1C, PIGEONS \M> ALL ABOl'T THKM. 



hility for a cat !< -ft in and tin- same may IK- said of rats. 

 \\hich arc net above climbing on a roof to get at birds. Of 

 course tin- Hour <f this loft is almost air tight and no dirt can 

 tret 1 h nil i-l i . 



The hrauty aliout a yard loft is that it can be made of any 

 >\/.r and put in almost any place The nests are bililt in tiers 

 (.11 t he back \\ all and t he cut ranee is up a short flight of stairs 

 at the north end, I use a bob \vire over the entrance hole. 

 when I \\ant to keep the birds in. ** 



THE IDEAL LOFT. 



< >!' course the ideal loft is a whole building, with large air 

 coop, fountain, etc. but most fanciers use only the upper 

 room for In-ceding. In a case of this kind there should be 

 several lo\\er rooms, one for mating, one for the training pens 

 and one in which the hens can be kept in winter. Isayheiis, 

 because the lower rooms are generally warmer, and the hens 

 are the more delicate. 



\o\\ in the upper loft, the family room as we may well call 

 it, one of the lirst things is to get proper ventilation, and the 

 higher up the windows, the better, as this does away with all 

 draughts on the birds. A good loft should have a ventilator 

 at each end, and also windows in the front, all on hinges and 

 protected by wire netting. There are times when every win- 

 dow should l>e open, for the average loft is a very hot place 

 on a hot day, though it is surprising what heat pigeons can 

 -land. The rloor should be of pine if possible, tongued 

 and grooved so tight that no sand can fall through or no 

 wandering mouse get in. The nest boxes should be of pine 

 also it possible, and should not ha.v a crack in them. 



They can be ranged about the wall either singly or in tiers, 

 and t he roof of the nest s must be so steep that the birds can- 

 not .stand on it. There is not h ing worse than a filthy nest top. 

 rr many varieties of birds and for Fantails in particular, no 

 perches should be used, Let them use U*<a Jiogr auci tho 

 fronts of 



