214 The Hen at Work 



Simple Diarrhea. — Many fowls, often strong 

 birds and good layers, have a natural tendency to 

 a mild form of diarrhea or looseness of the bowels. 

 No great harm comes from this, though, if com- 

 mon, it should be checked. The normal dropping 

 in good health is dry enough to keep its shape on 

 the -dropping board, and is partly white. This 

 white creamy material is from the kidneys, and is 

 gathered up by the solid matter as it is expelled. 



Temporary looseness of the bowels is caused by 

 mash which is too wet. It should be merely wet 

 enough to hold together, but not so wet as to run 

 from the spoon. It is also caused by too much 

 green food. No medicine is called for, but care in 

 feeding, a reduction for a day or two in wet mash, 

 and examination for drafts and possible reasons 

 for catching cold. , 



Acute Diarrhea. — When a fowl shows a soiled 

 vent, with drabbled stem feathers, and serious 

 disturbance of the digestive organs, get her out of 

 the flock at once. Clean the roosts and dropping 

 boards, every day if possible. See that the hen has 

 sharp grit, mostly hard grains for food, with some 

 boiled rice, and the rice water to drink. Frequently 

 hens will keep on laying, seem in good spirits, and 



