Show MAKING SUCCESS IN THE LOFT 4 0 excellent specimen of homer pigeon dy by E VAN N A young pigeon unlike a a young chicken cannot feed itself but must bo be fed by tho the old bird very often squabs squats do not leavo leave the nest neat until they oro are a month old and ready for the market sometimes tho the old birds will favor ono one of their offspring and feed it continually allowing the others to go hungry much of tho time it is not unusual to see one large plump bird and a half starved puny one in the samo nest both having been hatched at tho the samo same time tho the malo male bird sits site on the nest neat at night and the female in the daytime some dealers say eay that this Is the only true test of mating vermin Is a constant menace to pigeons and must bo be always fought frequent white whitewashing washing absolute cleanliness and tobacco stems placed in the nests will generally gon orally keep tho the birds reasonably clean pigeons must have clean water for bathing once every day it should bo be given them early in the morning the birds cannot live without it the bathing dishes should be emptied immediately after tho the birds have used it as it quickly becomes becomer foul and should not bo be allowed to stand the pigeon that goes about with drooping wings Is a sick bird at tho the first sign of sickness alc kness tho the bird should be taken out of the pens and placed by itself unless it Is very valuable it should be killed at the end of three days it it la is not entirely well squabs squats aro pretty well covered with feathers when they are three weeks old before engaging in the pigeon business go and spend a beoh or two with nome como successful pigeon breeder one ona can learn more in this way than from three months of reading nobody except a simpleton will buy pigeons whose mating Is not absolute ly guaranteed even then ono one shou should 1 d not buy except from a dealer with a high reputation because even if the birds aro are guaranteed and they prove to bo be unmated much time will bo be lost before they can bo be replaced the aim of every pigeon dealer Is to produce tho the largest amount of meat in his bird for this reason scrub stock should never bo be used no artificial heat beat Is required in pigeon houses but they must be absolutely sol tight as drafts are fatal pigeons begin to lay two weeks after mating they lay two eggs which hatch in about eighteen lays days the old birds stop feeding the young squabs squats when the next pair hatch each pair of birds should be proved ed with two nests pigeons cannot thrive unless they have a place in which to fly confined in houses they will quickly con tract consumption and die even in the coldest weather they should be allowed to fly outdoors when they please the breeding season Is from march to september but extra good breed ors are will produce young ten months in the year |