SANITATION 219 



be easy to remove it. This will lay the cavities open so that 

 all organs can be observed without difficulty. 



All birds that die, whether of a contagion or not, should be 

 deeply buried or burned. 



VICE 



Egg Eating. — 'One of tbe worst vices a hen can contract is 

 that of eating eggs. This habit is sometimes acquired by 

 having access to an accidentally broken egg. 



Hens sometimes contract the habit of eating eggs through 

 the lack of lime or calcium. A laying hen requires a certain 

 amount of calcium salts from which to construct the shell, 

 and if she has a lack of this material there is evidently a crav- 

 ■ ing for that sort of substance. We must concede that a bird 

 has some natural selective powers in eating and that she does 

 not just accidentally take up lime. 



A recent case illustrates the point nicely: A flock of Single Comb 

 Rhode Island Reds were yarded and the lime supply was neglected. 

 The nests were placed rather low and the flock contracted the habit 

 of eating the eggs as fast as they were laid. This condition con- 

 tinued for a space of about ten days. Boxes for laying were con- 

 structed higher on the walls and the birds given plenty of oyster- 

 shell, when there was no more egg eating. There are numerous 

 instances of this kind that could be related. 



In finding that the hens are eating their eggs — First, see 

 that the nests are high on the wall, that is, easily accessible, 

 but at least 2 feet from the floor, and better, a run-board lead- 

 ing to the nest from the perch, and have the entrance of the 

 box facing the wall; second, see that they are provided with 

 plenty of oyster-shell, and if this does not stop it try some of 

 the following. 



An Enghsh poultryman has recommended filling a broken 

 egg with a pure mustard paste, made by taking the ground 

 mustard and mixing it with hot water and filling an egg-shell 

 and allow the egg-eating hen to devour it. 



The vice, at times, may be broken by giving the birds, three 

 times a day, all the egg-shells they will eat. Usually about 

 the third day the birds will cease eating eggs. The shells 

 should not be broken. 



