MANAGEMENT OF PIGEONS 



257 



trouble for the attendant. A place with a floor area of from 1 50 

 to 200 square feet will accommodate from fifty to sixty pairs of 

 breeding pigeons. Except when undertaking squab breeding on 

 a large scale, pigeon keepers usually begin with a small number 

 and keep most of the increase until the full capacity of the loft 

 is used. 



Quarters for pigeons. A pair of pigeons may be kept in 

 a coop, box, or cage about 3 feet square, and 2 or 3 feet high. 

 A cage 4 or 5 feet high, or one as high as the room in which 

 it is placed, is still 

 better, because it 

 will allow the birds 

 a little room to use 

 their wings. If such 

 a cage has a few 

 perches at various 

 heights, the pigeons 

 will not seem to 

 miss their liberty. 

 Such close confine- 

 ment, however, is 

 not recommended 

 except for those who cannot provide larger quarters, or who 

 merely wish to keep one or two pair a short time for observation. 

 A house about 6 feet square makes a convenient size for a small 

 breeding flock of pigeons. In a place of that size eight or ten 

 pairs may be kept. Attached to it there should be a wire- 

 inclosed fly, as pigeon keepers call the outdoor compartment 

 for pigeons. The size of the fly can be adjusted to suit the 

 conditions and the available space. The larger the fly the better 

 the pigeons will like it, but even a very small place where they 

 can be much in the open air and lie and sun themselves is 

 better than constant confinement indoors, which makes them 

 anemic and greatly reduces their vitality. 



FIG. 208. Small barn and shed arranged for 

 pigeon keeping 



