218 POULTRY CULTURE 



serves as a foundation upon which the house rests. If a board 

 floor is desired the floor supports rest upon these (Figs. 88, 96). 



Birds need green food at all times, and oftentimes one yard 

 can be sown in wheat, rye, clover, or rape and the birds turned 

 on to it a few hours each day. By turning over the soil, as in 

 cultivation, the sun's rays have a tendency to purify the 

 ground. 



Careful observations have shown that the birds will eat best 

 rape, second clover, and last oats. The test was run by the 

 author in which all three seeds were sown together and all a 

 proper size when flock was turned onto it. 



Beware of the yard that becomes smooth and slick and in 

 which pools of water accumulate. If the floor of the building 

 is too low and water accumulates and stagnates and the birds 

 occasionally taking a drink of this polluted water, disease and 

 death is sure to follow. 



Sick Birds. — According to the rules of sanitation, we must 

 remove the well birds from the sick, but with poultry one often 

 finds this impracticable. So the sick bird or birds must be 

 immediately removed from the flock, remembering that in 

 case of contagious diseases infection may be carried to the 

 well birds on our hands, clothing, shoes, or utensils. 



As soon as you have removed a dead bird from the flock 

 satisfy yourself as to the cause. Hold a postmortem, and if it 

 it is due to contagion proceed to disinfect as outUned above and 

 give an antiseptic in the drinking-water. 



If you are not well enough posted on the appearance of dis- 

 eased organs and there is a graduate veterinarian close, take 

 the bird to him and find out. These autopsies must be done 

 as soon as the bird dies, for if decay or too much postmortem 

 changes take place it will make determination of the cause of 

 death impossible. 



In performing an autopsy lay the dead bird on its back. 

 With a sharp knife open the abdominal cavity, commencing 

 close to the anus, passing the knife forward between the ribs 

 and breast-bone to a point just back of the wishbone. In a 

 like manner open the left side, being careful not to injure any 

 of the organs in the cavities. Now grasp the sternum or 

 breast-bone, forcing it forward, and it will break so that it will 



