240 BIRDS 



is seen to be breathing and swallowing with difficulty, an 

 examination very often will show a lump of yellow, cheesy 

 matter adhering to the walls of the throat. If this growth 

 can be removed without causing bleeding, and the spot 

 treated with iodine, a cure is often possible. But most 

 cases are hopeless from the beginning and not many birds 

 are saved. 



When the squabs reach the age of about two weeks, the 

 parents, if in good condition, will begin to think of another 

 nest. They should be discouraged from laying too soon, as 

 a second pair of young may appear before the first are able 

 to care for themselves. When the eggs have been laid, most 

 of the care of the young is taken over by the cock, although 

 the hen freely assists. 



The squabs will leave the nest and begin to explore the 

 loft in the vicinity at four or five weeks old. They must 

 be watched carefully at this period, to prevent their persecu- 

 tion by the cocks, and to see that they have enough food. 

 By six weeks they should be feeding for themselves, and it 

 js best to remove them to a separate loft, where they can 

 have better attention and avoid overcrowding of the breed- 

 ing quarters. 



At about three months molting commences, the first indi- 

 cation being the dropping of the inner primary. This molt 

 progresses slowly in early hatched birds, some of which will 

 finish and molt again in the autumn. 



Precocious birds show sex at a very early age, and for- 

 ward cocks will mate at three and one-half or four months. 

 Such activities should be discouraged, of course, and it is 

 always best to separate the sexes as soon as they can be 

 distinguished. 



About the middle of July, or perhaps a little later, the 

 stock birds will commence molting and then are best sepa- 

 rated for the season. To continue breeding during this 



