| Show p Pi eon Keeping as a Lucrative Avocation Production of Squabs 0 Profitable Grow Rapidly to Market Size and Breeder May Learn Soon Results of His Experiments and Get Returns Quickly TYPES DISPLAY GREAT DIVERGENCE IN FORM Giant Ru Runt ut a and tic Diminutive in Owl Long Distance Flying Homer and T Tumbler Wh Which Gant Fly Are Arc Examples PROF FREDE FREDERIC RIC H H. STONEBURN 1 1012 J I. I Iy Lack of ol ground spa space pace may iC pf- f- f Iy pi event one from keeling keeping keeping keep keel ing chickens hilt but il ii need not I keep cep I 1 h he lie pi eon em l L in-L from owning owning own own- in ing breeding breeling a few Lew bird Innis Pigeons do 10 not require a yard or orrange or orrange range rangeS and M So o it i if is possible po to lo lohouse house t hem in ju all any ally tl room or 01 foil structure to lo which a small mall flying fling cage cige can he be connected Many city dweller take n advantage advant nant ant antage age Or of U tins this s fact and keep small flocks on the flat roofs of houses bouses or other buildings In some sonic cases I 1 Ithe the attics of business blocks afford afford afford af af- I ford space for quarters for fol a good mat ninny many y bird and the flights arc either cither arranged on the lie roof or at- at T i f Cl 4 fl n hr In nf nt i li elt I I bis 1115 i Cu current Tent CO contribution 0 nt t Professor Pro Pro- fessor po points out ont the th fact that as ng a hobb bobby pigeon breeding breeding breed breed- ng ing ing is intensely interesting and andt t that under proper propel conditions it may be made financially profit profit- I f able also Mr 1 Graham has bred from fine Buff Cochin Bantams for years and arni his drawing shows these at attractive at- at little fowls at their best Where a u small flock of or poultry i is kept solely for the tile production of f eggs and an occasional chicken dinner for tho the home table this variety is worthy of t lion ion This is especially true when the fhe work of caring for them is left ft to th the younger C members of he urn family Cochin Bantams are arc nf easily cared fur for rc- rc little space and anti produce a goodly number of f cg eggs 8 that ana art an a astonishingly hin ly large larg-e in comparison wit with villi h t the he size ze of t the he hen liens hens T T Is that Noah Noah oah he of or the thc I IT I ark can ark can safely be he called the origInal original inal thai pigeon fancier tIle the first to make use Ue o of the thc homing Instinct of or these 1 beautiful and interesting birds s. s Since his lime pl pigeon Pleon eon breeders have hl greatly been found multiplied Thc They have han among amon t nil all nations und and In virtually all parts of oC the world and it Is safi to say sav that l inos-l t of oC thorn have hae Il derived much mitch Interest anti and pleasure from froni their work worl Few lew In are the country or boys who cJ hl hue have not nt at somo tune taken pride ride in the ownership of oC anti and untold numbers of oC soul doves do city youngsters oun have lun known this pleasure pleas picas ure tire Ul aHo II Fortunately man many of oC us re remain remain remain re- re main ho boys regardless reg H of oC tile the years curs arI an and retain the old Interest in iii and aud obtain ob oh- oh tam tain the same ailie pleasure from these h beautiful Jets that we wc knew kne knew in Iii tho old da days s 's It I Is undeniably true tHie that pigeons I poj ses a 1 wonderful fascination und and since their housing and management arc comparatively simple wo we find pigeon JIg on fanciers In iii every community who keep their birds merely for tho the pleasure the they secure from thin them m Occasionally e we find Ind an nn experienced breeder cr making a fair tall financial profit but this Is th tho exception rather than limn th the rule nile Under n rl I exl existing eon llon there seems ms to be little mOli money In the crowing of fancy or 11 pigeons ons On the thc other hand there are arc IIO possibilities sl- sl of making a profit from the production of If young pigeon or foi for table use Usually this work ork i is carried c on Oil as US a side Ido 1111 lino hut but butIn hutIn hutIn In exceptional nal case case- H we WC find It followed followed fol fol- oh- oh lowed as an exclusive hc business s an and developed to a considerable ct extent ent i Usi I Before entering entering- Into a further discussion dis of ur this tills branch of poultry husbandry hus bandry the writer desires to express s hl his conviction that good pigeon bleeders bleed ers are arc born not m made lle Unless 8 one possess an an Inborn love loe for the lie birds 11 lie will do o well to avoid them thell entirely Without this strong characteristic ItIs It ItIs Itis Is almo almost t Imo Impossible to achieve e success suc SlIe- ce cess s In either cither breeding or the I production of oC good g shio show how specimens I Apparently the J progenitor ro of our pigeons cons is the wild Blu Bind Hock