FEATHER-EATING
Not a very common habit
Symptoms. The presence of bare patches and injured plumage on birds should lead the poultryman to watch for feather-eaters.
Cause. Irritation from insects, some defect in diet, or natural cussedness.
Treatment. Isolate the offender, and, if persistent and of no special value, kill, for fear the bad example may be followed by others. If several fowls develop this vice, try hanging up a bone for them to peck at and thus distract their attention.
FLEAS
An occasional parasite of poultry
Symptoms. Fleas are found on the fowls or in the straw of their nests.
Description. The flea that attacks fowls is known as the hen flea (Pulex gallinæ). It is dark colored and has sharp mouth parts. Doubtless it causes the fowl it attacks much irritation in addition to loss of blood.
Treatment. Keep poultry houses in a clean, sanitary condition. Dust the infested fowls with an insect powder or dip them in creolin, about 1%. Burn infested straw.
FRACTURES
Broken bones of legs or wings can be mended by placing the bones back in their proper positions and binding with light splints. The splints may be removed in about four weeks. It will be found that shanks are easily set, but that broken wings give far more trouble.