CHAPTER XX 



NESTING MATERIALS 



Nesting Material Containers — Straw — Tobacco Stems — Pine Needles — 

 Necessity of Nesting Materials. 



Pigeons, unlike poulti'\', Iniild their own nests. They use 

 straw, hay, tobacco stems and pine needles to build their nests 

 with. These materials should, therefore, be kept before the 

 birds in the lofts at all times, in some sort of container wliich 

 will keep them clean and >et allow the birds to get them with 

 ease. Old berry crates are ideal for this purpose yet are some- 



A NICE PAIR OF BLUE RUNTS 

 Photo from "\\'ilson Pigeon Farm. A\'ilson. Kan. 



times hard to get. Accompanying this cliapter we arc publish- 

 ing a drawing showing two single nesting material racks which 

 any one who is handj^ with tools can very easily construct. 



Straw and hay are good for nesting material except for the 

 fact that lice and mites find excellent homes in them. We 

 admit that the birds like to use tliem on account of their light 



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