The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-24
DISEASES OF PIGEONS.

Provided breeding stock was healthy when secured. cleanlipess in pens, Always and yards is the best preventive against canker and going light the most common disease of pigeons. There is very little chance of making money from squabs unless through cleanliness spigeonsN can be kept com paratively free from disease and insect parasites The following advice is taken from Farmers Bu1le-' tin No. 684, Squab Raising:
 The stock should be carefully watched and any sick birds removed from the breeding pens. The house should be kept dry, clean, well ven- tilated, and free from drafts The yards should be kept clean either by scrapfng the surface and adding fresh sand or gravel or by cultivating the land and planting it to grain if pos sible. Only good, sound grain should be fed.
 The nests, nest boxes, and pens should be kept clean. but 1t is not contain eggs or squabs any more than is actually necessary The pens should be sprayed frequently with 1whitewash containing a little crude carbolic acid, or with coal tar dis sfnfectant, and the nest boxes and 4perches should be examined for mites, especially in hot weather, and spray ed with Kerosene oil or some conner cfaI preparation which will kill mites, if any are founds The nests or nest nesting material removed after the squabs are marketed or leave the nests.
 Canker
 Pigeons are subject to many of the diseases which affect poultry and may be treated in the same manner. 7 Canker and the disease or condition called going light seem to be more prevalent in pigeons than in the do- nestic fowl. Canker appears as sores or cheesy patches in the mouth and throat and can usually be prevented by providing good sanitary conditions and feeding only clean, sound grains and clean water. It may be treated 5 bys swabbing the mouth and throat with a solution of equal parts of hy- -drogen peroxide and water or by us- ing dry sulphur. Enough potassium permanganate may be added to the drinking water to give it a wine color Various remedies or preventives of z disease are used in the drinking water by pigeon breeders whenever the stock appears to be in poor condition. Among these are carbolic acid, epson salts, copper sulphate, and venetian red Ulcers sometimes appear on the head around the bill, eyes, mouth or in the throat. and pigeons thus affect should usually be killed.
 Going Light
 This disease or condition is more or less peculiar to pigeons and is diff cult to cure. It may be brought about by feeding filthy or unsound grains. by filthy conditions, and by any fac tor which tends to destroy the vitality of the pigeons. The symptoms of this condition are a gradual loss of flesh, frequently accompanied by diarrhea. The practical method of treatment is to remove the cause. Pig cons in this or in any other diseased condition will often get well if allow ed their freedom. Tonis are used by some pigeon breeders, especially during the 1uo1ting season. but their constant use is not generally advised under normal conditions.
 Causes of Dead squabs
 Dead squabs may be due to a va riety of reasons Some of the possi- bIe causes are extra males or un- mated pigeons in the breeding pens, rats or mice in the house, and lack of vitality in the breeding stock, caused by the use of improper or the lack of sufficient feed, filthy condf- dous or careless inbreeding.