f>ROPiER CARE OF SQUABS AND YOUNdSTERS 155 



I have put barren hens to work by making a nest for them, 

 and putting the eggs in it. Of course, it is necessary for th^m 

 to have a mate, and a nest box that they claim for their home, 

 otherwise they will not want to set, 



A "barren" hen often comes in good play when you have 

 special squabs to raise; that is, one you desire to give special 

 attention to on account of it being from a prize winning pair, 

 and you desire to divide the squabs up into two nests so that 

 each will receive the entire feed and attention of a pair of 

 old birds. 



If a "barren" female will not set on other birds' eggs and will 

 not lay any lierself, turn her out, kill her or give her to someone 

 who wants a useless pet. 



WHEN BUT ONE EGG HATCHES, OR WHEN 

 ONE SQUAB DIES 



The number of squabs per pair can be increased by the proper 

 management of a squab plant, which includes keeping the 

 birds up to their full capacity. A good pair of squab breeders 

 will, with proper food and loft conditions, feed two or three 

 squabs successfully. The thing to do, thereforie, is to double 

 up the single squabs with others the same size and by relieving 

 the parent birds of tlie care of the single squab they will go 

 back to work and lay a week or two sooner than if the squab 

 was left in their nest to care for. 



This plan can be carried on successfully to the extent of tak- 

 ing two sqiuibs from a nest, placing one each in two other nests, 

 making six squabs in two nests, instead of six squabs in three 

 nests. The squabless pair will re-lay a week or ten days sooner 

 than otherwise and in the course of several months the time 

 gained in this manner will make a noticeable increase in the 

 munber of squabs raised. 



The transferring of squabs should not be done until they are 

 four or five days old, so that the parent birds will have a chance 

 to feed out the pigeon milk in their crops and the squabs should 

 jje given to birds that are the best feeders. 



Often a pair proves to be good layers, but are not good feeders, 

 Vvhich can be determined by the size and condition of their 

 squabs. Such pairs can be kept fairly busy laying and the best 



