132 AMERICAN SQtJAfe CULTURE 



every day or so where he will be fed by an old bird, or if you 

 can exchange the squabs that you are hand feeding for other 

 squabs daily, it is better, for then the same squabs will not be 

 hand fed constantly. 



A breeder with a large plant will always have young squabs 

 in other nests about the same size and thus be able to have any 

 orphan squabs fed by foster parents, so that hand feeding will 

 not, as a rule, be necessary. 



HELPFUL REMEDIES 



The experience of others is always worth something and so I 

 quote in part from John S. McCreight: 



Pigeons in general have fewer diseases and ailments than 

 chickens and less doctoring is necessary. There are times, 

 however, when a little medicine or tonic is absolutely necessary, 

 and if given in time will prove beneficial 16 those needing it 

 and act as a preventative to those not afflicted. 



Pigeons are active and full of life when in good health, and 

 are without doubt the liveliest and most hustling family of the 

 feathered tribe. 



A bird when off his feed or sick is soon noticeable. You will 

 see it huddled off to itself, feathers all turned up and its head 

 in between its shoulders. You know the moment you see it that 

 something is wrong. 



Now, to find what is the matter. Catch the bird and examine 

 its throat; see if there are any sores or ulcers in the throat. If 

 you find yellow pimples it doubtless has canker. 



If you find nothing wrong with the throat, examine the "craw." 

 If it is lull and mushy and the breath of the bird is bad, it has 

 "sour craw." 



If neither of the above are found and you are not experienced 

 in pigeon raising, you are rather up against it. There are a 

 good many things that would make the bird act the way it does. 

 If a young female, she might be egg-bound, or the bird might 

 be going light. If you cannot determine what is wrong, pull out 

 the bird's tail — all the feathers — give it half a teaspoonful of 

 castor oil and put in a coop by itself. Give plenty of fresh 

 water and some stale bread crumbs and a little hemp. The 

 chances are that with this treatment the bird will be all right 

 in a few days. 



