CONSTRUCTION OF SQUAB HOUSES 199 



for one pair. While tlie "T" system is more easy to clean than 

 the old method on account of the front and middle partitions 

 being removable, it is not as easy to clean as nests with re- 

 movable bottoms. 



The old method of building the nest boxes from floor to ceil- 

 ing is a bad practice, the top nests are hard to get at as you 

 cannot see in them unless you climb up on something and the 

 nests down near the floor are also hard to get into and squabs 

 will leave the nests near the floor before they should, which 

 will make them poor and stunt their growth. 



When I was a boy and lived in the country we had common 

 pigeons and my father constructed long rows of outside nest 

 boxes on top of a shed under the eaves of our barn; in front of 

 each row of nests he nailed a four-inch running board the full 

 length of the bam. Our pigeons took to these boxes readily but 

 some old cocks took to them too well and claimed more nests 

 than they needed. As a preventative to this we boys nailed some 

 short upright boards, fencing off, so to speak, the nests into 

 pairs allowing a short running board two feet long in front of 

 each two nests. This plan worked like a charm and is where I 

 got my first idea of the double nest plan, and from this I have 

 developed the Eggleston Double Nest System. I find that the 

 question of properly housing' and providing practical and con- 

 venient equipment goes a long way towards the success of a 

 squab plant and that too little attention is given these import- 

 ant matters by the average squab breeder. 



The aisle-in-front plan with the overhead chute, the double 

 nest system with nests on the side walls only, the proper feeding, 

 watering and bathing arrangements coupled with the other 

 modern and practical equipment I have worked out and perfect- 

 ed, such as the Eggleston grit box, tobacco stem holder and a 

 collapsible mating coop attached to the wall in the aisle that 

 folds up out of the way when not in use, will save more than 

 half the time in caring for the birds and will produce much 

 better results. The best of all it costs less money to construct 

 and looks better when completed than any other plant that I 

 have over seen, 



