THE LIBRARY OF THE JUN 2219; 9 U;~IVER~:TY 0:= ILUNO.S

Transcription

1 THE LIBRARY OF THE JUN 2219; 9 U;~IVER~:TY 0:= ILUNO.S

2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PROJECTS YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM :... 4 SUGGESTIONS FOR REARING CHICKS Selection Housing and Equipment Feeding Methods and Feeds SUMMER CARE OF PULLETS...1O Sanitation Necessary to Prevent Disease Losses...10 Provide Shade During Hot Weather SELECTING THE LAYING FLOCK How to Hold Poultry for Selection or Judging...12 Characteristics Indicating High Egg Production...13 Molting of Primary Feathers in Wing...14 Selecting Pullets for Laying Culling...15 HOUSING, MANAGEMENT, AND FEED FOR LAYING FLOCK Comfortable Housing Means Higher Egg Production...15 Fall and Winter Egg Profits Depend on Good Management...16 Rations and Feeding Systems for Laying Hens...19 MARKETING POULTRy Market Your Broilers Young...20 Surplus Cockerels May Be Marketed as Capons...20 A QUALITY EGG PROGRAM...22 SELECTING AND PREPARING BIRDS FOR SHOW...23 POULTRY DiSEASES How to Handle Disease Fowl Cholera...25 Fowl Typhoid...26 Coccidiosis of Poultry...27 Intestinal Worms in Chickens Chicken Pox Newcastle Disease...29 EXTERNAL PARASITES OF POULTRy Lice '"... '"...29 Mites...,..,... '"..,...,...,...30 Bedbugs...31 Depluming Mites...31 Urbana, Illinois May, 1949 Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics: University of Illinois, College of Agriculture, and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. H. P. RUSK, Director. Acts approved by Congress May 8 and June 30, 1914.

3 T o A POULTRY MANUAL for 4- H Club Members ILLINOIS FARM BOYS AND GIRLS 4-H poultry club work offers many benefits and satisfactions. If you take it up, you will have the challenge to do something worth while, and at the same time you will become better acquainted with other members and with leaders of the projects. You will get experience that you can use later if you decide to take up poultry production and management on a larger scale; and if your projects are carefully planned and carried out, you will be able to earn some money from them. Poultry club work fits well into the farm program in practically all parts of Illinois. In some of the counties in the southern part of the state, many farms receive 40 percent or more of their total income from poultry. The total value of poultry products sold in Illinois was over 63 million dollars in 1945, according to the U. S. Census. The Illinois plan for poultry club work includes two types of projects: (1) ownership projects and (2) partnership projects. If poultry is a side line on your farm, you may possibly have full ownership of your flock. You may be given a special yard and perhaps a different breed than that kept by your parents. If the sale of poultry and poultry products accounts for an important part of the income on your farm, you may be given a share of the proceeds in return for your help in caring for and managing the flock. As soon as you have decided to take up poultry club work, study carefully the project plan and start with that phase of the work which can best be carried out on your farm and for which your experience and ability are best suited. After a year of experience in your first poultry project, you will know whether you want to continue with club work in this field. If you decide to keep on, you should plan a program that will cover two or three years and will at the end of that time give you a business of your own. On the next two pages you will find an outline of the I llinois plan for 4-H poultry club work. The rest of this manual explains the fundamentals of poultry production and management.

4 4 Circular No. 639 PROJECTS YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM Proiect 1 - Chick Brooding Object: Production of birds for starting a flock or production of market birds. Ownership Number-75 or more hatching eggs, or 50 or more baby chicks. Stock - Standard breeds, preferably those found most commonly on Illinois farms (White Plymouth Rocks, White Leghorns, New H ampshires, Barred Plymouth Rocks, White Wyandottes, and Rhode Island Reds) or desirable hybrids. Source - Local standard-bred flocks or reliable hatcheries. Age of chicks - Hatched before May 1. Starting date for project - Not later than May 1. Records - Should be started when eggs or chicks are secured. Use ILLINOIS 4-H RECORD BOOK FOR POULTRY PROJECTS. Exhibit - Limit: 2 in each class. Single classes: cockerel, pullet. Pen classes: 1 cockerel and 2 pullets. Partnership Number or more baby chicks. Care and management - The club member must be responsible for all care and management of that unit of the poultry enterprise which is included in the club project. Returns to members - Ten percent of the gross market value of the chicks raised during the project. Arrange for payment at the time sales are made. Final settlement should be made at the end of the project on the market value of the rest of the flock in the club project. Other requirements - Same as for ownership project above. Proiect 2 - Object: Production of eggs for market. Ownership Egg Production Number - 12 or more pullets. Stock - Same as for chick brooding project above. Source - Pullets selected from chicks produced in club project the previous year or from local flock. Starting date for project-not later than October 1. Records - Must be started not later than October 1. Use ILLINOIS 4-H RECORD BOOK FOR POULTRY PROJECTS. Exhibit - Minimum exhibit of one dozen eggs to be made at the local or county show. Eggs to be judged on interior as well as exterior quality.

5 Poultry Manual for 4 -H Club Members 5 Partnership Number - IOO or more birds. Care and management - The club member must be responsible for all care and management of that unit of the poultry enterprise which is included in the club project. Returns to members - Ten percent of gross receipts from laying flock from starting date until project is completed. Other requirements - Same as for ownership project above. Proiect 3 - Breeding and Flock Management Object: Development of a high-producing flock through selection and breeding. Ownership Number - 12 or more pullets and 1 or more cockerels. Stock - Standard-bred, high-producing birds. The breeds most common on Illinois farms are advised: White Plymouth Rocks, White Leghorns, New H ampshires, Barred Plymouth Rocks, White W yandottes, and Rhode I s land Reds. Source - Carefully selected birds from the chick-brooding project or from local flocks. Starting date for project - Not later than October 1. R ecords - Must be started not later than October 1. Use ILLINOIS 4-H RECORD BOOK FOR POULTRY PROJECTS. Breeding and hatching records should be kept. Exhibit-Limit: 2 pens per member. Breeding pen: 1 male and 2 females. Partnership Number-IOO or more birds. Care and management - The club member must be responsible for all care and management of that unit of the poultry enterprise which is included in the club project. Returns to members - Ten percent of the gross market value of all poultry and poultry products produced in the project. Other requirements - Same as for ownership project above. SUGGESTIONS FOR REARING CHICKS Selection Select chicks carefully. In anything you do a good start is a big step.toward achieving success. For a good start in poultry production, you need to select good chicks. To do this, you should know something about the parent flock and their present and past health.

