Food and drink
According to "About British army's war pigeons" written by the Japanese army in 1919,第六節 飼養管理
Section.6 Keeping pigeons
第一 鳩ノ飼料及飼養ニ関シテハ特筆スヘキ事項ナシ鳩ハ規則正シク飼養セラレ飼料ハ最良ノモノヲ一定量ニ給スルヲ要ス
1. There are not so many things to talk about food for pigeons but they need to be fed a certain amount of good quality food at a certain time of the day everyday.
第二 総テノ穀類ハ鳩ノ飼料ニ適スルモ就中良質ノ蠶豆、豌豆、玉蜀黍等ハ最可ナリ
2. All the grains can be fed to pigeons, however broad beans, peas and corns are the most suitable.
穀類ノ選択ハ熟練ナル鳩取扱者ニ一任スヘシ而シテ選定セラレタル品種及見本ニ従テ厳格ニ購買スルノ要アリ
Grains must be carefully purchased according to the selection of grains made by a skilled pigeon handler.
第三 最善ノ飼養法トシテ次ノ比ヲ以テ混合給与スルヲ可トス
3. The best combination of grains can be:
蠶豆 五〇％
豌豆 三〇％
小玉蜀黍 二〇％
Broad beans 50%
Peas 30%
Corns 20%
以上ノ混合給与ノ為種々ノ穀類ヲ得難キ場合ニ於テハ蠶豆及豌豆ハ日量ノ全量ヲ使用スルモ妨ケナシト雖玉蜀黍ハ増量スヘカラス
When it is difficult to obtain the mix of those grains above, the amount of broad beans and peas can be increased. However, the amount of corns should never be increased.
第四 練習飛翔ヲ為シアル鳩ハ一羽一日一・五「オンス」ヲ以テ十分ナル日量トス
4. For a pigeon having flying training, 1.5 ounce is enough for a day.
出来得レハ日量ノ三分ノ一ハ日出後早朝ニ与ヘ三分ノ二ハ午後給与スヘシ
If possible, one third of the food should be fed in the very early morning after dawn and two third of the food should be fed afternoon.
... 若モ移動鳩舎ニ於テ定数以外ニ幼鳩ヲ飼育セハ定量三分ノ一ヲ増給スルコト必要ナリ
... If there are some chicks, you need to feed one third more than the usual amount.
第五 親鳩カ雛鳩ヲ飼育中ハ事実ニ於テ採食シ得ル丈ケノ量ヲ与ヘ其ノ外小麦、矢筈豌豆、「ダアリー」（Dari）等ヲ食餌ニ混シ而シテ穀類ノ混合物ハ朝ニ、豆類ハ夕ニ給与スヘシ
5. When parent birds raise chicks, just give them what they actually eat and also feed the mixture of wheat, common vetch and Dari. The mixture for the morning and beans for the evening.
第六 鳩カ永ク塹壕等ニ抑留セラレアルトキハ通信ヲ発スル以前ニ飼料ヲ清潔ニシ規定ノ量以上ヲ給セサル如ク注意スルコト緊要ナリ若飼料カ鳩籠ニテ汚染セラルルトキハ嗉嚢ヲ害シ疾病ヲ惹起ス
6. When pigeons have to stay in a trench for a long time, make sure the food is clean before being sent and not to give them more than the regular amount. When the food is contaminated in the cage, it could cause them crop diseases.
第七 鳩ハ飼料ノ不足ヨリモ渇ニ苦ムコト甚シ故ニ屢新鮮清浄ナル水ヲ供給スヘシ各鳩籠ニハ水与器ヲ備ヘ屢之ヲ清潔ニスルノ要アリ
7. Pigeons suffer more from the lack of water than the lack of food so make sure always clean water is provided. Keep the drinker clean all the time.
第八 飲水、飼料ノ外鳩ハ食餌ヲ咀嚼スル為砂礫ヲ要ス鳩ノ消化機能ハ嗉嚢ニ於テ食物ヲ軟化シ然ル後胃ニ至リ細碎セラルルカ又ハ砂礫ノ助ケニ依リ嗉嚢ニ於テ咀嚼セラルルモノナリ
8. Other than drink and food, pigeons need gravel to help them digest food. Gravel makes the food inside their crops fragmented and easy to digest.
特種ノ砂礫ハ細碎セラレタル蠣殻、石灰、堅キ小石又ハ清潔ナル海岸ノ砂ヲ以テ混成ス細碎セル蠣殻及大量ノ岩塩ハ鳩舎ニテ貯蔵シ置クヲ要ス
The special gravel consists of fragmented oyster shell, coal, pebbles or sea sand. Salt in fragmented oyster shell needs to be stored in the loft for a while.
第九 鳩羽ノ清潔ハ甚タ重要ナリ飛翼及尾羽不潔トナレハ（鳩舎又ハ鳩籠ニ於テ）鳩ハ正規ノ飛翔ヲ行フヲ得ス
9. The cleanness of pigeon feathers is vital, if tail feathers are unclean, the pigeon cannot fly properly.
第十 水浴ハ各季ヲ通シテ少クモ一週一回開放浴ヲ行フヘシ之カ為二呎六吋平方、深サ四吋ノ浴場ヲ適当トス
10. Pigeons should bathe at least once a week. The size of a bath should be 2 feet and 6 inches (762mm) square and 4 inches depth.
第十一 食餌ノ給与ハ常ニ鳩舎内ニ於テ行フヘシ
11. Feeding always needs to be conducted inside the loft.
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