300 Farm Poultry 



farms only a small money outlay will be required, 

 and very little trouble is necessary to prepare com- 

 fortable quarters for breeding pigeons, particularly 

 if the young be sold as squabs. 



"The shelters for squab-breeders should not 

 be too cold, although the experienced can raise 

 them in almost any old shell of a building, as far 

 north as New York city. The fittings are only nests, 

 perches and drinking- and bath-fountains, a space 

 of two square feet of floor being counted to each bird, 

 with never less than twice as much room in the flight 

 yards, in the open air. The flight spaces are best en- 

 closed by inch-mesh wire net, as this excludes 

 sparrows, which are arrant thieves and fighters. The 

 netting usually runs overhead, to the highest point 

 of the roof."* 



A fine quality of squabs finds a ready market 

 in the great cities. They are quoted from about 

 50 cents to $4 per dozen, and frequently the expert 

 producers obtain nearly twice this amount. For 

 the money outlay, squab-raising offers a tempting 

 field for those who are willing to give attention to 

 the many little things. To those who are not willing 

 to observe closely the needs of the birds and to use 

 good judgment in meeting these demands, pigeon- 

 raising will probably prove unsatisfactory, affording 

 neither pleasure nor profit. The negligent or care- 

 less person should not enter into the poultry busi- 



* "Pocket Money Poultry," Norys, p. 140. 



