tical and not at all necessarj^ in the diet of pigeons. 



The proper mixture, as we have noted before, is two parts 

 of corn to one of wheat, in winter, and two parts of wheat to 

 one of corn in summer. Fill the self-feeder and the eatirig- 

 trough in the squab house with the mixture. The other 

 food materials, the dainties, should be fed by hand, throwing 

 handfuls on the floor of the squab house or flying-pen when- 

 ever you think the pigeons need stimulating. Vary the diet. 

 Alternate with the dainties. If you feed a plain mixture too 

 long, the pigeons will eat with poor appetites and the size 

 of the squabs will deteriorate. Force your feed and you will 

 force the size of the squabs. The principle is the same in 

 feeding all live stock. Force coal under a boiler and you 

 will force the steam pressure. Increase the fuel in the crops 

 of the pigeons and you will increase the size of the squabs. 



The bath-pan should be filled twice a day if the breeder is 

 solicitous as to the cleanHness of his birds. All the birds 

 bathe, but some not every day. They never take cold in this 

 way. The cause of a cold is always a damp, draughty house. 

 Their feet are riot sensitive and in winter they have no hesi- 

 tation in. breaking thin ice and stepping into the pan. They 

 drink from the bath-pan. not continually inserting the bill 

 and raising the head, but obtaining their fill usually at one 

 insertion of the bill. They do not rustle in the dirt and 

 cleanse themselves in this way, as a hen does. 



In cold weather, fiill the pigeons' bath and drinking dishes 

 with warm water. They appreciate it, as do all live stock. 



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