26 



PROFITABLE PIGEON BREEDING 



is done to give tliem a cliance to learn, from tlie older birds, 

 how to eat fi'om the feed box and drink from the v/atering 

 fountain. 



While the parents arc incubating the eggs a milky white 

 substance forms in their crops which is known as "Pigeon's 

 Milk." This substance is the first food a squab receives. The 

 squab sticks its beak into the beak of the parent bird and lie or 

 she, as the case may h(\ ■with a uuiscnlar action, forces this 

 miU\ into the tliroat of the S(|uali. For tlie first five days of the 

 squall's life it is fed on this milk. After tluit time this milk 

 gradually grows thicker .•uid tinckcr and liegins to contani more 



WHITE KINfJ SQUABS EIGHTEEN ILVYS OBD AND FOUR 



WEEKS OBI). 



Plioto from Jack M. Pun, Stockton, CaHf. 



and more whole grain until the s(iual.) is about ten days old 

 when it starts getting whole grain and water from tlie crops 

 of the parent birds. 



During the time tliat the birds ha\c squabs in the nests they 

 will, at feeding time, eat as unich as possible and then drink 

 all the water they can. Then they Hy off to their nest and stuff 

 the squabs with this mixture. 



A good pair of breeding birds, and the most profitable ones 

 to own, are those that will, wlien a i)air of squabs have reached 

 two weeks of age, get busy again and start another nest nearby. 

 The same action as described above goes on again. As soon 

 as the hen lays her second set of eggs the cock bird takes almost 