6 6 Circular No. 639 You should also know the type and condition of male birds used, breed characteristics, and rate of growth and feathering of the young birds. Early- hatched chicks preferable. Early-hatched chicks, that is, chicks hatched by March 15, are usually the most satisfactory. Pullets hatched before the middle of March will begin laying early in the fall and cockerels can be sold to advantage on the early market as broilers. Such breeds as Leghorns may be hatched somewhat later than the heavier breeds. Housing and Equipment Avoid overcrowding in brooder house. If the chicks are reared with a brooder stove, a suitable room or house is necessary. Brooder houses may vary considerably in construction. The important thing is that they provide plenty of room. The first six weeks there should be Y2 square foot of floor space per chick and after that there should be 1 square foot per chick. If you are a beginner you would probably do well to start with not more than 300 chicks in each brooding unit. T he house must have plenty of ventilation if the chicks are to develop properly. T he floors must be tight in order to keep the chicks warm and dry. Put house on clean, well-drained location. You will need to be on t he alert to keep disease from getting started in your flock. One of the best safeguards is to locate the house on a clean range where A wire floor porch is a good substitute for clean ground if you can't move your brooder house from place to place. Hardware cloth with a liz-inch mesh is often used for the floor. (Fig. 1)

7 Poultry Manual for 4-H Club Members 7 there is no poultry manure. A house that can be moved from place to place, so that the chicks can be grown in a different yard each year, will help to keep the chicks clean and healthy. Avoid a wet, poorly drained range. Further suggestions for preventing disease outbreaks are given in the section, Poultry Diseases, pages 25 to 29. Simple poultry equipment usually adequate. The equipment needed for starting a poultry project can usually be made in the home workshop. One of the most important items is the feed hopper. In making a feeder, keep in mind simple construction and the number of chicks to be accommodated. Much time and money have been wasted on elaborate feeders which have proved impractical. The simple lath feeder is quite satisfactory for the first three weeks, and if made 4 feet long will accommodate 100 chicks. Later a larger feeder will be necessary, and for range feeding an all-weather outdoor feeder is recommended. You can make a good watering device by filling a barrel with water and using an automatic float or adjusting the spigot so that the chicks will have plenty of water all day. The wire platform helps to keep the area clean where the chicks are drinking. (Fig. 2)

8 8 Circular No. 639 Drinking equipment is another very necessary item. You will need a container large enough to provide plenty of good drinking water without too much work on your part. A glass fruit jar may be used for a short time when the chicks are small, but it is not big enough for older chicks. A wooden keg with a spigot, however, is excellent. It will hold a day's water supply and can be kept clean and so adjusted that the right amount of water will always be dripping into a trough or pan. An automatic float will make it easier to keep the pan full of water. R oosts should be put in every brooder house while the chicks are still quite small. This is necessary to encourage early roosting. Feeding Methods and Feeds Feed for growth. The important thing to remember in feeding chicks is that you are feeding for growth, and that for growth chicks must always have plenty to eat. Chicks suffer more often from too little feed than from too much. Any carelessness in feeding is also sure to result in poor growth. Small, runty chicks are often the result of careless feeding, and so are many of the losses among early chicks. Empty feeders and watering A good-size grain or mash feeder which protects the feed from wind and rain is a great help in feeding growing chicks. It saves both feed and work. A feeder like the one in the picture can be made at home. (Fig. 3)

9 Poultry Manual for 4-H Club Members 9 pans, too few feeders, dirty feeders, and feeding from dirty floors and dirty range are signs of careless feeding. Good feed will result in good growth only when enough of it is fed and when it is accompanied by the right care and good sanitation. Most recommended feeds are satisfactory. Good growth has been obtained from both homemade mixtures and feeds that were bought already mixed. Very little difference can be found in the results from the two kinds of feed. Some flock owners can keep down their cash outlay for feed by using home-grown grains. A good chick-starting feed includes : 1 pounds Ground yellow corn Finely ground oats Wheat bran Wheat middlings Alfalfa leaf meal Meat scraps Fishmeal Dried milk Soybean meal Steamed bonemeal Oystershell or limestone Salt mixtures D oil (or equivalent) Total Protein content percent a The salt mixture is made by mixing either 2 pounds of anhydrous manganous sulfate or 3 pounds of manganous sulfate t etrahydrate with 100 pounds of common salt. This mixture is only one of many that might be used. One of its advantages is that it contains grains usually found on Illinois farms. It has given such excellent results that its use can be recommended. Feeding grain. There is no definite rule for deciding when grain should first be fed to chicks or how much should be used. The one point on which most poultrymen agree is that with the average mash mixture given to chicks little grain should be fed during the first few weeks. The all-mash system of course makes grain feeding unnecessary at first. After the chicks are six weeks old, however, it is advisable on most Illinois farms to feed rather large amounts of grain. The grain can be 1 T aken from Illinois Circular 606, Practical Poultry Feeding. This circular also contains other mash formulas and detailed information on the requirements of chicks for different nutrients.

10 10 Circular No. 639 fed free-choice in hoppers along with the regular mash. Equal parts of cracked corn and wheat can be used. When the chicks are. large enough to eat oats, the mixture may be made up of: Cracked corn pounds ~a~eat ~~ The corn does not need to be cracked after the chicks are large enough to eat the whole grain. Vitamins and minerals easily supplied. If farm-raised chicks are allowed to run out in the sunshine, are fed a ration of natural feeds, and are given a supply of fresh green feed, they will usually get enough vitamins. A small box of grit or sharp, fairly fine sand, and a small box of chick-size oystershell will give the chicks all the additional minerals they need. Only chicks being brooded in close confinement need cod -liver oil or sardine oil. If one of these oils is required, 1 pint to 100 pounds of mash will usually be enough. Medicinal feeds, minerals, and commercial "pills" and "powders" are not needed in a chick's diet. These preparations do little or no good. Cleanliness, good management, and wholesome feed are what the chicks need to grow well. SUMMER CARE OF PULLETS Sanitation Necessary to Prevent Disease Losses Carelessness in management during the summer can often undo the good work accomplished through early brooding and rearing. It is highly important that the places where the flock eats and roosts be kept clean. Parasites and diseases become troublesome only when feed, water, and the house and yard become contaminated with filth and an accumulation of poultry manure. Move range feeders frequently. The flock can always have a clean "tablecloth" if the range feeders are moved a few feet each week. The chief source of feed contamination is the ground around the feeders when it is badly tramped and filthy with droppings. Clean around the "front door step." Usually the dirtiest place around a poultry house is the area within about 15 feet of the house. When the house cannot be moved, this area should be raked and swept regularly, and possibly disked.

