E09 AND FEATHER EATING. 73 



EGG A.VD FBATHBR EATING. 



These are pernicious habits, rather than diseases. They are induced in the^ 

 first place by deprivation of animal and grain food, or allowing eggs to freeze 

 i 1 the nest, or by too close confinement, and when once acc[uired are cpmmuni- 

 ratril to other fowls in the yard. 



The remedy is to give a due supply of meat, 'green Tegetables and bones in 

 tlio food, and if that does not cure to use the axe, which never fails. Should it 

 bi? desired to preserve an egg-eating hen during her period of laying, her eggs 

 111 ij- be saved by the use of the nest-box shown in Fig. 27. Featlier eating 

 is harder to circumvent The preventives are plenty of food and plenty of 

 mn.ije; but when the habit is once acquired it i^ very difficult to break it up. 

 The chopping block is the surest remedy, but for valuable fowls a wire bit 

 passed through the mouth like a horse's bit and held in place by being passed 

 through the comb, the wire being just large enough to prevent shutting the beak 

 firmly together, will render the bird unable to grasp the feathers, and it will 

 soon abandon the habit. A patented appliance for this purpose is called the 

 "Loomis Poultry Bit." 



