30 
takes and the most serious ones are made. There is more complaint 
among purchasers who have bought birds represented to be mated 
and found that they were not than from any other source. There 
seems to be a difference of opinion as to what constitutes mated birds. 
Some dealers declare that mated birds consist of an equal number of 
each sex, and so they try to furnish a given number of cocks and hens. 
When they guess right, they give an equal number, but in very many 
instances the guess is wild. Experienced pigeon breeders find it diffi¬ 
cult to distinguish the sexes, and make many mistakes. There is but 
one way to tell when birds are mated, and that is when they have 
gone to housekeeping and produced eggs. 
How to buy. —The object of the buyer, as already suggested, is to 
secure birds with all the qualifications enumerated above. In buying 
he should make it a rule to ask questions covering every point. He 
should endeavor to find out how much the seller knows about the birds, 
and what he means the term by c ‘ mated birds. ” A dealer will often buy 
birds in different parts of the country and have them shipped to him. 
Sometimes he will buy of another dealer. Hence it often happens 
that the dealer knows very little about the birds. The buyer of such 
birds necessarily has to assume the risks of getting birds that lack 
vitality, are too old, or are unmated. For breeding stock bought 
under such circumstances the price should be corresponding^ low. 
The prospective squab raiser who buys mated birds should get mated 
birds, or he should not be required to pay the price for them. The 
grower or dealer who sells birds which he represents to be mated 
should be required to give a written guaranty to that effect. 
The honest grower or dealer can not, of course, give any accurate 
information which he does not possess. The importance of keeping 
records can now be seen. If the squabs intended for breeding stock 
have been properly banded, and a record has been carefully kept (see 
page —), a transcript of this can be furnished. If the breeder has a 
definite plan or system, including the keeping of records, he will be 
able to give a correct answer to every inquiry regarding the breeding 
stock which he is offering for sale. 
In some cases where beginners have made serious mistakes in the 
purchase of breeding birds, the only advice which can be given is to 
get rid of them all and begin anew. 
To the beginner who has not yet purchased his breeding stock, the 
best advice that can be given is: If you can not get full and satisfactoi’ 3 7 
information concerning the birds which may be offered for sale, together 
with a written guaranty that they are mated, do not buy. A beginner 
will have much to learn, even when he starts with good Homer stock, 
healthy, vigorous, and mated, ready to begin producing. The breeder 
has got to pay feed bills whether his birds produce squabs or not, and 
he must continue paying them as long as he keeps the birds. 
177 
