Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-07-28
MONEY In SQUAD RAISING.
Hew They Are Produced 10 Michigan S0s the
Eastern Markets.


The only SQUAD farm in Michigan
is located about three miles south Of
Grand Haven. SQUADS ore young
doves or pigeons, and are esteemed
great delicacies in epicurean and mid
night luncheon circles. There are sew
eral large squad farms in the east.
and one near Toledo, but the only on"
in Michigan, so far as known, is at
Grand Haven, and it is conducted by
f. J. Bernreuthsr. He was for sever
al years Aoorwalker In a large dry
goods store. His health failed, and
| five years ago be took up squad rails
| ing. It was originally side issue to
his foorwalking, but he now devotes
most Of his attention to It. His farm
comprises about ten acres of land, but
only O small portion IF this is given to
the SQUAD industry. the rest being
planted to wheat and corn, which
forms the staple diet for the old doves.
He has O big cage OF woven wire
1t Is 80 X 100 feet and 30 feet high.
and the doves are kept confined by
the wire netting on the sides and
above On the north side Of the cage
is a long, low building. in which the
doves keep house. The roof has a
southern exposure and o wind break.
and here the doves sun themselves.
The building Is divided by partitions
into rooms about ten feet square.
These rooms are banked up on three
sides, tier above tieE, with small box
es. and these boxes are the nests,
where the eggs are laid and the young
are hatched and grow 60 be SQUADS
The partitions and boxes extend up
ward to the caves of the building, and
above the space Is open from end to
end allowing free passageWay for the
doves and d roosting place for those
not busy With domestic duties.
After the two pretty white eggs are
laid, the male takes his regular trick
of sitting On them during the twenty
one 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 IA full feather.
but not yet able to fly, A fast OF
twenty-four hours is the prelude to
the flight into the dove heaven. This
fast Is imposed not to make them
meek in spirit but to clear their crops
Of food. Then sharp knife point
opens n vein in their throat, and as
the life blood oozes out the birds
brief career closes with f1utter.
While the flesh is still warm the
feathers are plucked out, the crop is
washed out, and the denuded body IS
thrown into a tub Of water to cool.
The next day 1t is packed In ice for
shipment. The squads, dressed for
market, weigh about half pound,
and the great market for them is New
York. This city consumes very few
of them. There is only a small de-
mand for them in Detroit, and Chic
ago, big and metropolitan as 1T is. is
a poor market. Almost the entire
product of Bernreuthef goes to New
York, and the shipments average
three or four dozens week the year
round. The squads command from
$3.50 to $3.50 dozen. and there is
money Ia the business.
The best breed Of doves for squad
purposes Is the homing pigeon. This
is not due to any particular delicacy
of the flesh, but to the fact that hon.
ers are the best breeders, are diligent
in properly caring for the eggs during
tn. ineubating period. and keep their
young well fed. But the SQUAD far
mer does not run much to fancy stock.
Just plain ordinary doves are good
enough. They bring out six to ten
broods year. each Of two doves. and
often eggs Ore in the nest for new
Matching before the preceding brood
has developed to the SQUAD age. The
doves usually rest two months in the
year, bet as there Is no recognized
season for resting. the market can be
supplied the year round.