CHAPTER XIX 

 PIGEONS THAT HAVE FREE RANGE 



CARE OF COMMON PIGEONS 



The care of common barnyard pige6ns is about the same as 

 the care of squab raising or fancy pigeons, except they do not 

 require quite as much daily attention for the reason that they 

 have a greater opportunity to provide for themselves if they 

 fly at liberty. They, however, should be furnished, suitable 

 nesting places to protect them from the weather, their nests 

 should be cleaned out and whitewashed at least twice a year; 

 salt, charcoal, oyster shell or grit should be furnished, for often 

 birds are not able to find these essentials in their daily flights, 

 and this is especially true with salt. 



The common variety of pigeons do not produce as many 

 squabs as regular squab raisers and their squabs are not nearly 

 as large, so they do not bring nearly as much per dozen on the 

 market. However, with a little care and attention you can im- 

 prove the results obtained from your common birds to such a 

 degree that you will be well paid for the trouble. 



If you expect to make very much profit from birds that fly 

 out I would advise that you increase the size and squab raising 

 ability of your birds, either by keeping a large sized variety of 

 birds or by purchasing odd cocks of large varieties and cross 

 them with your common birds. You can do this by mating them 

 up with your common hens. The average squab breeder in- 

 variably has a surplus of odd cocks which can be bought at a 

 much less price than mated birds. Homer cocks are all right 

 to cross, except that they will fly away when liberated. It is, 

 their instinct to try and find their original home. Then, too. 

 Homers are not very much larger than the common pigeons 

 and do not produce as large a cross as the Carneaux, White 

 Kings, Mondaines or other large breeds. Runts are too large 

 to cross with common pigeons. 



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