11 Poultry Manual for 4-H Club Members 11 Careful management is needed to produce healthy pullets like this one. Range, houses, feeders, and waterers must be kept clean. (Fig. 4) Keep drinking water clean. Many of the disease organisms and parasites of poultry are spread chiefly through contaminated drinking water. The simplest way of keeping the water clean and pure is to mount the trough or pan on a wire-topped platform. The common 1f2-inch-mesh hardware cloth is a very satisfactory wire for this purpose. Wash and spray brooder house. A mixture of water and household lye is recommended for washing out brooder houses, coops, and feeder equipment. One pound of lye should be used to 10 gallons of water. The lye helps to soften the dry caked manure and straw and to destroy the thick, protective coverings of parasite eggs, such as are found on worm eggs. After a thorough washing, the house or coop should be sprayed with a good disinfectant, such as a compound solution of cresol. At least 4 ounces of cresol should be used to each gallon of water. Provide Shade During Hot Weather Poultry should have some shade during extremely hot weather. Corn and sunflowers planted in strips near brooder houses provide an excellent type of shade. Letting pullets range in a cornfield is a prac

12 12 Circular No. 639 Clean range and shade are important. Feeders should be moved often. If possible they should be on ground where poultry has not run for the past year or two. This will help to keep down parasites and diseases. In extremely hot weather the feeders should be in the shade. (Fig. 5) tical way of giving them both shade and a satisfactory range. It is generally not a good practice to let the pullets range underneath the brooder house, because often this area becomes contaminated with disease organisms and parasites and is then a real source of disease infection. SELECTING THE LAYING FLOCK The value of production judging - that is, judging a bird by the body characteristics that are supposed to indicate good egg production - has been somewhat overemphasized. The practice, however, is extremely worth while when you have some knowledge of the breeding history and management of a flock. How to Hold Poultry for Selection or Judging To become skilled in judging or selecting poultry, you must first know how to hold a bird. Holding a bird incorrectly is a serious handicap to correct judging and may be one reason for poor scores in a judging contest.

13 Poultry Manual for 4 -H Club Members 13 Unless you are left-handed, hold the bird in your left hand, with the keel bone resting on the palm of your hand. Extend your forefingers between the legs of the bird and hold it firmly enough to keep it from getting free, but do not cause unnecessary struggling by pinching. By holding the bird in this manner you can inspect it in its normal posture. Practice this method until you are thoroughly familiar with it. Characteristics Indicating High Egg Production In order to lay well, a hen must be vigorous and healthy and have a sound body. Vigor and health are indicated by bright, clear eyes, a well-developed body, and an active disposition. Clean-cut, well-balanced head. The head of the good layer is usually clean-cut, well balanced, and of medium length and depth. The eyes are large and prominent. The bird with a thick or coarse head is apt to be a poor producer. Wide back and deep body. The back should be wide over its entire length and free from hard fat. A narrow spring of ribs or a back that tapers decidedly or slopes sharply to the rear indicates small capacity. The back line should be approximately straight, and the underline should be nearly parallel with it. The body should be deep. Use care not to confuse birds that appear deep because of long, loose feathering and birds that have actual body depth. Measure depth by placing the thumbs on the middle of the back, the little fingers on the front end of the keel, and the middle fingers on the rear of the keel bone. Measure depth of front and rear by spanning the body from back to breast with the thumb and middle finger and sliding them along the keel and back. Changes in body character. A laying hen has a large moist vent which is wide and dilated in contrast to the small, dry puckered vent of a hen that is not laying. Fat goes out of the body with production, so that the heavy producer has a soft, pliable skin. The comb, wattles, and ear lobes of a bird that is laying heavily are large, full, plump, smooth, and waxy. If the comb is dried down, especially at molting time, the bird is not laying. Color or pigmentation changes. Color changes should be observed by daylight. In yellow-skinned breeds the different parts of the body becqme white or bleached, according to the length of time the bird has been laying. The rate of color change varies with health, manage

14 14 Circular No. 639 ment, feed, coarseness of the skin, and size of the bird. The changes occur in the following order:. The vent changes very quickly with egg production. A white or pink vent on a yellow-skinned bird generally means that the bird is laying, while a yellow vent means that the bird is not laying. The eye ring, that is, the inner edge of the eyelids, turns pale a trifle more slowly than the vent. The beak loses color first at the base, the color gradually disappearing until it finally leaves the front part of the upper mandible. On the average yellow-skinned bird, a bleached beak means that the bird has been producing for at least four to six weeks. The shanks are the last to lose color. The yellow color goes first from the scales on the front of the shanks and finally from the scales on the rear. A bleached shank usually indicates that the hen has been producing for at least eight to twenty weeks. Molting of Primary Feathers in Wing The manner in which a hen molts her primary wing feathers (those on the outer half of the wing) indicates how long she has been on vacation. There are usually ten or eleven primary feathers, and these feathers are separated from the secondary or smaller feathers (on inner half of wing) by a small feather known as the axial feather. When a hen quits laying' she usually first drops the inner primary feather, or the one next to the axial feather. If she remains out of production This hen is a fast molter. She has dropped her first three primary feathers at one time, and then the next two. (The arrow points to the axial feather, which divides the primary feathers from the secondary feathers.) The size of the first three pri mary feathers indicates she has been out of production about five weeks. (Fig. 6)

