Factors in the development of deforming leg weakness in chickens (With plate I.)

Abstract

SummaryAbnormal leg trouble or perosis occurred in chickens getting an excessive amount of meat and bone meal in their ration, and rarely occurred when the bone meal content was low or nil.The use of the battery brooder was found to intensify bone deformities, when the ration was unsatisfactory in mineral balance.The floor space allowed was not found to be a factor in perosis.Under the conditions of the experiment, slipped tendons were not produced by feeding calcium carbonate (ground limestone) in the ration.The protein content of the ration and the rate of growth did not materially affect the occurrence of perosis.