Ailments of Pouters. 
127 
has said, never point the finger at them or allow them to peck at it whilst in the pen, which they 
will readily do if allowed ; as such will quite prevent them from coming into show, and almost 
ruins them as exhibition birds. The voice is all that is required, and is very soon associated by 
them with the pleasure they derive from seeing each other, so that at the well-known call they 
will put themselves into show. Some birds derive a little assistance from snapping the fingers, or 
gently waving the hand backwards and forwards at the same time ; but pointing the finger causes 
nothing but mischief. While the birds are thus penned it is best to avoid having any others in 
sight, or it may cause the imprisoned bird to spend its time trying to get out, which also spoils its 
attitude. If you have one familiar hen, it is also a good plan to train her to stand on your hand, 
and thus show her in front of a pen containing cock birds. This will set them all into fine show, 
which should of course be accompanied by the call, and is an excellent way of training Pouter 
pigeons. 
Pouters, like Carriers, have ailments to which they are especially subject ; and one of the 
most common is that of over-gorging, as is natural from the extra development of crop. One 
means of prevention is to use a hopper, so that the birds can at all times feed at pleasure ; since if 
fed by hand they of course become hungry , and are then more liable to the mischief in question. 
The usual treatment for this complaint has already been mentioned — viz., to draw the bird through 
a stocking with the foot cut off, tail first, so as to squeeze the crop well up, and then hang it up till 
the food has left the over-gorged receptacle. But the best plan is to employ a narrow box or 
basket, little wider than the body of the bird, and sixteen or eighteen inches long. Then pack the 
bottom with chaff or cut straw, or a piece of cloth, so as to keep the crop well up opposite the 
aperture where the food passes into the stomach, and adjust the cover so that the bird will have 
little or no room to move. Before the bird is placed in this hospital it should have two capsules of 
castor-oil, when the lid should be fastened and the box placed nearly but not quite upright for 
twenty-four hours. Should not the food then have at least partially left the crop, give a drink of 
milk with another single capsule of oil, and gently knead and work the contents of the crop so as 
to soften and loosen it, after which replace as before for another twelve hours. In cold weather 
the box must be placed near enough to the fire to be comfortably warm, or serious results will 
follow, but in warm or temperate weather no such precaution is needed. Occasionally, when a 
bird has become very badly gorged, and has remained unnoticed for some little time, the full crop 
will feel quite cold and hard, and the bird will be hardly able to stand, but tumble over when set 
upon its feet. In this case the best thing is a drink of warm milk mixed with cod-liver oil ; which, 
if the bird cannot drink, should be poured down its throat through a small funnel, using not less 
than half a teaspoonful of oil ; after which it is to be put in the box as in the other cases. If there 
is still little result — which is easily seen by the action of the bowels — some more warm milk should 
be given with some jalap, which will generally effect the desired relief ; but even this will some- 
times fail when the bird if filled very hard, and has become quite cold before being attended 
to. In that case the only mode of saving its life is by an operation, which is, however, attended 
by little risk when properly done, except so far as the pigeon may have lost strength or health 
beforehand, or the gorged crop may have already developed a tendency to mortification, in which 
case little can be hoped for. In most instances, however, the operation is simple and successful 
enough. 
The first thing is to cut or pluck off all the feathers near the incision, so as to see clearly 
what is done ; after which a free incision should be made across the crop, near the bottom, in which 
position the wound shows least trace afterwards. Cut cleanly through both the outer skin and the 
crop itself ; and after emptying the crop thoroughly, wash the inside with warm water, after which 