15 Poultry Manual for 4 -H Club Members 15 for two or three weeks after the dropping of the first feather, a second primary feather will be molted and so on until the whole wing is molted. The feathers grow back in the same order in which they were lost. It takes about six weeks for a primary feather to grow back. If the hen has fully grown back her first primary feather, you can figure she has been molting six weeks. Since the feathers are usually dropped two weeks apart, you can add two weeks for each fully grown feather after the first one. A fast-molting hen drops more than one primary feather at a time (Fig. 6). Selecting Pullets for Laying If a bird hasn't started laying yet, it would, of course, be unfair to judge her by some of the measures used to determine past egg production. For example, one would usually expect a pullet to have yellow shanks, good weight, and feathers of good sheen. In selecting pullets, first consider health, body development, and trueness to breed types. Birds showing lack of maturity or lack of physical fitness are, as a rule, poor risks as winter layers. There is no way to tell exactly the future egg-laying capacity of a pullet that has not started to lay. If she is a well-bred, healthy specimen and gets proper treatment, you can judge her pretty well at the end of her first laying year. Culling Birds that are not physically fit for breeding, egg production, or market should be culled, or sorted out from the flock. A true cull will have no commercial value. HOUSING, MANAGEMENT, AND FEED FOR THE LAYING FLOCK Comfortable Housing Means Higher Egg Production For high egg production in the fall and winter in Illinois, the flock must have comfortable housing. A house should provide 4 square feet of floor space for each bird, should be dry and free from drafts, and should protect the birds against extreme temperatures. Repairing and building houses. Dilapidated poultry houses seriously cut down the production of a flock. A little time spent with a hammer and saw will often do a great deal to improve a neglected poultry house. Broken windows, poorly hung doors, roosts without

16 16 Circular No. 639 Laying hens need comfortable houses that are free from dampness and that protect the birds a gainst extremes of temperature. The house and t he range should be kept clean and sanitary. (Fig. 7) droppings boards, leaks in the roof, loose boards on the walls, and broken nests and feeders are some items most often needing repair. Club members who are interested in building a new house or in remodeling an old house may get directions by writing to the College of Agriculture, Urbana, Illinois, or by referring in their club library to Illinois Circular 525, "Straw-Loft Poultry House." A straw poultry house will provide inexpensive, separate housing for a club flock. Houses big enough to take care of 100 birds have been built almost entirely of straw, and have lasted one to two years. Poultry house equipment. The most important pieces of housing equipment are nests, feeders, drinking stands, droppings boards, and roosts. There should be at least one nest for every five hens, 8 to 10 inches of roosting space per bird, and 1 foot of mash hopper space for every five birds. Fall and Winter Egg Profits Depend on Good Management Fall and winter egg sales will probably give you your best chance to secure a high cash income from your poultry project. If the pullets have the breeding required for winter laying, have been well grown,

17 Poultry Manual for 4 -H Club Members 17 and have comfortable houses, then getting good egg production depends almost entirely on you. Good feed is of course important for production. In addition, housing at the right time, sanitation, and a regular routine of feeding and management are necessary. Early housing necessary for early laying. Pullets should be housed in winter quarters early in September to insure early laying. It is a common mistake to let them stay on the range too late in the fall. Sometimes they are not confined to the laying house until long after the time when they should be in their winter quarters. If pullets are housed late, they usually get a late start in egg production. Thus they are not laying well in the early winter, when prices are usually highest. Late housing may also cause some molting. Cleanliness in and around the laying house. Litter, feeders, and waterers should be kept clean. If you don't do this you may find disease breaking out in your flock shortly after housing. Regularity in routine of feeding and management. H igh production probably depends more on a regular routine of feeding and management than on anything else. Once you have worked out a routine, make every effort to follow it closely, at least during the winter season. If different people look after the laying flock, or if the feed or feeding hour is changed, serious losses in production may result. The importance of regular feeding is shown by what happened to a commercial poultryman during a winter production season. H is flock of 2,000 Leghorn pullets were laying very well, and he was getting the top price for his eggs. One afternoon while he was on a trip to town for feed his truck broke down and he couldn't get it fixed in time to be home at the regular feeding hour. The resulting irregularity in feeding caused such a serious loss in production that he said he would have been money ahead if he had left his truck on the side of the road, gone to town and bought a new one, and gone home and fed his birds at the usual time. Plenty of mash hoppers. A good feed mixture is of little value unless there is plenty of feeder space. A common recommendation is 20 feet of feeder space for 100 birds. A feeder 10 feet long which permits the birds to eat from both sides would meet this requirement. Plenty to drink. To lay well, a hen needs a clean supply of drinking water or milk at all times. This is so important that there should be some means of heating the water or milk during cold weather so that

18 18 Circular No. 639 For good egg production plenty of mash feeders are needed in the laying house. Twenty feet of feeding space to 100 hens is desirable. (Fig. 8) it won't freeze. Lack of water early in the morning or late in the evening, or during the night should lights be used, will greatly lower egg production. Artificial lighting. Artificial lights are often used during fall and winter to increase or hold production. Lights may be used (1) in the early morning, (2) in the evening, (3) both in the early morning and in the evening, or (4) all night. Whichever of these four plans you choose, stick to it without interruption throughout the entire season. If you are using part-time lights, provide just enough artificial light to make the working day 13 or 14 hours long. Use one 40-watt bulb for each 200 square feet of floor space. The bulbs should be high enough from the floor to light up the whole house. This will encourage the hens to work during the lighted period. A 15- or 20-watt bulb is all that is needed for all-night lights. It is best to light only the feed hoppers and water fountains, leaving the roosts in shadow. The hens can then find food and water at any time of the night. Don't expect your hens to start laying more eggs as soon as you use artificial lights. It usually takes two to four weeks for lights to increase production.

19 Poultry Manual for 4-H Club Members 19 Rations and Feeding Systems for Laying Hens Decide on ration and feeding system that meet your needs. There are many different types of mixtures for poultry and many different systems of feeding - all having their good points and their limitations. Recommended rations vary so little in quality that it is almost impossible to make a mistake in choosing. You may choose to buy your mash in the store, or you may prefer to buy just the supplements and mix them with home-grown grains. You can buy supplements already mixed, or you can buy the necessary ingredients and mix them yourself. First decide what type of feed mixture will suit your individual conditions best, considering such items as expense, convenience, and feed requirements of poultry. The grain and mash system of feeding, in which the mash is usually fed continually from feeders, is probably the most practical for farm conditions. At present two methods of feeding the grain are commonly followed. One is to feed grain night and morning in the litter or in a regular hopper, the bulk of it being fed at night. The other is to keep the grain before the hens in regular feeders the same as is done with mash. Both methods are satisfactory when house and litter are clean. Twelve to 15 pounds of grain daily during the winter is usually enough for 100 birds. Satisfactory ration for laying hens. A mash ration which has proved satisfactory for laying hens can be made up as follows: pounds Ground yellow corn Finely ground oats Wheat bran Wheat middlings Alfalfa meal Meat scrap Dried skimmilk or dried buttermilk Oystershell (ground) Salt mixture a D oil (or equivalent) _._2_ Total Protein content percent a The salt mixture is made with 100 pounds of common salt by mixing with it either 2 pounds of anhydrous manganous sulfate or 3 pounds of manganous sulfate t etrahydrate. During the winter feed any available succulent greens such as fr esh~cut alfalfa, mangel beets, turnips, and carrots.

