MANAGEMENT OF PIGEONS 



265 



Feeding. The food of pigeons consists almost wholly of grains 

 and seeds. The principal grains used in America are wheat 

 and corn (usually cracked corn). Field peas are also used quite 

 extensively. While pigeons will eat the same kinds of ground- 

 grain products as are fed to poultry, pigeon keepers rarely 

 use such foods. They prefer to give a variety of hard grains 

 and seeds. Those who keep large stocks of pigeons often buy 

 separately the feeds which they use, and mix the grains to suit 

 themselves, or feed them in such alternation as seems desirable. 

 People who keep only a few pairs of pigeons usually find it 

 more satisfactory to 

 buy the feed mix- 

 tures sold by dealers 

 in pigeons' supplies. 

 As a rule, old grain 

 and seed that are 

 very dry and hard 

 are best for pigeons, 

 and especially for ex- 

 hibition and breed- FlG . 2lC . An attractive squa b plant 

 ing stock. 



The most common practice is to give the feed in hoppers, 

 keeping a supply always before the birds. This is done princi- 

 pally because it is the most convenient way, particularly for those 

 who are away from home a great deal. For them hopper feed- 

 ing is really necessary, but pigeon fanciers seem to agree that 

 when the birds can be fed by throwing on the floor of the loft 

 or the fly, two or three times a day, just about the quantity of 

 food that they need for a meal, they do better and the cost of 

 food is less than by the hopper method. Unlike poultry, pigeons 

 require considerable quantities of salt. The common practice is 

 to keep it before them in the form of lumps of rock salt, one 

 large lump being enough for the birds in a loft of ordinary size. 

 Oyster shell should also be supplied. 



