CHAPTER V 

 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



WHEN AND HOW TO FEED 



There is some difference of opinion as to the best time to 

 feed squab producing pigeons, also as to the method of feeding. 

 Some advocate open feeding troughs, others use self-feeders, 

 and I have seen a few men who prefer to throw the feed on 

 the floor of the squab house. The latter method is more often 

 used by the breeders of a few fancy pigeons and it is probable 

 that the squab raisers who use this method borrowed it from the 

 fancy pigeon men. 



Those who practice throwing the grain on the floor, generally 

 feed three times a day, as much as the birds will eat up clean, 

 at the time they are being fed. Those that use self-feeders gen- 

 erally fill their hoppers once a day with enough grain to last 

 until next filling time, and those that use open troughs, as a 

 rule, feed their birds twice a day. This is the plan more 

 universally used by squab producers. There are objections, 

 however, to all these plans. The objection to throwing the grain 

 loose on the floor is that some of it will invariably be left and 

 eaten later, and vviiile laying on the dirty floor is apt to sour or 

 spoil and give the brids canker. Another objection to this plan 

 is the boldest and most hoggish birds will gorge themselves 

 leaving little or nothing for the more timid ones. Another ob- 

 jection is it requires too much time with a large plant to go 

 aroimd to each nest room and wait while the birds are feeding 

 and see just how much they will clean up. Then, too, with this 

 method, it is necessary to feed three times a day, in order that 

 the males can get food, early in the morning, with which to feed 

 their young; at noon the birds must be fed again so that the 

 females that are off the nest at that time will have a chance to 



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