46 CANARIES 



seen feeding whilst you are in the room things are going 

 on all right. 



But should she be dull about the cage, and sit with her 

 feathers ruffled up, does not answer when you speak 

 to her, and remains on the nest when you come near, 

 you may go farther in your inspection. Insert your 

 hand gently into the cage, and with your fore finger 

 move her from the nest. If she just moves on to the 

 perch, or drops on the floor looking heavy, thick and 

 miserable you may conclude she is egg-bound. Then 

 pick her up and examine her carefully. If she is egg- 

 bound there will be great swelling of the abdomen, and 

 if the forefinger and thumb are applied to the vent, it 

 will feel hard and unyielding. There will also be sign of 

 inflammation shown by the puffed-up appearance of 

 the body, and the intense redness of the skin. 



Act Promptly. 



Promptness is of the greatest value in dealing with 

 egg-binding, and warmth is the most certain cure, be 

 the complaint caused by weakness, excessive fatness of 

 the body, or by cold. Remove the hen from the cage, 

 carry her carefully down to the kitchen and there hold 

 her over a jug or basin of hot water, first placing a piece 

 of butter cloth or fine muslin over the top of the jug 

 or basin so as to prevent the steam scalding the hen. 

 If it is not a bad case a few minutes treatment will cause 

 the egg to drop on to the muslin. If it does not, then a 

 small feather previously dipped in sweet oil should be 

 inserted into the vent. Some writers speak of dropping 

 the oil on the vent, but that is of little use. The oil is 

 needed inside the passage to assist in the movement 

 of the egg. Having oiled the vent, hold the hen over the 

 basin again for a few minutes, should the egg not show 

 itself repeat the oiling of the passage with the feather 

 and place the hen on the floor of a small cage near the 

 fire, first covering the floor with a piece of old soft flannel, 

 and leave her there for one hour. If the egg has not 

 passed in the meantime repeat the oiling and steaming, 

 and return her to the cage. Should the egg not have 

 made its appearance in a couple of hours it should be 

 removed. This may be most effectually accomplished 



