Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-02-05
miscellaneous.
7" """||"-" FfOm the Uenefste Farmer.
on THE MANAGEMENT OF CANARIEs
AND OTHER BIRDS IN THE HOUSE.

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In keeping birds in the house, l always use un.
painted cages, az l think them more healthy than
painted ones, as birds peck the paint, which often
poisons them. Cages that ! have used are made
Of mahogany, with a drawer in the bottom %for,con'
venience Of cleaning, with china or glass cups on
each side to hold the seed and water. There
should also be q cup Of water large enolgh for the
birds to bnthe in, but not large enough to drown
them. They cannot be healthy without plenty Of
clean water, both for bathing and drinking. The
cage should be large enough to allow them to fly
about and enjoy themselves. The time for cana
rios to pair is about the middle Of March, when
they should DO placed together, each pair in a!largc
breeding-cage. If brought together before, they
will fight and sometimes Kill each other. If they
sgree, they wi. soon begin to feed each other,
when they must be supplied with a box two and o
half OF three inches square, or o basket made for
.hc purpose, hung up in their cage, in which to
build their nest, also materials for building. /
have found hemp rope cut about an inch long and
picked 10 pieces, and the white hair from a calfs
tail to be the material they prefer, They will
build and throw out their nests several times Blu:
when they begin to be really in earnest they will
work very fast.
WueH tue UIIu u lalu OHe CRS Fms VIII DeBiu W
set, and lay an egg every day till she has four
and in two weeks from the time the first egg is laid
IL will hatch. During the time of setting, the
birds must be attended to very carefully, giving
them q variety of food, such as egg boiled hard
and chopped very fine, with bread, and bread and
milk, as well as seed, of which it is best to give
them several kinds. The milk should be scalded
10 prevent their becoming siok during incubation,
which frequestly happens without it. The white
of the egg should not be given the young-only
the yolks-as they cannot eat the whites and re,
main healthy.
The cage should be examined while there are
young in it very frequently by l~amplight to ascer.
tain whether there are mites about it, which are
small. red insects barely perceptible to the eye. I'M
less these mites are kept out OF the cage, il is USE
less to attempt to raise or keep birds. A single
drop Of sweet oil on the sole Of each foot of the
female, when she commences setting will guard
against their attacks.
Once a month the birds should have a small
pinch of saffron in their drinking water. Great
attention must be paid to the cleanliness of the
cage. The drawer should be cleaned and sprinkh
cd with fine white sand daily. The cage should
be cleaned thoroughly once q week, and we'll
dried before the birds are returned to it, except
while the bird is setting, when it must not be dis
turbsd, except to take out the drawer and replace
10 when cleaned, covering the bottom with fresh
sand.
IF it is necessary to handle the birds, it must be
done carefully as shey are very tender, and will
net bear much handling. Great care should be
taken not to brighten them. l have known a valu.
able Canary bird so frightened that he never sung
again. Strangers should not 60 very near the
cage, and no one should look into the nest while
the bird is setting, or she may desert it.
We have frequently let them out Of their cages
taking care to close all places where they coult
make their es:ape. They fly about and alight or
heads and shoulders, and sometimes on our hand
and if there arei plants in the room they seem tt
take great delight in fitting about among tbem.-
When tired they will return to their cages. l
may be necessary to place q piece of apple oil
something tempting inside of the door OF the cage
to call him back but they will soon become 81
familiar. if allowed to be out often, that they vii
not need much coaxing to induce them to return.
T. Ripe fruit in its season, sugar. chickweed, or let
tuce, are excellent to keep them in health. Cutie
6sh bone and bread or cracker should always be il
the cage for them to peck at; but they should new
or have rich cake. If they have the dumps they
Z will set on the perch with their feathers rough. no
taking the trouble to dress their plumage. Put
drop Of sweet oil on the sole of each foot and i
will cure them. A little scalded milk on som,
bread will cure the diarrh@a. When m%oultinI
they should have less seed, but be supplied will
soaked bread. lettuce leaves, fruit, &C., to allay tn
natural fever.
In winter they must be kept in a warm room
but not very near the fire. In summer the cage
should be hung out of doors a part of the day, t
give them air, but shaded from the sun. Dew Q
rain must not fall on them.
have kept none but Canaries and Goldfnche
In cages, as / am not one of those who would d,
prive our native sOngsterS Of their liberty, an
have them pine away in cages. y
CLARKsrowN. N. Y, December. 1858.