102 



PROFITABLE PIGEON BREEDING 



cause of many egg.s not hatching because the squabs are killed 

 in tlie shell. It is true that lime is an absorbent of moisture anil 

 the theory is advanced tliat the lime, being dusted about by the 

 wings of the birds, falls on the eggs and absorbs the moisture 

 from them and cements up the pores of the egg shells, ^^'e all 

 know that the eggs are almost incessantly covered by the parent 

 birds during incubation and that little, if any, lime could get 

 on the eggs and it it did it would be immediately dusted off 

 by the feathers of the birds incubating the eggs. Lime, used 

 as a disinfectant, does not kill squalis in the shell. This is my 

 firm belief. I do agree ■\\ itii otliers that moisture is necessarv 



BIRDS .JUST AFTER B.VTHIXG 

 Photo from Jack JI. Pun, Stockton, CaUf 



to a good hatch and for that reason all of the breeding stock 

 should have access to a bath as often as possible and as weather 

 conditions permit so that either the cock or hen can get their 

 feathers moistened and carry this moistiu-e to the eggs in thi? 

 nest. 



Another reason eggs do not hatch is the lack of proper feed- 

 ing. To give strength to the egg genu the parent birds must 

 be properly nourished. Improperly balanced rations and a great 

 deal of them will cause low vitality and this in turn causes 

 weakened egg germs. The result is then that though the germ 

 may assume life in the shell and grow into a squab, this squab 



