PIGEONS THAT HAVE FREE RANGE 265 



there is a place for the birds to fly on top of the nests or to run 

 under them. When you are in a room without such an arrange- 

 ment, birds will become more or less panicky on account of 

 flying against each other in so small a place. 



When birds are kept in an attic or loft in a barn or in a 

 poorly arranged space it is better to put in a system of double 

 nests, one or more rows high than to allow the birds to build 

 around haphazardly in corners and other places. These double 

 nests can be bought ready made or easily built. The advantages 

 of a double nest is so great in many ways that it more than 

 pays to put themi in even for temporary arrangements. 



Pigeons will do well in almost any kind of a building or house 

 or even in a basement if not too damp, cold and 'dark, provided 

 proper nesting arrangement is made and they are given proper 

 care. A little fresh air and sunshine is essential but this can be 

 furnished in many other ways than by flying pens. An open 

 window or door or a small fly pen a few feet square, built outside 

 the door or window, will provide ample room for a few pairs. 



OUTDOOR HOUSE FOR PIGEONS THAT FLY AT LIBERTY 



The same principle that applies to constructing nest boxes 

 for indoor lofts also applies to the construction of nests fur 

 outdoor houses. Each pair of birds should have a double nest, 

 a short running board connecting same and the construction 

 should be so as to make it difflcult for birds to claim i>nd mo- 

 nopolize more than one double nest. 



The illustration on page 263 shows an octagon-shaped house 

 with 32 double nests or 64 nests in all. To build such a house 

 one should proceed in the same manner as if he was f^oing to 

 construct nests to go inside a squab house. That is he should 

 make the upright partitions exactly the same, making up a 

 number of partitions 18 inches wide and 45 inches high on both 

 sides at top and bottom, and cleats through the center 11 inches 

 apart. An equal number of partitions 12 inches wide and 

 cleated in the same manner should be alternated with these 18- 

 inch partitions the same as nests in the squab house, except they 

 can be placed closer together at the back than at the front, 

 which will form a circular house of most any size desired. 



The nest bottoms for such a house should be made the sam'e 

 as the nest bottom for loft use with the exception that one side 



