38 



duces and to pick squabs for breeding in the future, knowing 

 what the parents have done. 



The record should give the number of the cock and hen 

 and a brief description of each. The following form is 

 recommended : 



Cock III — Red Check. 



Hen 222 — Blue Bar. 



Each pair should have a space in w^hich to keep account 

 with it. After the number and description may be a ruled 

 space in which to keep account of the number of squabs 

 the pair produces month after month. If they regularly 

 produce and raise two squabs of good size and light color, 

 they are valuable as the parents of breeding stock and should 

 be kept. 



If a pair does not produce squabs, the chances are that 

 the hen is barren and she should be sold for what she will 

 bring in the market and the cock mated with another bird. 

 If the eggs are infertile, the trouble is likely with the cock 

 and the mating should be broken and the two birds tried 

 again. If the eggs still are infertile, the cock should be sold 

 in market. 



Usually there are more cocks than hens in a given lot of 

 squabs and it is easier to give a hen which lays infertile 

 eggs a new mate and sell the cock without experimenting 

 further. 



Barren hens and impotent cocks are not common in well- 

 bred birds, and very little trouble may be anticipated fi"om 

 such causes. 



When one pair of squabs dies, the chances are about nine 

 out of ten that the female of the pair dies. This is because 



