29 
discouragement, and often cause them to abandon the business in dis¬ 
gust. The beginner, for instance, buys birds without examining them 
carefully; he asks few if any questions of the seller, and requires no 
written guaranty. As a result he finds that he has his pens filled 
with birds which lack some if not all of the necessary qualifications of 
good breeders. He has invested money in buildings, he has put more 
in birds, and now he has feed bills to meet regularly; but he has few 
squabs to sell, and no prospects for better results later on. Troubles 
of this kind arise from what may be characterized as careless buying. 
Kind of birds to buy. —The general rule which should be followed by 
everyone who proposes to engage in squab raising for profit is as fol¬ 
lows: Find out what kind of birds are needed, and do not buy until 
you find such birds. For profitable squab raising, birds should be (1) 
of the best variety, (2) of suitable age, (3) vigorous and prolific, (4) 
free from disease and lice, (5) good feeders of young, and (6) mated 
birds. 
The reasons why Homers are to be preferred for squab raising have 
already been given, and a beginner should insist on getting birds of 
this variety. 
As a rule pigeons may be bred continuously with profit until they 
are 6 or 7 years old, and many birds have been bred till they are much 
older, but a flock averaging 6 or 7 years will hardly prove profitable. 
Perhaps if breeders would separate the sexes during the moulting sea¬ 
son and keep them apart for two months, as is the custom with breeders 
of fane} 7 stock, the profitable period might be prolonged. However 
this may be, one thing is evident: The younger the birds are, the more 
service they will give the breeder. It is advisable, therefore, to pur¬ 
chase birds not more than 2 years old. Buying banded youngsters 
with a list of nest mates when they are only 8 weeks old, and mating 
them, is also a good plan to pursue. 
Unless a bird is vigorous and capable of producing vigorous and 
healthy offspring, it is of no use; and, though ever so vigorous, if not 
prolific its purchase will not prove a good investment. 
Many beginners have bought birds without asking any questions, 
and repented in the presence of canker and lice. A thorough exam¬ 
ination should be made for evidence of disease and insect parasites. 
Unless a pair of birds take good care of their young and feed them, 
so that they become fat, plump squabs, weighing 8 pounds to the dozen 
at 4 weeks old, they are not profitable. Unless a Homer squab is fit 
for market when it gets on the floor, it never will be, for the old birds 
do not give the “traveler” as much attention, and the exercise it takes 
reduces its flesh. 
The securing of mated birds is the most important point requiring 
the attention of the buyer. It is in this connection that the most mis- 
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