THE PIGEON BOOK 57 



A pigeon's teeth are in the gizzard in the shape of grit, 

 but here let me briefly describe the process it goes through 

 before reaching the gizzard. 



First of all, the food, after being eaten, passes through 

 the gullet into the crop. It is surprising to what extent 

 it swells. At the bottom of the crop is a receptacle which 

 looks like a subterranean passage ; that is the stomach of 

 the pigeon, where the food eaten mixes with chile, and is 

 still further softened before passing into the gizzard, 

 where, as I have stated, mastication takes place, and if 

 the food is good and the pigeon healthy, only waste matter 

 is thrown off, and eventually is discharged in conjunction 

 with urine from the rectum. 



It is a very bad sign indeed for pigeons to pass the 

 grain they eat through their system without digesting it. 

 Depend upon it, there is something wrong either in the 

 grain or the bird. 



I have frequently found in the case of bad linseed and 

 some other small seeds pigeons will pass them in this 

 manner, and being passed whole the hungry birds will eat 

 them again and at the same time eat their droppings. 

 Plenty of good digestible food is the best remedy for the 

 trouble. 



Egg-binding. 



Frequently in the early part of the year young hens have 

 trouble with laying their eggs. Generally the cause is 

 through being too fat or weakness. 



They will be found sitting on the nest moped up night 

 after night with the parts above the vent swollen and hot. 

 When walking about the loft they look miserable and the 

 feathers are ruffled. 



Sometimes the trouble arises through the egg being 

 abnormally large. 



