Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-10-11
The Care OF Canarics.

birds that few words about them will
not come aniss la the bird lovers
Nearly every one has Il bird of some
kind hanging in the window, or indoors,
and the same treatment viii apply Ia
all with the exception of seeds and food.
The cause Of most disease j. colds,
which are occasioned by either hanging
a bird in drausht Of air, near a loose
fitting window, or keeping him in Il very
hot room (sixty-five degrees is the
proper temperature for bird) through
the day, and then in q cool one at night
"a variation Of, perhaps, 50 degrees in
"a hours. The best cure for the cold is
10 feed, in addition to their regular seed,
rape and canary and perhaps millet,
"A paste made from hard-boiled egg
and one pulverized cracker, thoroughly
mixed together, using no water in mix
ing, the egg supplying sufficient mois-
ture. Sometimes a bird seems hoarse,
and apparently has lost his voice. This
is occasioned by over-singing; Il little
pure rGck-candy, not favored, dissolved
in the drinking-waier, and quantity of
red pepper put INTO the paste described
above, will usually effect cure. If,
however, the cold is allowed 10 remain
for several days without attention or
cure, it win pass rapidly from cold to
asthma, and from that to gapes,
which is best described by saving that
the bird looks like little puff ball, with
constant painting, and his bill almost
constantly opening and shutting, as if to
catch his breath. His food should be
the same as described above. Also keep
the bird warm and give, with his rape
and canary, ripe plantain, if it can be
had. Every morning he should have
small tcaspoonful OF warm bread and
milk. and now and then little bit of
sponge-cake soaked in sherry wine.
hardly think it viii make the bird in
temperate. though if you have any
scruples don't use the wine.
Asthma-for birds have this disease
as well as the human race-generally
Yields to plantain and rape seed moist
ened with water as the sole food. Birds
troubled with looseness of the bowels
can be greatly relieved by placing a
rusty nail in their drinking water. An
other excellent remedy will he found in
common chalk; let a small piece be
placed between the wires and do not
feed them any green stuff. 1t is also
well TO scrape the chalk quite fine and
scatter il with the sand in the bottom of
the cage. Should the bird be troubled
with costiyeness, q piece of sweet ap-
pie, a little chickweed, lettuce, or any
green food will usually afford relief.
Most ailments of birds commence with a
cold; keep them free from that and you
will have healthy birds. Oftentimes a
bird bristles up and sits moping upon
the perch, with his head under his wing,
and looks ike a puff-ball. BY watching
him YOU can usually tell the cause and
relieve him. The cause will be often
found that the bird has been neglected
and not fed properly or that sufficient
water has not been given him. If, how
ever. it should prove that the bird has
plenty of food and is perfectly regular,
then make It change in his food, taking
away'ihe seed and feeding the soft food
rs recommended for birds with colds,
and perhaps a small piece of sweet APP
pie.
Occasionally canary is troubled with
a kind Of indigestion, which causes in
ilamation of the intestines, to which
young birds are more especially sub
ject. The symptoms are swelling of
the body, which, on blowing up the |
feathers, looks semi-transparent and
full of red veins. The cause of this is |
generally an overdose of nutrition, or
bad or stale food or water; the remedy, |
II any there be, is a spare diet with a
little alum or salt in the drink. oat meal |
Is good in this case; if the bowels should
be much relaxed give bruised hemp and
NAV seed. Sometimes the feathers of
the bird come off; then rub the bare
parts with fresh lard. Yellow gall
sometimes makes its appearance about
the head and eyes; this is small ulcer
I he size of a henlp seed This must no