dove uc local ocal varieties of or which exist in the wild state in various parts of oC the world From Froni this original nal stuck stock the pigeon eon fanciers past and pr present sent bavi ha educed n-educed on nn astonishing number of or distinct breeds and varieties upward of ot which now breed tru rut to type Among mon them lien arc such a ran range e IP Ir color shape and size and many posse possess pos pos- se sess s such peculiar characteristics a as t tc almost cause one to doubt douht their com corn mOil mou orl origin ln In the list t we Va find the giant Runt Hunt I I I Ii i i j C Av 1 1 I 1 tL c. c f 2 i. i J. J L r 4 MC f J i- i ls 41 I l 1 k 11 j 1 I F 1 I 1 i f I II I L I I j BUFF LFF COCHIN BANTAMS n JS Ono OliO of the mor l popular breeds Its ancestors known as ns Peking Bantams were among the he spoils taken from tIll the Summer palace in Peking when it was sacked by lv the French Anglo lo- lo expedition in 1800 They found t their heir way o 1 England Eng here t the he painstaking k n fanciers Ined and developed dc them gra gradually into the beautiful ful Buff Cochin Bantam of today tolay They are very cry small weighing males thirty ounces females female t I six twenty ounces but ess Iny lity a large egg egr when considered in iii proportion to lo their size si Are great r nt layers and t the he chicks mature early I They hey are arc very ery docile locile and mIll easily em confined becoming great pets especially with the chil children ren measuring a yard from tip to top Ip p of or outstretched wings and the Utility to toy the Owl 0 Tho Homer that an fly l hun hundreds red of oC miles from the Joint of ot liberation to o the home loft and the lie Parlor Tumbler whose efforts 3 I ri I fj t cz I S JS x t fc 1 5 W f r v- v k o. w f- f t T f u c cAN i 4 fL fLAN AN AX ATTRACTIVE E PIGEON HOUSE HOrSE AND ENCLOSED FLIGHTS Such a structure permits the keeping of a n goodly number of birds on small ground space to fl fly merely merch result e In a series of oC ridiculous back baele somersaults The Tho Jacobin with an ru ruff of or feathers about the nee neck Ie and tho the Fan- Fan tall tail with an extraordinary development develop develop- ment of oC tall tail feathers Tho delicate delicate- headed Magpie and the Carrier with a tremendous growth of or fleshy wattles wattles wat wat- ties about the beak and eye ore The Tumbler Tumbler Tum Turn bler bier with smooth head and legs and the Trumpeter with a crest like a huge hug flat Tarn Tam OShanter cap Cal and tremendous tre tre- feather cathel boots bools It Is evident e from the above e that that- there I is ample opportunity for Cor the be beginner beinner be- be inner ginner to find lInd some well established breed to meet his personal wishes and that lint there is no end of material for forthe forthe forthe the most energetic cUe fancier to work worl U upon 1011 For FOI the tho hus busy man pigeon eon blee breeding as a hobby 01 or side sille line hue seems scorns to possess possess pos pos- sess certain advantages es over the I keeping keep keep- ing lug of chickens Most lost important I Is the thc fact that the old oM birds s take entire charge chan c of oC the tile process of oC Incubating and brooding This portion of oC the dutes duties du- du ties tes of ot the chicken raiser I Is most ex exacting exacting ex- ex acting and freedom from It Is greatly to be desired In this work worle the male pigeon plays th the part of or the model husband assuming his full tull share of or orthe the duties instead of shouldering them all off upon the female as Is the case among among- most other kinds of oC domestic birds s lie Tie sits upon the eg eggs s certain hours each d. d day y and also ulso covers corers an and feeds the squabs Tills This is necessary as certain varieties of oC pigeons breed so 50 rapidly that single sing pairs Jails often octen have hac eg eggs s In one nest and youngsters In another and the tho care of or the present and prospective e families would be too much for Cor a single le bird d to lo attend to properly I Another big advantage is that pl pig pig- eons cons mate up In pairs and mated pairs of ot several different varieties ma may be kept In the same ame pen without fear of or ortho tho the breeding of a n number of different kinds even though the available 1 quarters quarters IUar- IUar are arc vcr very limited In extent Further lC t the tho work c of caring a I for quite i ii a j JUCH 01 ut pigeons n ue In tho the evening e In fact virtually ocr everything everything every every- thing excepting the cleaning can he be bedone done at this time and even e this thiM might ht be I if pro I provision wore wor made for a sufficient suf suf- illumination of oC the pens to permit permit per per- mit the thc birds to readily find their wa way i back to the nests The fact that tha t pigeons may be kept l In I restricted quarters where chickens would not thrive ht has already been commented upon This Is of special Importance e to