CHAPTER III. 



GENERAL MANAGEMENT. 



A good start having been made b\' the purchase 

 of some well-bred stock, it must be followed up by 

 strict attention to the general management. Good 

 food, regularity in feeding, plenty of fresh water for 

 drinking and bathing, the provision of grit, abund- 

 ance of fresh air, and systematic cleanliness are the 

 great essentials to success. 



THE FOOD SUPPLY. 



Food and feeding are items of the first impor- 

 tance. Nothing" is gained by the purchase of cheap 

 food. Many fail to realise this, and think that any- 

 thing is good enough for Pigeons to eat. This is a 

 grave error to make. I \vould impress upon my 

 readers the absolute necessity of using only the best 

 corn. It is cheapest in the end. Many diseases may 

 be directli^ traced to the use of inferior, unsound, and 

 unclean corn. Regularity in feeding is also essential 

 to success. Birds should be fed as near as possible 

 about the same time each day, and the best times for 

 feeding stock birds are about 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. in 

 Summer, and g a.m. and 4 p.m. in \^"inter. 



GROUND V. HOPPER FEEDING. 



When and wherever possible I advocate feeding 

 on the floor of the flight. When birds are fed on the 

 floor of the loft they are apt to pick up bits of saw- 

 dust and other matter which is not good for them. 

 If there is no outside flight, and the birds must be 

 fed inside, then hoppers should be used ; but I pre- 

 fer hand-feeding to hopper feeding, because one is 

 able then to feed just so much as the birds require. 

 Further, much pleasure is derived by watching the 

 birds as thev feed, and should one be looking a bit 



