96 AMERICAN SQUAB CULTURE 



supply where the birds are kept. To a large extent, therefore 

 you will have to do your owi. experimenting and be your own 

 judge as to this, remembering that a little iron is necessary 

 and that the birds will not eat moio than Ihey really need^unless 

 forced to do so through thirst or for the wan: of salt which some 

 breeders mix with Venetian red, tlius forcing their ijjrds to eat 

 more of one article than they want in order to get a sufficient 

 amount of the other. 



DRINKING WATER FOR PIGEONS 



Plenty of fresh water is one of the essentials of successful 

 pigeon raising. One pigeon will drink more water than two or 

 three large hens. The water must be clean, otherwise it is apt 

 to cause canker or other sickness, especially so if birds are 

 confined to fly pens. Pigeons that fly out are not as susceptible 

 to canker as those that are kept penned up. Even cleaa water 

 that stands in the nest room all night where there are a lot of 

 birds is not good for them to drink, as it will draw a lot 

 of impurities out of the air and is more or less foul. I have 

 visited a large number of squab plants where sm-ail drinking 

 fountains are used and invariably found sick birds. Such 

 fountains ought to be filled two or three times a day in order 

 to supply a sufficient amount of fresh water, but better still 

 a more suitable plan of furnishing water supplied. Many plants 

 are so arranged that the water has to be carried some distance 

 and one door after another be opened and closed, going to and 

 from the different units with pails of water. A few hours' work 

 on a water system will save several weeks time in a year. 

 It will furnish fresh water constantly and be better in many 

 ways. Even with a small number of birds a water system is a 

 great advantage. 



Young squabs must have plenty of water if they are kept in 

 good shape. In fact, water seems to have as much to do with 

 their putting on lots of fat and growing rapidly as does feed. 



In addition to a drinking trough in the fly pen, a drinking 

 trough should be run through the squab house, or along the 

 back of same with openings cut through so that the birds can 

 get to the trough. If running water or city water is accessible 

 one faucet will supply a whole row of units with fresh drinking 

 water, a barrel can be used with a dripping faucet to furnish 