20 20 Circular No. 639 Supplementary feeding. In addition to the regular mash, many flock owners feed a moist mash once a day. The moist mash act~ as an appetizer. Usually it should not be made a major feeding. It is ordinarily made up of some of the dry mash moistened with milk and is fed in amounts which the flock will eat in 10 to 15 minutes. If the birds are losing weight or are underdeveloped, a mash mixture made up of two-thirds corn meal and one-third flour middlings moistened with milk may be used in place of the regular laying mash. MARKETING POULTRY Market Your Broilers Young Your main purpose in the poultry project may be to produce broilers, and if so, you may have chosen a breed or cross that is especially good for broiler production. Even if your first interest is egg production, you will have to dispose of the cockerels and surplus pullets. Young birds convert feed into greater amounts of meat than do the older ones. It is generally best, therefore, to market your birds as broilers or fryers when they weigh 2~ to 4 pounds. There may be some advantage to waiting until the birds weigh about 4 pounds, as that should make it easier for you to pick out the birds you want to keep. Naturally local market conditions will determine just when is the best time to sell. Keep in mind the following points: 1. Market when the birds are fat, plump, and uniform in size and feathering. 2. Market through a reputable dealer, or try to develop a special market of your own. 3. Consider the possibility of adding to your profits by selling dressed birds. 4. In order to avoid low prices, market before most farmers sell their cockerels and surplus pullets. Surplus Cockerels May Be Marketed as Capons Sometimes you can make a good profit from your surplus cockerels by marketing them as capons. To do this, however, you will need to get them to a market that recognizes special quality. Often they must be sold directly to the consumer. Sometimes it is a question whether surplus early-maturing cockerels can more profitably be marketed as broilers or held for caponizing. These early birds will make the best capons, and will return a profit if

21 Poultry Manual for 4 -H Club Members 21 there is a special market. At times the surplus cockerels from late hatches can be caponized profitably. The amount of profit depends largely, however, on the going price for broilers. Age to caponize. As a rule cockerels from six to eight weeks old, or from 1 ~ to 1Y2 pounds in weight, are the most satisfactory for caponizing. Caponizing should be done before there is any marked sexual development. Sexual development can be judged by the growth of the comb and wattles. Instruments for caponizing. You don't need a lot of expensive equipment for caponizing. A caponizing set containing a sharp knife, a spreader, and a forceps is sufficient and is available at various prices. A cheap set is not always the most satisfactory, however. Directions for caponizing. Complete detailed instructions for caponizing are included with a set of instruments. Further instructions can be obtained in Farmers' Bulletin 849, "Capons and Caponizing," published by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The main points to be observed in caponizing are the following: 1. Do not try to caponize a bird which has been fed within the last 24 hours. The intestines must be empty so that they will not be in the way in removal of the testicles, and so that the testicles may be readily seen. The dotted line shows about the place between the last two ribs where you should cut when caponizing. If only the upper testicle is removed from one incision, the bird is turned over and a similar operation is performed on the other side. (Fig. 9) 2. Be sure to have plenty of light. A dull day is not satisfactory unless you have a strong artificial light. It is better to wait for a bright day. 3. Practice first on a dead bird to overcome nervousness and awkwardness. 4. The top of an ordinary wooden barrel may be used as an operating table. 5. Make the cut between the last two ribs; run it parallel to the ribs and fairly well up towards the back. The dotted line in Fig. 9 shows approximately the place to cut.

22 22 Circular No By tearing the membrane below the cut and prodding a little into the cavity, you can find and remove the testicle. It is gene:rally a creamy yellow color and the shape of a bean. It ranges in size from that of a kernel of wheat to a small bean. 7. Keep the birds on a soft feed, such as a moist mash, for the first few days after the operation. 8. If a wind puff develops, prick it. With a needle, run a thread through the skin, and leave part of the thread in to let the air escape. Fattening mash for capons. A fattening mash may be used during the last two weeks before capons are marketed. The following mash has proved satisfactory, all parts by weight: Corn meal parts Feed flour middlings parts Meat scrap... ~parts 48 If you use milk to moisten the mash, you can cut the amount of meat scrap in half. A QUALITY EGG PROGRAM Often the few extra cents which you can get for quality eggs will make the difference between profit and loss in your poultry project. The following outline tells briefly the main things you need to do for the production of quality eggs. Breeding 1. Use stock bred for large egg size. (Large eggs are those weighing 24 or more ounces per dozen.) 2. Use birds of about standard body weight. 3. For hatching, use eggs of large size and uniform shape and color. Feeding 1. Make liberal use of a complete ration, and keep birds on that ration. 2. Feed mash in hopper and grain in hopper or clean litter. 3. Feed to produce a uniform yolk color. Don't feed too many greens. Management of Flock 1. Produce clean eggs. a. Provide plenty of clean litter on floor. b. Use clean nesting material. c. Put wire netting under roost poles and above droppings boards, roosting racks, or droppings pits. d. Keep hens out of nests at night.

23 Poultry Manual for 4-H Club Members Produce infertile eggs. a. Sell or confine breeding males by May 15. b. Keep young cockerels away from laying flock. 3. Confine flock until noon in wet weather. 4. Provide a comfortable house with enough room and equipment. This means 4 square feet of floor space and 8 to 10 inches of roosting space per bird, 1 foot of mash hopper space to every 5 birds, and 1 nest for every 5 hens. Care of Eggs 1. Gather eggs two or more times daily. 2. Cool eggs before placing in case. 3. Hold eggs in a place where the temperature is from 45 to 65 F. The air should be fairly moist and free from unpleasant odors. 4. Pack eggs with large end up. 5. Confine broody hens. Selling Eggs 1. Market eggs at least twice a week. 2. Protect eggs from heat, cold, rain, and jarring on the way to market. 3. Deliver eggs to dealers in substantial cases with clean flats and flllers. 4. Sell on a graded basis. 5. Sell to dealers properly equipped to handle eggs. SELECTING AND PREPARING BIRDS FOR SHOW Selecting, preparing, and training poultry for a show is just as essential as preparing and training a calf for a show. The birds you are going to exhibit should be selected far enough in advance of the show that you can break them of being coop-shy or nervous, and have them in clean condition for showing. Birds that have been handled and confined to a show coop will usually show to better advantage than birds that have not had this training. In taking a bird from the coop, grasp its wing at the shoulder and bring the bird out head first. Birds should also be replaced head first. Common Disqualifications to look For Many a club member has missed winning a place in a show because the judge has found something about his bird that disqualified it. In selecting birds for showing keep in mind not only the points in favor of a bird, but also the following reasons for disqualification: 1. Unworthy of score because of serious lack of breed characteristics. 2. Faking in any manner.

