214



Dr. J. K. Butter,



OSTRICHES,


By J. K. Butter, M.D.


(Concluded from p. 176.)


My Ostriches very often suffered from excoriations on the

inside of the mouth and throat, which soon spread, and were

evidently very painful, as they were unable to swallow food, and

when they picked up food would fling it out of their mouth again.

One should at once be on the look-out for these aphthae. I used

the liniment of iodine and tincture of iodine mixed in equal parts,

and painted it on night and morning. This soon had the desired

effect. When they wanted an aperient I dissolved six or eight ounces

of Epsom salts in a quart of water and poured it down their throats.


Food for African Ostriches.


1 cwt. cut lucerne or chaff.


| bushel maize.


\ bushel bran.


| bushel oats.


Mix well together and damp down when feeding birds.


Give this mixture for feed in the morning and cut grass or

chopped cabbage for evening feed—Monday ; on Tuesday reverse

the feeds, and so on every day alternately. Stale bread or meat

cut up is very good for them during the day, keep them well supplied

with crushed bone, crushed oyster shell, and crushed flint. These

can be had from Spratt’s Patent Food, Ltd., 24, Fenchurch Street,

London. Keep pens well cleaned out, also keep plenty of clean

sand and gravel down for them to dust in. If weather is very wet

put them in the shed, although mine just went in and out when it

pleased them. When weather is very cold or wet an extra feed

of maize helps to keep them warm. Always have plenty of clean

water for them to drink.


The finest feathers are grown by the male birds, although

the hens grow nice white feathers as well. After six months you

can gather the crop of feathers, and afterwards every nine months-

The feathers are cut, not plucked, so that it causes the birds no

pain. Ostriches are easily handled when blindfolded, and I always



