Diseases 213 



often have something of that nature. It fre- 

 quently happens that a chicken lies directly on his 

 own dropping till it hardens and plasters up the 

 vent. Wash the parts with warm soap suds, 

 made with mild soap. When the mass is soft, clip 

 the feathers and remove the gathering. Be sure 

 the vent is clear. If plugged, inject a few drops 

 of sweet oil with a medicine dropper or fountain- 

 pen fiUer. 



Crooked Breast Bone. — The cause of crooked 

 breast bone has not been settled to the agreement 

 of poultry specialists, but it is generally believed 

 that lack of bone development and a general 

 malnutrition is the cause. The notion that early 

 roosting is to blame is not accepted by experienced 

 and thoughtful people, as experiments have shown 

 that it generally follows the lack of bone forming 

 elements, and is frequently associated with catarrh 

 and other debilitating diseases. 



A crooked breast bone does not always indicate 

 a serious defect, as many hens thus equipped prove 

 good layers and strong mothers ; but a number of 

 cases in the same flock would indicate that careful 

 attention to the diet and care of the growing flock 

 was needed. 