24 24 Circular No Deformed beak. 4. Crooked or otherwise deformed back. 5. A split wing; that is, one so irregularly formed as to show a decided gap between the primaries and secondaries. 6. A slipped wing; that is, one not closely folded and not held up in proper position. This defect results from injury or from weakness of the muscles of the wing. 7. Twisted feather or feathers in wing or tail. 8. Entire absence of main tail feathers. 9. Wry tail; that is, a tail permanently turned to one side. 10. A squirrel tail in any breed but Japanese Bantams. 11. A scooped or deformed bill in drakes and ducks. 12. Side sprig or sprigs, a well-defined pointed growth apt to be present on all single-comb varieties. 13. Positive enamel-white in the face of Mediterranean cockerels and pullets except white-faced Black Spanish. 14. Positive enamel-white in the ear lobe of males and females of all American, Asiatic, and English varieties except Chanticleer, Dorking, and Red Cap. 15. Any feather or feathers, stub or stubs, or feather-like growth on shanks, feet, or toes or unmistakable indications of feather or feathers, stub or stubs, or down having been plucked from same, in all breeds required to have unfeathered shanks. 16. Any stub or stubs, feather or feathers, or feather-like growth on shanks below the hock joint, disconnected from feathers on thigh. 17. Plucked hocks. 18. In four-toed breeds, more or less than four toes on either foot. In five-toed breeds, more or less than five toes on either foot. 19. Foreign color (except light gray ticking) in any part of the plumage of white varieties. Washing Show Birds A dirty bird is a reflection on the exhibitor. If the feathers of white birds are soiled, it will usually pay to wash the birds before exhibiting them. In cool weather be sure to bathe the birds in a very warm room so they won't catch cold. You will need one tub for washing and two for rinsing. Use soft water and a good grade of soap flakes. The water in the first tub should be warm, and should contain about ~ pound of soap in solution. Never rub the soap directly on the feathers as it is hard to get out. In the second tub, only warm water is needed; in the third the water should be cool, and a little bluing may be added. Take care not to add too much bluing as it will cause streakiness. In washing, hold the bird in the left hand and dip it into the first tub. Lather the feathers well, rubbing always with the grain of the feathers.

25 Poultry Manual for 4 -H Club Members 25 In rinsing, move the bird back and forth through the water of the second and third tubs; moving against the grain of the feathers will help to remove the soap. When dipping the bird into the cool rinsing water, be careful to watch the comb. It it starts to turn dark, take the bird out of the water. After the last rinsing, put the bird in a clean coop in a warm room and let it dry. It is then ready for the show. POULTRY DISEASES 1 How to Handle Disease If any infectious disease appears in your flock, there are several general measures you can take to control it. For one thing, keep the sick birds away from the healthy ones. Second, carefully destroy all carcasses of dead fowls. Third, thoroughly clean and disinfect poultry yards, houses, and equipment. It is of course important to find out as soon as possible what disease is in your flock, and what steps you can take in addition to the general measures mentioned above. Many Illinois veterinarians have special training in the diagnosis and control of poultry diseases. Carcasses of birds showing typical symptoms should be taken to them for autopsy. Qualified veterinarians should also give the tuberculin and pullorum disease tests. The veterinarian may refer little-known diseases to the College of Veterinary lvledicine, University of Illinois, for diagnosis. There is no charge for this diagnostic service. After the disease has been diagnosed, consult with your veterinarian regarding treatment. Fowl Cholera A number of causes work together to give fowl cholera a foothold in poultry flocks. These include overcrowded or poorly ventilated houses, unsanitary surroundings, overfeeding, changes in ration, sudden changes in the weather, and cold rains. The disease may be acute - that is, severe symptoms appear suddenly and the birds quickly die - or it may be chronic, and slower to run its course. The chief difference between acute and chronic fowl cholera is that the chronic form of the disease kills fewer birds in a given time. The acute type of the disease may disappear as quickly as it appeared but often not until many birds have died. When acute cholera strikes, fowls may appear healthy and in a few hours be found dead about the yard, on the nest, or under the roost. A common I This material has been taken from publications by the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois.

26 26 Circular No. 639 symptom is a noticeable gasping or choking sound as the bird draws its breath. Diarrhea often appears in the advanced stage of the disease; many affected chickens die, however, before the bowel disturbance develops.. Comb and wattles are often purple. Birds suffering from the chronic form of the disease develop diarrhea, have poor appetites, and have ruffled feathers and drooping wings and tail. Chickens affected with fowl cholera often sit quietly with the neck drawn in and the eyes partly closed. If chickens die suddenly from cholera there are usually no changes in the body to indicate the cause of death. If fowls have been affected for several days, hemorrhages may be found on the heart, the lungs, and the membranes that support and cover the intestines. In chickens that have shown symptoms of the disease for several days, the lungs may be dark red. The liver may be enlarged and soft and occasionally covered with small white spots. Control. Sanitary yards and clean, well-ventilated poultry houses, together with wholesome and properly balanced rations, help to keep down outbreaks of fowl cholera. Yards should be properly drained. Self-feeders and sanitary drinking containers should be used to keep feed and water from being polluted. Young chicks should be kept away from older birds, particularly if the older birds have gone through an outbreak of fowl cholera, typhoid, or coccidiosis. Sulfamerazine may reduce the number of deaths due to fowl cholera. It should be added to the mash at a level of 0.5 percent (1 pound of sulfamerazine to 200 pounds of mash). Two or three days after the birds have access to the sulfamerazine-mash mixture, losses usually become less. The drug should be kept before the birds four or five days. Often fowl cholera breaks out again after the sulfamerazine-mash mixture has been replaced with regular mash. The sulfamerazine is not a control measure, but rather a supplement to good poultry management practices during an outbreak. Fowl Typhoid Fowl typhoid is common in many localities in Illinois and causes heavy poultry losses. Signs of the disease are a pale or bluish color of the comb, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and a dull, droopy attitude. The disease often exists in the flock for weeks or months, but it does not cause death as rapidly as fowl cholera. One of the most common changes found in the organs of chickens that die of fowl typhoid is an enlarged brown- to mahogany-colored liver. This organ may also be soft and easily crumbled, depending upon the length of time the chicken has been sick. The inner lining of the small intestine is often inflamed. Control. Sanitation in the poultry yard is the first step in controlling fowl typhoid. Healthy fowls in an infected flock should be moved to clean ground and if possible divided into small groups to keep the disease from spreading. Each chicken that shows signs of being affected should be kept by itself or killed. All dead chickens should be burned. Droppings from affected birds should also be burned.

