POULTRY FEEDS AND FEEDING 



The grain may be fed on the floor of the pen, in 

 troughs, or kept before the birds in hoppers. It is not 

 generally considered advisable to feed the grain on the 

 ground, especially on heavy soil where it may get wet and 

 moldy. Unless the floor is kept clean it is better to feed 

 the grain in troughs than on the floor. The troughs 

 should be made so that the pigeons will not roost on them 

 and soil the feed with their droppings. Hoppers in which 

 considerable feed is kept are sometimes used with success 

 but may attract rats in some pigeon houses. Troughs and 

 open hoppers should be fitted with wires or slats about 

 two inches apart so that the pigeons cannot waste the feed 

 by throwing it out on the floor. If the grain is not kept 

 in hoppers the pigeons should be fed twice daily, in the 

 morning and in the afternoon, at regular hours, giving 

 about I ^ to 2 quarts of grain at each meal to 20 pairs of 

 pigeons and adding an extra pint if the pigeons have many 

 squabs. The feeder must regulate the quantity of grain 

 according to the appetite of the birds, giving them all 

 they will eat and keeping a little grain in the feeder. 



Clear drinking water, grit, sifted oyster shell, and char- 

 coal should be kept before the pigeons at all times. Salt 

 is fed to pigeons in various forms, and a supply is gen- 

 erally considered essential. Pigeons not accustomed to 

 eating fine salt may eat too much if given a large quantity 

 at one time, although it is used with success by many ear- 

 ful feeders. Salt may be fed in lump form, such as rock 

 salt or as fine salt moistened and baked into a hard lump, 

 without danger of the pigeons' eating too much. Mix- 



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