158 POULTRY CULTUHE 



In case it is found that this sort of mating has occurred, they 

 are placed in different pens and mated again. Inbreeding is 

 not desirable. 



Pigeons as a rule are monogamous, and are faithful to each 

 other until death. It is this fact which makes it possible to 

 keep so many pairs in a pen and have them work successfully. 

 Occasionally a bird will be untrue and cause a great deal of 

 trouble in the pen. This bird should be removed and either 

 disposed of or forced mating applied to. 



Forced mating consists in placing a male and female in a 

 coop with a wire partition between, and leaving them there 

 for from 6 to 10 days, then letting them go together. If they 

 appear properlj^ mated they may be placed in the breeding 

 pen. 



Banding. — ^Colored leg-bands show at a glance the mated 

 pairs in a pen and are convenient in many ways. For a pen 

 of 50 pairs, 50 color combinations are used, each mated pair 

 wearing a certain color, the male on one leg and the female on 

 the other. It is a simple matter to enter a pen and pick out a 

 mated pair when banded in this way. 



Records. — ^If it is desired to know the color markings of a 

 pair, a sheet may be ruled off for each pen, males on one side 

 and females in the corresponding space on the other. A key 

 of letters showing the color markings may be made, and as a 

 pail" are mated and put in their permanent pen, their band 

 colors and key letter showing the color is entered in the re- 

 spective space on the sheet. If at some future time there is 

 a prospective sale of a pair of a certain color, the chart will 

 give the color of each bird in the pen and save considerable 

 time. 



Baths. — ^Baths should be given at least three times per week 

 in summer and on warm days in winter. The bath pans are 

 filled and left for an hour, during which time the pigeons 

 bathe themselves. The bath is essential for maintaining the 

 health of the birds. If the flies can be constructed over run- 

 ning water, the labor of preparing the bath and emptying the 

 pans may be dispensed with. 



Cleaning. — The old nests should be removed at weekly 

 intervals. 'Any wide, flat piece of metal with a handle is very 



