ciers stuff the crops of the already weakened bird 

 with corn, wheat and other varieties of heavy feed 

 which is only intended for healthy birds and will 

 thereby make their weak crops weaker still. A bird 

 knows when to eat, and will readily partake of the 

 heavier variety of grain when in the proper condition. 



If a bird is exceedingly weak give about 20 or 

 30 pills, and make it doughy or work it uj) in an 

 easy digestible maner with fine cracker dust, or bread 

 crumbs. Above all in contagious diseases keep the 

 bird or birds in a separate compartment and use the 

 best judgment in treating. The necessary food for 

 the pigeon should be nothing but red wheat, peas, 

 cracked corn, with a small amount of hemp, millet, 

 caraway, canary seeds, buckwheat etc and never use 

 oats or rye. The latter especially has caused the 

 death of many valuable birds from its tendency to 

 scour. Have a good supply of fresh grit or sand, old 

 plaster or lime in some way, oyster shells ground fine, 

 salt etc. always before them, and together with prop- 

 er management, keeping every part of the pigeon loft 

 in a good sanitary condition many of the diseases 

 will be prevented. 



The diagnosis of a case is the main part and be 

 positive the true nature of the disease has been dis- 

 covered before commencing treatment. In administer- 

 ing medicines be sure to give the right dose and quan- 

 tity for a very delicate bird will require a stronger 

 dose than a more robust one. Hold the bird in the 

 left hand, open its mouth with the other and if the 

 medicine be a liquid pour down the throat using a 

 small syringe being the best way of administering it, 

 being careful to inject into the throat and not the 



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