78 PIGEONS AND ALL AlSorT THE>r. 



SICKNESS IN THE LOFT. 



IF all the rules that I have given as to wholesome food, 

 pure \vatei', plenty of grit, no draughts, and cleanliness 

 of the loft, are observed there will be little sickness if 

 any. I do not believe that I have had a really sick bird for 

 years. There are times when all the birds seem to get droopy 

 and out of condition, and this is always caused by the weath- 

 er, or something that has affected their digestive organs. 



The most simple remedies are always the best, and the 

 best simple thing to "brace upi" a lot of birds is an iron tonic 

 which can be made by putting a lot of iron filings into their 

 drinking water. These can l)e had at almost any blacksmith 

 shop; lint if not at hand, a handful of ru.sty nails will do. 

 Let them impregnate the water thoroughly. I usually keep 

 a nail or two in the water at all tisnes. 



1 do not believe in this eternal "doctoring" that some fan- 

 ciers keep up. 



The man who is always doctoring is never well, and the 

 same rule holds with a bird. 



Sometimes the birds in a whole loft get too fat, and then a 

 simple cutting down of the feed will make a decided change. 

 It can be ]iut down as a fact that a lean l)ird is generally a 

 liealthy bird, and a very fat one is subject to all kinds of 

 disease, is drdwsy, short-winded, and a poor breeder. 



Still there are diseases that sometimes creep in, and as it 

 is well to be prepared for them, I will give their symptoms 

 and cures. 



DIARRHOE.V. 



This is almost invariably caused by new feed. It will be 

 noticed that the evacuations are very thin and watery, and 

 sometimes grow into dysentery, when the passages will be 

 found streaked with blood. 



