CHAPTER XXVIII 

 HOMERS 



Description of the Breed — The Breed Has Sul'Cered for Lacli of a 

 Specialty Club. 



The Homer is prol)al)ly the best known of all pigeons as 

 there are many more of them in use today in connnercial s(iuab 

 production than any other breed. It is a smart, wiry type bird, 

 being ever on the alert. Tiiey are fast breeders of squabs weigli- 

 ing from eight to ten pounds to the dozen dressed, tliough one 

 can, by careful selection andi proper mating, produce Homers 

 that will throw squabs weighing a pound eacli when dressed. 

 A great many commercial squab plants throughout this country 

 use Honaers exclusively, claiming that this breed produces more 

 actual weiglit in squab meat in a year than any other breed. 

 It is our opinion that the large Homers, those of tlie racing type 

 that have l)cen bred for size, breadth of back and depth of 

 breast are the most profitable ones to use for squab production. 

 Several years ago the writer was fortunate enough to secure 

 a large number of young mated Homers of the type just re- 

 ferred to and these birds proved to us that it is not impossible 

 for them to throw pound squabs. 



It is indeed unfortunate for this breed tliat they have never 

 had an active club to form for them a standard by which 

 breeders could be guided. For that reason these birds have 

 been bred in a more or less careless manner and the result has 

 been that they have been bred smaller instead of larger. This 

 statement of course applies to the breed as a whole but there 

 are exceptions as some breeders have improved their birds to 

 such an extent that they are getting pound squabs right along. 



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