22 THE PIGEON BOOK 



that as the process of incubation takes place so the soft 

 food is gradually and steadily prepared. The crops of 

 pigeons have been opened during incubation, and the food 

 has been found to have accumulated, although they were 

 sitting on dummy eggs. 



A good and plentiful supply of this soft food is neces- 

 sary if the young are to thrive, and it is for this reason 

 that in the case of many of the highly-bred varieties 

 feeders are used to rear the young. In fact, the fancier 

 who wishes to succeed in the exhibition world has always 

 a stock of feeders at hand under which to shift the eggs 

 from his more valuable birds. 



Foster parents have absolutely no influence on the young. 

 They will not affect the colour, plumage, or type; but 

 care must be taken to only use healthy feeders, for un- 

 healthy feeders will beget disease in the young. 



The eggs must be removed as soon as laid, and must 

 be placed under rearers due to hatch about the same time 

 as the feeders'. Pigeons' eggs will not retain their fer- 

 tility exposed to the air any length of time, but in hermeti- 

 cally sealed boxes I have kept them a week or ten days, 

 and have hatched them under feeders subsequently. 



At the age of about seven days the fancier must ring the 

 newly-hatched youngsters. In the case of nearly all the 

 classified varieties for exhibition a special ring for each 

 variety is sold known as the " conference rirrg." There 

 is no difficulty in placing the ring on the young squab's 

 leg. Three toes are carefully drawn through the centre 

 of the ring, the fourth or hind toe being held back, the 

 ring is carefully passed over the ball of the foot until the 

 fourth toe is clear, and the ring now adorns the ankle. 



It is at this period the nest-pan upon which incubation 

 has taken place should be changed. 



Before the youngsters are taken in hand to ring them a 



