The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-03
MONEY IN SQUAD RAISING.
How They Are Produced in Michigan for
the Eastern Market.

How they Are Produced I'm Michigan for
the Eastern Market.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
The only squad farm I'm Michigan is
located about three miles south of
Grand Haven. Squads are young
doves. or pigeons. and are esteemed
great d~elicacies in epicurean n mid
night luncheon circles. There are sew
eral large squad farms in the East,
and one near Toledo, but the only one
in Michigan. SO far as known. is at
Grand Haven. n II is conducted by
F. J. Bernreuther. He was for several
years floorwalker in a large dry goods
store. His health failed, and five years
ago he took up squab-raising. 1t was
originally a side issue to his w
ing, but he now devotes most of his
attention to 1t. His farm comprises
about 10 acres of land, but only a small
portion of this is given to the squad
industry. the rest being planted to
wheat and corn. which form the staple
diet for the old doves.
He has a big cage of woven wire. II
is S0xl20 feet, and 20 feet high, and
the loves are kept confined by the wire
netting on the sides and above. on
the north side of the cage is a long.
low building, i'm which the doves keep
house. The roof has a southern ex-
posture and a wind break. and here the
doves sun themselves. The building is
divided by partitions into rooms about
10 feet square. These rooms are
banked up on three sides, tier above
tier, with small boxes. and these boxes
are the nests. where the eggs are laid
and the young are Matched and grow
TO be squads. The partitions and boxes
extend upward to the. V of the
building. and above the space is open
from end to end. allowing free pas
sageway for the doves n a roosting
place for those not busy with domes-
tic duties.
After the two pretty white eggs are
laid. the male takes his regular trick
at sitting on them during the 81 days
of incubation, and when the young are
Matched he does his full share toward
feeding them. Four weeks after the
young birds are Matched they become
marketable as squads. The birds are
in full feather. but not yet able TO fly.
A fast of "A hours is the prelude to the
flight into the dove heaven. This fast
is imposed not to nah them meek in
spirit. but to clear their crops of food.
Then a sharp knife point opens a vein
in the throat, and as the life blood
oozes out the birds brief career closes
with a flutter.
While the flesh is still warm the
feathers are pluCkeu out, the crop Is
washed out. and the denuded body is
thrown into a tub OF water to cool.
The next day il is packed in ice for
shipment. The squads, dressed for
market, weigh about half a pound. and
the great market for them is New
York. This city consumes very few Of
them. There is only a small demand
for them in Detroit, and Chicago, big
and metropolitan as IL is, is a poor
market. Almost the entire product OF
Bernreuther goes to New York, and the
shipments average three or four dozens
a week the year round. The squads
command from $3.50 t. $3.50 a dozen,
and there is money in the business.
The best breed Of doves for squad
is the homing pigeon. This is
not due to any particular delicacy of
the flesh. but to the fact that homers
are the best breeders, are diligent in
properly caring for the eggs during the
incubating period. and keep their
young well fed. But the SQUAD farmer
does not run much to fancy stock. lust
plain, ordinary doves are good enough.
They bring out six to ten broods a
year. each of two doves. and often Eggs
are in the nest for a new Matching be-
fore the preceding brood has developed
to the squad age. The doves usually
rest two months in the year, but as
there is no recognized season for rest
ing. the market can be supplied the
year oun