Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-12
Food and Care Of Canaries.
From Holden's Bird Magazine.

Canaries and many other species of birds are
troubled with Inflammation of the intestines
The causes most likely to produce this are over
eating, especially of ''high' food, like eggs or
partaking of green stuff which is in state of de-
composition. Sometimes the drinking water,
which should be fresh and clean each morning,
is left unchanged for several days. The symp-
toms indicate acute pain in the region affected
The bird is dull, cares little to move about, is
silent, and often rests bodily on the perch.
THERE'S no desire to eat. and great thirst and
the bowels are usually cOstive, though some
times the bird has diarrhna Frequently there
is vomiting of the bile and mucus An examin-
alton. conducted very gently. will reveal a
swollen and distorted condition of the lower
part OF the abdomen, with some change of color,
varying. according to the stage of the disorder,
from pale to dark red, amounting in very
dangerous cases to very dark hue This In
hamnation may be cured if treatment is COM
menced at once and decided course followed
Let the bird be put. if possible, into clean.
dry cage ana hung in warm, well-ventilated
room and the food changed and be entirely non
stimulating, but at the same time nourishinc:
plain crackers mixed with new milk. to which
should be added a little moist sugar Let the
bird have only this food for day or two If
the bird in the commencement. is cOnstjpated
the bowels should be opened with two or three
drops of pure oil. but if there is much infiam-
nation, purgatives should not be EMPLOYED.
Contamination will do much good Paint
the lower part of the abdomen, by means
OF a camel's hair brush, with warm turpentine.
This gives relief, and should be repeated
once or twice, if necessary. Opium is
of great service in this complaint Place.
therefore, every morning in the fresh water so
drops of ipecacuanha wine and Is Of laudanum,
along with a bit of gum arabic and two or three
grains of the nitrate of potash. But in more
severe cases we prefer opium in conjunction
with belladOnna-ten drops of each OF the tine
lures in the drinking water--a little gum and a
little sweetening of glycerine. Breeding birds
can be ted on rich food without the danger of
evils resulting therefrOm that birds not at work
might incur. Birds which are in thin physical
condition, SO as to be enfeebled, or are, through
carelessnesS, mounting, will not usually mate;
and, in exceptiOnable cases. where they mate
and hatch, it is seldom the young birds live.
Only manual eXaminatiOn-the actual taking
of the bird in the hand-will disclose his real
condition. Frequently the expression is heard,
"My bird Is too fat to sing" and it would
seem to be the fact, since he looks SO
large, because the feathers stand out straight
are pulled up-but such bird is usually found
to be mere skeleton, and greatly in need of
appetizing food and change Of diet. Feed such
skeleton cracker soaked in as much sweet
milk as it can absorb. and give twice day as
much egg chopped fine as will lie on a twenty
fve-cent piece. Let the mated birds have the
boiled eggs chopped fine and little cracker
dust mixed with it fresh three or four times a
day, plenty Of apple or lettuce or chickweed,
and an abundance OF coarse gravel. Before each
laying furnish pounded oyster shells or crushed
old plastering. The German summer rape seed.
Sicily canary seed and the millet seed, equal
parts mixed should be the regular diet; a small
quantity Of hemp seed will also be beneficial.
When young birds are a week old they may be
transferred to a new. clean nest which should
be the same style as the old one; If the nest is
properly cared for the birds will seldom be
troubled with insects but should these pests
appear use the German insect powder.