27 Poultry Manual for 4-H Club Members 27 Coccidiosis of Poultry Coccidiosis is a severe disease of chicks on many Illinois farms. It often causes death, the heaviest losses occurring in chicks four to six weeks old. In infected young flocks 25 to 50 percent and sometimes all the chicks die. During the late summer and fall a more chronic form of the disease, intestinal coccidiosis, may affect pullets. Chicks having coccidiosis appear unthrifty and have a tendency to move slowly or to stay away from the rest of the flock. Diarrhea is a common symptom. The feces may be tinged a reddish brown or contain fresh blood which is easily recognized. Chicks in the advanced stages of coccidiosis are very weak and sit quietly with their eyes closed and their wings dropping to the ground. Their legs may be weak and their movements difficult and unsteady. At autopsy the ceca or blind pouches may be found to be enlarged while the \valls are thickened and discolored. The contents may be firm in consistency and of a reddish color while the lining may appear swollen and spotted with small hemorrhages. Control. It is important to prevent crowding and dampness, and to keep soil, range, feed, and water from becoming contaminated. Good management practices are effective. These include (1) the use of wire floors or deep litter, (2) proper and regular disposal of litter, (3) removal of sick birds from the flock, and (4) the use of quarantines and the guarding of traffic between flocks and flock units. It is also advisable to clean the drinking utensils every day with boiling water. The more common disinfectants, however, are useless against coccidia. Drugs, particularly some of the sulfonamides, such as sulfaguanidine, sulfamerazine, and sulfamethazine, have helped to reduce the number of deaths from coccidiosis. Either mash or water may be treated with the sulfonamide. If you think your flock has, or is subject to, the disease, get a copy of Illinois Circular 485, "Coccidiosis of Poultry," and follow the recommendations in it. Intestinal Worms in Chickens Intestinal parasites are widespread in Illinois farm flocks. Chicks are infected with two general types of intestinal worms - roundworms and tapeworms. The large roundworm is 3 to 4 inches long and is found in the intestines. Tapeworms are flat, segmented, ribbon-like organisms which cling to the wall of the small intestine. Two important causes for the spread of intestinal worms in poultry are (1) overstocking and (2) giving the chicks free range of the barnyard or other ground without proper rotation and cultivation. Infested ground is chiefly responsible for the worm problem on many farms. The symptoms in chickens that indicate worm infestation - weakness, paleness of the eyes and comb, diarrhea, lameness, weakened vision or blindness, paralysis, and wry neck - are also observed with other diseases. A diagnosis based on symptoms alone may therefore be misleading. Control. The most economical way to combat worms in poultry is to practice the essentials of simple poultry sanitation. Flies should be kept out

28 28 Circular No. 639 of the chicken houses by screening, and the breeding places of flies and other insects should be destroyed. Chicken manure should not be allowed to accumulate. The danger from earthworms and snails, which act as intermediate hosts to tapeworms, can be reduced by rotating lots, and plowing and cultivating the land on which chicks run. The object is to keep the worm eggs in the droppings of diseased birds from contaminating the feed and water. Medicines do not destroy the worm eggs, which are the source of worm infestation. Medicines, furthermore, may give you a false sense of security and lead you to neglect necessary sanitary measures. Roundworm remedies are given in feed or by individual treatment. Oil of chenopodium, carbon tetrachloride, tetrachlorethylene, and nicotine sulfate are given in capsules or with a rubber tube, a syringe, or a funnel. The doses depend on the weight of the fowl. In badly infested flocks individual treatment should be repeated in 5 to 10 days. Generally the birds should not be fed for 12 to 24 hours before treatment is given. Worm medicine should not be given to hens in high egg production. When flock treatment is given, tobacco dust containing 1% to 2 percent of nicotine may be used. One pound of tobacco dust should be mixed with 49 pounds of dry mash. The tobacco mixture should be fed to the pullets only every other week. The treatment may be continued for several months in mature fowls. Egg production may be reduced, however, if the tobacco is fed for longer than six months, or if an overdose of nicotine is given. No really effective treatment for tapeworms is known. While a number of medicines may cause the bodies to break off and be passed in the feces, the heads will usually still cling to the intestine and will grow new bodies in a short time. All fowls treated for worms should be confined in a house. If they are not fed during the day and are treated in the afternoon, the droppings board should be cleaned the next morning and the refuse burned in order to destroy eggs and worms. If treatment is given early in the day, straw should be spread over the floor so that expelled worms and eggs can be removed and burned. Treatment may be repeated after several days, but permanent results cannot be obtained without a definite system of poultry sanitation. Don't use worm medicine unless you know the chickens are infected with worms. Chicken Pox Chicken pox is a contagious disease affecting chickens of all ages. There are two forms of the disease : One type is knovvn variously as the canker, avian diphtheria, or mucous-membrane type of chicken pox. Symptoms are yellowish diphtheritic patches in the mouth and throat. The other is the comb or wattle type, which causes lesions or injuries on the combs and wattles. This type reaches its peak during the winter. The mucous-membrane type of the disease is the more common in Illinois. Also, infection of the mucous membrane causes more losses than infection of the combs or wattles. Control. Vaccination is an effective method of protecting healthy fowls from chicken pox. The best time to vaccinate is one to two months before the pullets begin to lay.

