The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



ment proved that they would eat it when confined. Salt 

 iish, we all know, they are fond of, and many fanciers 

 keep a piece fastened to the wall within reach of their 

 birds, but while they may also like the meat, it is no 

 , doubt the salt in the fish they are after. .Bread is an 

 excellent, economical, and favorite food with pigeons. 

 It can be fed in various ways. It can be dried hard and 

 pounded to pieces, it can be toasted and broken in bits, 

 or it can be soaked and mixed with bran. In this form 

 I have found pigeons very eager for it ; in fact, forsake 

 their grain for it, and not leave the dish till it was all 

 consumed. This preparation, with the addition of a 

 little bone-flour, is excellent for birds that are feeding 

 their young, and all seem to thrive on it. I used to pur- 

 chase bread by the barrel of the bakers, and use it as 

 above for both poultry and pigeons. 



Salt is something pigeons are very fond of, and every 

 loft should have either lumps of rock salt standing 

 about, or a piece of salt cat. This is a preparation 

 originated many years ago by old English fanciers, and, 

 properly prepared, is said to be a great promoter of 

 health and fine condition in the flock. There are many 

 different ways of preparing it, but the following for- 

 mula is about the best I have ever used: One peck dry 

 loam ; one handful each of flour, ground cloves, fennel 

 seed, dill seed, cummin seed, fennigreek, and powdered 

 assafetida; three double handfuls common salt and one 

 double handful bay salt. Mix this well together dry, 

 and then add water, and make about as stiflf as putty, 

 divide in cakes, allowing it to dry and harden in the sun. 

 One or two of these lumps placed in the loft will be 

 welcomed and freely partaken of as soon as it is found 

 what it is. Sometimes if very hard, I have found it 

 necessary to wet it a little to induce the birds to take \t 



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