CHAPTER XXXVII 

 RAISING YOUNGSTERS 



Very Careful Attention Must be Given — Squabs Weaned by Parents — • 

 Transferred to the Rearing Loft — Proper Feeding — Fresh Water, 

 etc. — Worlving with the Youngsters — Training Them for the Show 

 Room — Care the Youngsters Get is Bound to Reflect. 



Raising youiigstci's to matiirity is an iindertalving wliicli 

 sliould be given very careful attention as they may be materially 

 aided in their growth or given a decided set back according to 

 the attention which they receive from their owner. 



As soon as tlie squabs are between four and five weeks of age 

 they are either puslied out of the nest by the parent birds or 

 they fall out on the floor of the loft. They should be allowed 

 to stay on the loft floor for about a week in order tliat they might 

 learn, from the adult biixls, ho\\- to eat from the feeders and 

 drink from the fountains. Thus they become A\eaned for hav- 

 ing reached this age the parent bii'ds stop feeding them and 

 tliey have to learn to eat. 



As soon as tliey are weaned they are transferred to the 

 rearing pen which is arranged just like a breeding loft. I 

 favor having a much longer fly to this pen in order that the 

 young birds might lia\ e more room in which to fly and thereby 

 have more chance for development. If at all possible always 

 separate the youngsters from the old birds for if they are kept 

 together the old birds will be crowded, the youngsters will 

 always be in tlie way and as the young birds grow older there 

 will be incessant flghting in the pen which of course means 

 less work and more broken eggs. As I liave said before, keep 

 unmated birds out of the breeding pens. 



Having the youngsters by themselves you must keep them 



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