29 Poultry Manual for 4 -H Club Members 29 If the disease occurs during the laying season, it will be best to use pigeon pox virus vaccination. While this treatment will not last as long as chicken pox virus, it will have less harmful effect on the egg production of the flock. Newcastle Disease Newcastle disease is a comparatively new disease in this country. It is caused by a specific filtrable virus which may be spread by direct or indirect contact. Several disorders in breathing and in the nervous system are the usual symptoms of Newcastle disease. In chicks, first signs of the disease often are wheezing, coughing, and gasping. These symptoms cannot be distinguished from the difficulties in breathing that go with infectious bronchitis. Nervous symptoms appear a few days later. Partial or complete paralysis of one or both legs, lack of coordination in the neck muscles, tremors of the head, and jerky movements are frequently observed. Older chickens are apt to breathe with difficulty, cough, gasp, lose their appetite, and show nervous symptoms similar to those of chicks. The number of deaths may be either great or small. Egg production is greatly lowered and may stop entirely. Positive diagnosis of Newcastle disease can be made only through laboratory methods. Birds suspected of having the disease should be taken promptly to a laboratory where accurate diagnosis can be made. Typically affected live birds, while in the early stages of the disease, should be delivered promptly to the laboratory by automobile. Do not ship Newcastle suspects by common carrier. Control. No medicinal treatment is known. Control depends on following good management practices. Dead birds should be burned or buried. Affected birds should be isolated. If they are badly affected, it is best to destroy them, for they will seldom make economical gains and many die even after they seem to be recovered. A brood of chicks that has been slightly affected may profitably be raised to broiler size, and older birds that have recovered from a light attack may be sold for slaughter. Experiments with vaccination are being tried. While results are not definite, vaccination promises to be an effective method of protecting healthy fowls from Newcastle disease. For further information write to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, Illinois. EXTERNAL PARASITES OF POUlTRyl Lice Twelve or more different kinds of lice infest poultry, causing damage through the irritation and discomfort which result from their bites. They lay their eggs on the feathers, usually in well-hidden parts. On the chicken both eggs and lice are often found around the vent. 1 This material has been contributed by the College of Veterinary Medicine and the entomologists of the lllinois Agricultural Experiment Station and lllinois State Natural History Survey.

30 30 Circular No. 639 Control. In warm weather, dip infested chickens in a DDT dip or m a solution of sodium fluoride or sodium fluosilicate. To make the solution mix 1 ounce of sodium fluoride or sodium fluosilicate and 1 ounce of laundry soap or fish-oil soap with 1 gallon of water. Fish-oil soap is more effective than laundry soap. The birds should be dipped twice. When a flock is dipped, the house should be thoroughly cleaned, particularly around the nests and roosts, in order to destroy any lice that may be in the house. Do not leave a sodium-fluoride or sodium-fluosilicate solution where stock can drink it. During cold weather it is best to dust the chickens with dry sodium fluoride or sodium fluosilicate, or with fresh pyrethrum, derris powder, or DDT powder. Dust a pinch into feathers, over vent, under wings, and on neck. While you are dusting the birds, protect your nose and mouth with a damp sponge. Do not use medicated eggs. They contain naphthalene and may injure both chickens and eggs. Nicotine sulfate is used rather often as a fumigant and has given fairly satisfactory results. Black Leaf 40, a 40-percent solution of nicotine sulfate, is one of the best known of the nicotine solutions on the market. Another solution which is commonly sold is Black Leaf 50, a 50-percent solution of free nicotine. Black Leaf 50, however, is not practical because the free nicotine evaporates too easily and thus causes considerable waste. The recommended procedure for using nicotine sulfate is to apply it to the roosts in the evening just before roosting time, using 1 ounce to 30 linear feet of roost. An easy method of applying is to soak a cord about Vs inch in diameter in the Black Leaf 40, and then run the cord along the top of the roost. This treatment does not kill louse eggs and therefore should be repeated in about 10 days to 2 weeks. Do not get Black Leaf 40 on the hands. For best results when nicotine sulfate is used in this way, the temperature should be around 60 0 F. The treatment is not effective if the houee temperature is below 50 0 F. Mites There are several kinds of mites, which harm fowls by sucking blood and causing irritation. Since mites usually are not on the birds during the day, it is necessary to treat the house rather than the birds. Control. Clean the house thoroughly, particularly the nests and roosts. The supports and the underside of the roosts should be carefully cleaned and painted or sprayed with a miscible oil, old crankcase oil, or lime sulfur spray. A miscible oil, such as Dendrol or other tree spray oils (obtainable from most spray dealers), may be used at the rate of 3 gallons to 100 gallons of water. The oil spray penetrates better than most sprays and does not discolor the house nor leave a bad odor. A good spray pump should be used to force the material well into all crevices. Old crankcase oil diluted with kerosene is fairly satisfactory for spraying roosts. If used for spraying the house, it is rather messy and discolors the walls. Lime sulfur spray is sometimes used but it must be strong, 1 part of lime sulfur to 5 parts of water. It is more expensive than oil and does not penetrate so well. A layer of sulfur beneath the straw in the nest will protect the hens.

31 Poultry Manual for 4-H Club Members 31 Bedbugs The common house bedbug, as well as the chicken bedbug, may infest chicken houses. Control. The treatment recommended for mites may be used against bedbugs, although it may be necessary to repeat it and to use a stronger mixture. Burning 3 pounds of sulfur per 1,000 cubic feet, with the house tightly closed, is quite effective in getting rid of a heavy infestation of bedbugs. The sulfur may be burned in a shallow metal dish. To insure complete burning, soak the sulfur 'well in radiator alcohol. Also, the sulfur will burn more easily if a good -sized rag is placed over the bottom of the pan and the sulfur placed on this rag before it is lighted. The pan holding the burning sulfur should be set on bricks in a larger pan of water to avoid danger from fire. All birds should be kept out of the house while it is being fumigated. A thorough application of a DDT residual spray is also very effective. Depluming Mites The depluming mite works around the base of the feathers, causing so much irritation that the birds may pull out their feathers. Control. Dip the fowl in a mixture of 2 ounces of wettable sulfur, 1 ounce of soap, and 1 gallon of water. Wettable sulfur can be obtained from any dealer in orchard sprays. If sulfur is added to the sodium fluoride dip recommended for controlling lice, both the lice and the depluming mites can be controlled. A dry road-dust bath to which sulfur has been added is also effectiye. This circular is based on Circular 452, which was prepared by H. H. Alp and E. 1. Pilchard. Revisions which appear in the present circular were made by O. F. Gaebe and S. F. Ridlen.