126 



NATIONAL STANDARD SQUAB BOOK 



tasty little birds that many business men 

 have turned from less lucrative pursuits 

 to devete their energies to their raising. 



It would be impossible to state pre- 

 cisely how many squabs are. annually- 

 bred in the United States, but it is esti- 

 mated that hundreds of thousands reach 

 the tables and tickle the palates of lux- 

 ury-loving and extravagant people. 



The best of judgment in regard to qual- 

 ity and quantity of feed is essential, 

 cracked corn and red wheat being the 

 staple food. Kaffir corn, Canada peas, 

 buckwheat and millet comprises about 20 

 per cent, of the food in winter, and in the 

 summer less corn but more wheat. Grit 

 and salt are before the birds always. 



At the age of four weeks the squabs are 

 ready for market and are deliciously ten- 

 der, as they have never learned to fly, 

 and their muscles have not had the hard- 

 ening influence of exercise. The killers 

 now get busy. With a slip noose around 

 the feet, and wings locked on the back, 

 the squabs are suspended from a rack. 

 A killing knife is inserted well into the 

 mouth and a quick, deep slash made at 

 the back of the throat, allowing the bird 

 to bleed freely. 



An expert can kill and rough pick, about 

 four birds before they get cold. The 

 squabs are next dropped into a galvan- 

 ized iron tub, through which a constant 

 stream of water flows, which cools the 

 birds. Then a small hose nozzle" is in- 

 serted in the mouth and water allowed to 

 fill the crop, after which it is withdrawn 

 and a quick pressure forces everything 

 out. A second use of the hose thoroughly 

 cleanses the crop. Two more immersions 

 in iced water make the birds ready for 

 local shipment. 



In the Lenten season commission houses 

 buy and ice thousands of dozens of squabs 

 for winter trade. That is also the time 

 squab raisers select and save the best 

 stock for breeders. 



Many of the live birds, especially the 

 Homers and red Carneaux, cost from $2.50 

 to $6 per pair. 



Prices for squab in New York City run 

 from $4 per dozen in the early season to 

 $5.50 and $6 in the winter. 



TWO YEARS' EXPERIENCE WITH 

 OUR BIRDS. "Will you kindly send us 

 price-list and such other printed matter 

 as you have issued within the past year? 

 You will remember we bought six pairs of 

 you one year ago last July. We have 

 about 124 now and are disposing of all the 

 squabs we can raise at three dollars per 

 dozen. All of our birds are not laying yet 

 but will soon mature. We have lost sev- 

 eral when they were young birds, then we 

 had some stolen (one of which came back). 

 One bird had a peculiar substance form 

 around the outside under the bill. Will 

 you tell us If this was canker? We dis- 

 posed of the bird at once. We did not try 

 to treat it at all. The people here know 



very little about fine squab, but I believe 

 me market is growing better right along. 

 Feed is much higher here than in the 

 East. We have to pay $1.75 per 100 for 

 cracked corn, $2.15 for red wheat, $1.75 for 

 Kaffir corn and about $5 for hempseed, so 

 that $3 per dozen does not bring in a very 

 large profit. Would you advise our raising 

 the price? We hope to send you another 

 order shortly. We have not tried to use 

 the manure at all. We have had no 

 trouble with our birds as to vermin. They 

 seem to keep entirely free from it." Mrs. 

 H. D., State of Washington. 



TO MONTANA IN GOOD ORDER. "I 

 received the crate of pigeons yesterday. 

 They were all alive and in good health." 

 J. P., Montana. 



FINDS OUR BIRDS FAST BREEDERS. 

 "On Sept. 16, 1902, I ordered six pairs 

 Extra from you and now (Aug. 30, 1904) 

 have about two hundred old pigeons and 

 squabs together, and will want to begin 

 shipping a few before long. Wish you 

 would please give me the names of a lot 

 of desirable squab buyers in New York and 

 other nearby cities. Do you think prices 

 will be better later on in the fall, and 

 which is the best way to ship them, dead 

 or alive? Can I get shipping crates al- 

 ready made? If so, where, and at what 

 price? Thanking you in advance for this 

 information." W. E. H., North Carolina. 



HAD NO TROUBLE RAISING THEM. 

 "Last spring, in April, I think, we bought 

 twelve pairs Extra for thirty dollars of 

 you. At present we have eight-five in all, 

 or about sixty young birds that we have 

 raised ourselves. We would not think of 

 selling them as we have had very good 

 success and are much interested in the 

 business, but through sickness I lost my 

 former position in this village and have 

 now secured a permanent one in Chicago, 

 and expect to move there in a few weeks. 

 Expect to locate right in the city and con- 

 sequently will have no facilities for keep- 

 ing the pigeons, and so are anxious to 

 sell. The birds are as healthy as when we 

 received them, as we have followed very 

 carefully the rules laid down, in caring for 

 them, and have never seen any signs cf 

 disease among them. Have lost only com- 

 paratively few, and those were small ones 

 which were neglected by mother birds, or 

 by some accident. Quite a large number 

 of our young birds have mated and have 

 bred the latter part of the winter." R. F. 

 G., Michigan. 



GETTING SIX DOLLARS A DOZEN.- 

 "Two of the six pairs have now hatched 

 out three squabs, two on February 4th and 

 one on February 7th (the other egg evi- 

 dently was chilled by the extreme cold 

 weather). The market price in Newark is 

 six dollars a dozen, and we have con- 

 tracted to sell these three squabs at that 



