i6


plicated one, and in order that it may be successfully completed, it is

necessary that the various portions of the mechanism should act well and

hannoniously. For instance, when the ovum burst its capsule, the oviduct

must be ready to receive it, the muscular fibres must be in a healthy con¬

dition, and the glands must be ready to play their part, otherwise a hitch

may occur in the process. Unfortunately, in the case of captive birds, this

hitch too often takes place ; the process of egg production fails to be

successfully accomplished, and egg-binding results. The reason for this, in

almost all cases, is that some of the causes previously enumerated, which

stimulate the reproductive system, are present, while others are absent.

The hen bird is associated with a male of the same species, the pairing time

approaches, and she is provided with nesting material, but the weather

turns cold, and she has, perhaps, not been long imported, and has not yet

recovered from the effects of the long and trying journey from her tropical

home. The consequence is a partial and imperfect stimulation of the

egg-producing organs, an ovum matures and bursts its capsule, but the

oviduct contracts feebly, the glands fail to perform their duty, the shell

is incompletely formed, the hitch occurs, and the bird becomes egg-bound.


It very frequently happens that egg-binding is associated with an

imperfect condition of the shell. The egg is then soft, and does not offer

sufficient resistance to the contraction of the oviduct. It is often assumed

that this condition is due to absence of lime-salts from the birds’ food, and

that if they can be made to swallow sufficient cuttle fish, or broken egg

shell, egg-binding will be prevented. I believe this theory to be a mistaken

one. Birds which partake freely of these substances are as liable to egg¬

binding as others, because the imperfectly developed organs are unable

to take up the necessary salts from the circulation and make use of

them.


If my views are correct, it follows that we can prevent the disease in

two ways, either by removing those causes which lead to egg-production,

and so keeping the reproductive system in a quiescent state, or by endeavour¬

ing to provide all those conditions which are necessary to a successful com¬

pletion of the process. In the former case we shall separate the sexes at the

approach of the breeding season, and remove the male out of the sight and

hearing of his mate, we shall take away all nesting material, we shall avoid

a high temperature in the bird-room, and we shall provide a plain and non-

stimulating diet. In the latter case we shall act in exactly the opposite

way ; we shall keep up a tropical temperature, we shall provide suitable

places and material for nesting, and we shall give stimulating food.


The symptoms of egg-binding are usually unmistakeable. If a bird

which has been building a nest, or has shown signs of wanting to do so,

and which has previously been in good health, is suddenly found prostrate

on the floor, with puffed out feathers and distended abdomen, she may

be safely assumed to be egg-bound. Some birds, however, die very

suddenly from this cause, without showing previous symptoms of illness.

It sometimes happens that a bird becomes ill with every indication of egg

binding, but apparently recovers, and la)'S an egg some hours afterwards.

In this case the hitch has occurred high up, probably at the passage of the

ovum from the ovary to the oviduct. The bird sometimes dies, however,

after laying.


Suppose egg-binding to have occurred, how are we to treat the

patient ? A large bird may have a drop of castor oil, but with a small bird

the trouble of getting the beak open, and the risk of hurting the patient,

more than counteract the somewhat doubtful good effect of the drug.

Holding the patient over the steam of hot water is often advantageous, but

as a rule the less the bird is handled the better. It should always be placed

in a box-cage, close to a good fire, at a temperature of from So to 90

degrees, and as the complaint is an extremely depressing one a stimulant

should be given (five drops of whisky to each teaspoonful of drinking

water).


If the bird be not too far gone when its condition is discovered, and



