260 AMERICAN SQUAB CULTURE 



HOW AND WHEN TO FEED AND WATER PIGEONS 

 THAT FLY OUT 



Birds that fly out, that is, that are not kept in fly pens, require 

 much less feeding than birds that are kept confined. There is 

 an opportunity for birds that fly to forage their living along the 

 highways, in railroad yards or in public places where stock 

 is kept or fed. The average pigeon will go miles to secure food. 

 To attain much success, however, with birds that fly loose you 

 should feed them a little once a day, otherwise their squabs are 

 not apt to receive a sufficient amount of food, and this is es- 

 pecially true in the winter time when snow is on the ground. 



A little feed given to them just before sundown is the best 

 method because then they will have hunted all day for feed 

 while if they are fed in the morning or during the day they 

 will not rustle so hard and soon acquire the habii of sitting 

 around waiting for feeding time. Then, too, if they are fed at 

 night it has a tendency to bring youngsters or unmated l)irds 

 home at night which will keep them from straying away. 



Pigeons that fly out eat lots of green stuff such as grass, 

 weeds, seeds and roots. They also pick up a lot of other ar- 

 ticles that you would not credit a pigeon with eating. A good 

 plan is to examine the crops of some of your squabs about 

 sundown once or twice a week to ascertain if they are filled. 

 If so, the food supply should be reduced a little. If not, it should 

 be increased, but not to the extent that the birds will depend 

 too much upon the feed that you give them. 



While it is not a good idea to feed birds that are conlined to 

 a fly pen by throwing the grain on the ground, this method will 

 do very nicely for birds that fly out, for the reason that you will 

 not feed them more than they will pick up at one time, hence 

 there will be no grain left on the ground to get v/et and become 

 sour. 



A good plan is to provide a smooth gravel spot and then throw 

 the grain on this place each time. If chicken;-;, hogs, etc., have 

 access to this feeding ground it should be fenced off so that 

 nothing but pigeons can get to the feed intended for them. 



Pigeons do not hold their own very well when eating with 

 chickens. A simple plan when bothered by chickens or hogs is 

 to construct a platform a few feet square, five or six feet from 