city dwellers It might alight also be noted that In most cases the city laws prohibiting prohIbiting- the tile keeping keeping- of oC fowls Cowls In iti certain localities do not seem to operate against ag pigeon breed breed- ing lag Apparently J their cooing note I Inot Is not as its objectionable as tho the louder and ancl shriller calls of chickens SlI CROW iHO RO RAPIDLY s As compared with bab baby chicks pigeon squabs make won wonderfully rapid growth g The They reach full size In about a month though tho development of oC muscle and feathers continues for or a somewhat longer period To the breeder bleeder of oC ex exhibition exhibition ex- ex stock stoel this means quick action action ac ac- tion an opportunity to carl early judge e etho tho the results secured groin from rom given on I mat- mat Ings s and to change han e s earl early I enough to get et results the same season To the producer of squabs for the tile home homp table It Insures a supply of ot delicious and anti nutritious neat throughout the tile season always In tile the proper Propel condition may be bo produced every month in th the year without great expense for lor tho equipment or oI continuous care on part of oC the tho attendant l The same Is not true of oC broilers or roasting cens Appreciating these facts someone has apt aptly said sahl that the with limited space at his disposal al ml might ht well keep hens liens for COI e eggs gs and pigeons for tor meat The consumption of squabs seems to tobo tobo tobo bo Increasing In America Thin I is probably due to two separate causes First th tho tue general rec recognition that well grown rown properly cooked squabs squab are aro mighty good eating and most nutritious nutritious nutritious as well The Tue second factor Is the thc scarcity of oC man many of the wild game birds quail luaU prairie chicken partridge e. e etc that were commonly found on the tho markets In huge quantities a few years ear ago Not ot only are arc the these c birds fewer In numbers than formerly owing to the fact that they arc are hunted so persistently persis persis- and their natural co covers rs greatly re reduced in area but their sale salt is po positively positively pos pos- prohibited in man many states This is especially true In those sections of or orthe the country where the population J la is dense and where the tile consumption would woul naturally be heaviest lest Hotels re restaurants and private families families fam fam- tiles must look to the to supply something something- to take tale the place of oC these thes game arne birds an and th the answer to 1 the demand has come In the way of or lightweight ht broilers ducklings guinea chickens and squabs squab HOW S. II S ARK tRE Rg J. OF- OF The rue commercial supply of oC squabs no now comes In lart large measure from rom the tile countless small locks Jocks found Cound all over oer the tile countr country These are arc usually picked up b by dealers or 01 hucksters an and shipped ll to dealers in the large cities A small proportion of oC the tIme supply Is shipped di direct dl- dl l- l reel by br owners of ot exclusive squab plants or flocks of or cons nis-cons of sufficient size Lize to turn out enough squabs each week to make mako economical shipments possible Obviously the tile young young- pigeons must be le marketed When hen they have reached tho the proper size and the shipments ship ship- ments must be large enough to b worth while The cost of ot tion any considerable distance eats up up f the profit on small amaH lots hots In a n l later ter issue the question of ot squab squal raising as ia a n. business wI will bo be discussed In detail etall Let It be he sufficient at not this time to sa say that this line ma may be started start start- i e ed In a a. small wa way r at comparatively i slight sUs expense and that It offers satis 1 factory opportunities to tho right man to make a comfortable Income Like all businesses that deal with living living- things s sand I and arc aro influenced by market fluctuations both for tor the raw material m purchased purchased pur pur- 1 chased and the finished product squab II breeding Is not free freo from risk and ond disappointment dis dis- appointment But the demand for tOl ot III I t squabs is certainly Increasing prices have havo been moving steadily upward and there is a good margin of profit l when the thc work is properly done Tb Tho Thi many established squab plants arc are sufficient suf suf- j proof that some favored lad are arc making making- good In this field Because of their adaptability to wide range of conditions the tile ease with i 4 which they the mR may bo be handled their beauty beauty beauty beau beau- ty anti and attractiveness a select flock of oC t pigeons Is well worth owning And not the cast least important consideration i Is a a. regular supply of squabs squab for the j table fresh delicious and produced k kat n nt at t a a. ver very low cos cost as compared with retail prices |
