PIGEON DISEASES AND REMEDIES 127 



chronic. Rough calloused growths will appear on the bottom of 

 the feet and feathers will start growing on these sore places until 

 the bird will get so it can hardly walk. Turpentine and lard or 

 tallow is about the only remedy and a dry, clean place for the 

 bird to stay until its feet are well. 



MUD BALLS 



Muddy pens or lofts will cause birds to get mud balls on 

 their toe nails, and if not taken off will keep getting bigger and 

 bigger, like a snow ball, and cause the bird to lose its toe nails, 

 and sometimes go lame. The way to get the mud balls ofT with- 

 out pulling the toe nail off is to cut them off with a knife. You 

 will find the ball the thinnest on top, and by cutting or split- 

 ting the mud ball along the top of the nail, holding the toe as 

 you would sharpen a pencil, you will find it no trouble to get 

 the ball loose from the toe without damaging the nail or making 

 the toe bleed. 



Squabs in the nest will sometimes have mud balls form on 

 their toes due to dirty nests, which generally comes from bowel 

 trouble. In such a case the nest should be cleaned out, fresh 

 nesting material put in the nests, the mud balls removed from 

 the birds' toes as above explained, and then change the feed or 

 conditions that caused the birds' bowels to get out of order. 

 Squabs will not fatten under such conditions. 



SIMPLE REMEDIES 



Some simple remedies suggested by Mr. Roy Y. Whitney in 

 American Pigeon Journal as follows: 



Colds 



Rub yellow murcuric oxide ointment into a bird's eyes that 

 are watery and sore, once a day for three or four days and you 

 will be pleased with the result. 



If your birds all seem to be catching colds, are coughing or 

 sneezing, the following remedy will bring results: Fix your 

 house so you can close it up tight. When the birds have all 

 gone to roost, set a burner in the house with a pan over it con- 

 taining about 11/2 pints of w^ater and a big tablespoonful of 

 Cresoline. Light the burner and close up the house. Allow 



