PIGEON NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 14932, 19 July 1912, Page 3

PIGEON NOTES

[Uy The Antwerp.] Questions relating to piyeon-brecding, etc., requiring answer must be sent, to ''Antwerp," care of thit office, not. later than noon of Thursday, in order to tecine attention the same week. Egg-binding is one of the -worst ptoblems one has to contend with in pigeon-breeding,. si a few notes theref.n will not coma amiss at tide time. The causes of hens becoming egg-bound are several—a. chill or excessive cold, abnormal size of eggs, general debility, or the first egss of young hen.-. Xo matter, however, what the <*ause may be, it is always u. danger to tho life of the: bird. Quickness to act. is absolutely necessary, as while the trouble exist? tho life of the bird mav be ebbing away. An egg-bound hen is t'airlv easy to pick out. She will mope about,*carry her toil and flights down and her rump up. Catch her carefully. and if vou feel gently with your lingers vou will soon discover the source of tho trouble. In handling the bird keep your hands well up on the body, £o that you. do not put any unnecessary pressure on tho egg. There are two recognised net hods of asSstinn- ths bird. Tho first way is to get a jug of warm water. The water must be warm enough to give off steam, and yet onlv as warm as one can bear with one's fingers. Then spread a piece of rmrelm over the top of the jug and hold tho bird tdose over tho muslin. Before placing the bird over tho steam, paint the part well will a camel-hair brush which has bcen ; dioped in warm olive oil, also give tho bird a linseed oil capsule. In most cases ; this method will Boon relieve trie bird of j the egg. Do not return the bird immediately to the loft, but place her in a box or basket and keep her warm till she gets over the weakness caused by her exertions. Tho other method is for very bad casts. Get a bowl of hot water. Try tha water with your elbow, and if you can bear it. it is not too hot. Then take the bird in both hands and place the affected part gently in tho water, keeping it there- for a few minutes. Then gently atari the egg moving with ono of your fingors. Once the egg is started to move the hen herself _ will help things, and invariably the egg will bo laid in tho hand. When yon have relieved the bild of her trouble, sponge with a little disinfectant to allay the inflammation which mav arise. Dry the bird's feathers with a soft cloth, and put her in a box, as before advised. When she is due to lay again keep a sharp look-out and give _ a linsood oil capsule every day, and you will reduce this trouble to a minimum Hastings Show last week had the magnificent entry of °™r 1.- IGO in pigeons, and canaries. The _ Working Homer section was one of tho features this show. Hawke's Bay is the. •' hotbed for Homers, ''"he fancy pigeons also had a splendid entry owing to tho North Island championships beinc decided there. Mr 11. B. Gould, of Chrisochurch, won the Dragoon chamtipionship, Mr T. Otley, ot tho same cit-v, the Owl championship with the English' Owl which he showed at the last Dunedin Show Mr Sowman.of Halcome, took the F.intail championship, while Mr Walker, of Auckland, won the Tumbler championship with a Short-face Tumbler. The Long-face Tumblers were few in numbers, but in Magpies, Dragoons, Owls, Jacobins, and Fantails there were good classes. There. were also a fairly welltilled clcss of both Helmets and Ground Tumblers, two varieties we never ece down here. I have, already heard of several fanciers having squeakers in the nest. It is too early yet. The weather is too cold and the nights too long. It would not he so bad if "one could r ;ive tho old birds fbod_ by j lamplight, but" under the usual conditions I trc.ii 5 at night till 7.30 in the morning ! is too long for the youngsters to go withI ov.t food. j Southland seems to have started fir?t this j season. I hear of several lets ot wings going south.