44 PARADISE VALLEY POULTRY RANCH 



careful attention given to the birds, diseases and parasites should not be 

 a material factor in squab raising. 



The stock should be carefully watched and any sick birds removed 

 from the breeding pens. The house should be kept clean, dry, well venti- 

 lated, and free from drafts. The yards should be kept clean either by 

 scraping the surface and adding fresh sand or gravel or by cultivating the 

 land and planting it to grain if possible. Only good, sound grain should 

 be fed. 



The nests, nest boxes, and pens should be kept clean, but it is not ad- 

 visable to disturb the nests which contain eggs or squabs any more than 

 is actually necessary. The pens should be sprayed frequently with white- 

 wash containing a little crude carbolic acid, or with a coaltar disinfectant, 

 and the nest boxes and perches should be examined for mites, especially 

 in hot weather, and sprayed .with kerosene oil or some commercial pre- 

 paration which will kill mites, if any are found. The nests or nest pans 

 should be cleaned out and the nesting material removed after the squabs 

 are marketed or leave the nests. 



CANKER 



Pigeons are subject to many of the diseases which affect poultry and 

 may be treated in the same manner. Canker and the disease or condition 

 called "going light" seem to be more prevalent in pigeons than in the 

 domestic fowl. Canker appears as sores or cheesy patches in the mouth 

 and throat, and can usually be prevented by providing good sanitary con- 

 ditions and feeding only clean, sound grains and clean water. It may be 

 treated by swabbing the mouth and throat with a solution of equal parts 

 of hydrogen peroxid and water or by using dry sulphur. Enough potassium 

 permanganate may be added to the drinking water to give it a wine color. 

 Various remedies or preventives of disease are used in the drinking water 

 by pigeon breeders whenever the stock appears to be in poor condition. 

 Among these are carbolic acid, epsom salts, copper sulphate, and Venetian 

 red. Ulcers sometimes appear on the head, around the bill, eye, mouth, 

 or in the throat, and pigeons thus affected should usually be killed. 



GOING LIGHT 



This disease or condition is more or less peculiar to pigeons and is 

 difficult to cure. It may be brought about by feeding filthy or unsound 

 grains, by filthy conditions, and by any factor which tends to destroy the 

 vitality of the pigeons. The symptoms of this condition are a gradual loss 

 of flesh, frequently accompanied by diarrhea. The practical method of 

 treatment is to remove the cause. Pigeons in this or in any other diseased 

 condition will often get well if allowed their freedom. Tonics are used 

 by some pigeon breeders, especially during the molting season, but their 

 constant use is not generally advised under normal conditions. 



