THE PIGEON BOOK 127 



ground, and the dimensions of the table top on which the 

 nest pan has to rest should be eleven inches by nine inches. 

 Thus it will be seen that an eight-inch pan will easily 

 stand secure on same and leave room for the old birds to 

 jump on the stool first before actually entering the pan. 

 With this little contrivance the young birds from the first 

 nest cannot interfere with or worry their parents at all 

 whilst they are sitting on the second batch of eggs. By 

 the time the second pair of youngsters are hatching out 

 the first pair will of course be doing for themselves, and 

 should then be removed into another loft all on their own. 

 When the second pair of squabs are about ten days old 

 and you go in to place the conference rings upon their 

 legs, just remove the stool to the opposite end of the nest 

 box with a clean pan of fresh sawdust upon it ready 

 for the third nest, placing the pan containing the ten days 

 old babies on the floor of the nesting box. If this little 

 change is made at night time very little disturbance need 

 be caused to the old hen sitting upon the youngsters, and 

 very little or no notice will be taken of it. The same 

 routine is then gone through with the third and fourth 

 nests, which should be the limit number for one season. 



With the muffed legged varieties the stool system could 

 also be adopted, but the nesting boxes are best arranged 

 upon the floor of the loft. Feed regularly and always 

 upon the best grain that money can buy ; it is the best and 

 cheapest in the long run. During the winter months one 

 meal a day is sufficient, and that given first thing in the 

 morning, consisting of two-parts Maple Peas and one-part 

 tares, with an occasional addition of a little hemp and 

 canary seed just as a tit-bit, which the birds will much 

 appreciate. Whilst breeding season is in progress, two 

 or three meals a day should be given, morning and even- 

 ing, and if possible at mid-day, and should consist of 



