PIGEOXS AXD ALL ABOUT THEM. 27 



HEATING. 



HEATING the loft is a point on which there is a great 

 diversity of opinion. I do not believe in it at all, that 

 is as far as any section save the extreme north is con- 

 cerned. 



In the first place, it is almost an impossibility to obtain an 

 even heat and changes from warm to cold are far worse than 

 continuous cold. 



The experience found in almost every show room ought to 

 be warning enough. In any region south of Chicago, I fail 

 to see that heat is needed. It is simply wonderful to see the 

 amount of cold that a pigeon can stand. It may huddle up 

 and shiver and seem to be miserable, and yet one rarely hears 

 of a pigeon freezing to death, and how many of us have seen 

 pigeons with toes frozen off ? And yet we see untold thous- 

 ands of chickens in that condition. 



There are many fanciers who heat their lofts and princi- 

 pally out of pure sympathy for their birds, yet I believe that 

 I can safely suggest to such to try an unheated loft next win- 

 ter or any other winter, and see if they lose a single bird. On 

 the contrary, I believe I can promise better results for the 

 breeding season following. 



Of course the loft must be absolutely without any draught. 

 Every little crack should be stopped up and good invigorating 

 food given and my word for it the birds will come through 

 into the spring in a more vigorous condition than ever. 



I speak from experience. I have tried all sorts of heat and 

 I could never get an even heat that would hold out through 

 the night. My last experience settled me forever. I hit on 

 a small coal oil stove that worked like a charm (in the store). 

 It gave a nice quick warmth, not one particle of smoke or 

 soot, and the dealer showed me how it was absolutely impos- 

 sible for it to go out, or smoke, or "get cranky" in any way. 



