BREEDING 



159 



If there are equal numbers of males and females they will 

 pair off. The males may be mated successfully with several 

 females, however. In small flocks the number is usually 

 three or four. 



Pigeon Breeding. — ^With pigeons the influences of breed- 

 ing is confined to a single pair, and the breeding loft should 

 contain only working^ pairs of breeders. A working pair 

 refers to birds which have voluntarily taken each other as 

 mates. The so-called "hand-mated" birds, by which refer- 

 ence is made to the fact that the birds have been mated 

 by confining them in a mating coop, frequently prove un- 

 satisfactory because the mating proves to be temporary. 

 Voluntary mating is usually for life. 



Fig. 73 



Squabs ("peepers"), twelve hours old. 



Mating is accomplished by allowing the unmated birds 

 to occupy a room containing some nest boxes. As soon as 

 a pair is observed to start building a nest together they 

 should be caught, banded, and removed to the breeding 

 loft. Usually about 90 per cent, of the birds will mate 

 where upward of one hundred are placed in the mating- 



