| Show CONSIDER HEALTH OF BIRDS IN BUILDING Fresh Air Dryness Drainage and Space Are Essential Care Should Be Taken in n Construction Construe Construe- tion of House to Keep Rodents Out Out leave Leave Space Underneath for Cats and Dogs Prepared by the United States Department Depart Department ment of ot Agriculture The essentials of a pigeon house are aref f fresh esh air afro dryness and good drainage sunlight and space enough for the comfort of the pigeons A southern or southeastern exposure exposure expo expo- sure is s best Care should be taken n nto to construct a n house that cannot ease en easily fly ily b become Infested with rats and it Is beat jest best to I leave ave space under the house Into nto which cats and dogs can cnn go for forr r rats ts without being able to get at the pigeons This is usually accomplished by y building the house 12 to 24 Inches above the ground and boarding hoardIng up the I space between the ground and the floor but leaving small doors for cats and dogs floors built several se Inches above t the e ground except in warm climates ates should be double with building buIld build- Ing ng paper between tween the layers The house should be tightly constructed on all aU sides to prevent any nay drafts While more open and less expensive houses may muy be built bunt in warm climates the house jouse must be comfortable in cold weather The squabs produced in winter may be Increased somewhat by heating the pigeon house but this does not pay under average condition condi- condi lons tion Sunlight is essential Windows should make up about on one one- tenth of the front of the house and b bo ha ba so o deranged arranged that they thoy can enn be taken out ut during the worm warm weather One window in each pen may be replaced by y muslin curtains for ventilation in cold weather The windows should be e placed Just below the eaves to al alow ale nl low ow the sun to shine well wen back Into the house and brighten up the corners A roof gable-roof building 10 to 15 fe feet t twide twide wide 6 feet from the floor to the eaves and anel 8 to 9 feet to the side clde makes a n good pigeon house A pen 8 by 9 feet will accommodate 25 pair of pigeons while 40 90 pairs may be kept in a n pen 8 by 13 foot feet The necessary floor space to allow per pair varies varea from 2 to 3 square feet felt according to the size of the pen as as n a pair pall of birds requires less floor space In lar largo N than In small pens From 20 to 75 pairs of pigeons may be kept to n. n ad advantage advantage vantage in each pen |
