The National tribune., 1899-07-13
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If after time you collect lot OF large,
light-colored common hens, then 1t would
be well TO cross these with Silver, Silver
Dun, or White Antwerps, or with Yellow
or White Dragon males; such matings
would be likely to bring you large, light
coored SQUADS. The Duchesse is a large
bodied bird and when pure bred has teath-
cred or booted legs. which is an object
ton, as in SQUAD raising clean leg ls
most desirable. BY crossing a Duchesse
hen with a strong Antwerp or Dragon
male Won will get bird of large body and
thinly feathered on legs. Such a bird
again crossed with the Dragon would
give Just about what is wanted IN SQUAD
breeder-a good-SiZed bird with clean legs.
In mating birds for this purpose 1t Is best
to have the hen larger, and yet there
should not be too great a disparity III the
size of the male and female.
Many novices, knowing that the Runt
is large pigeon, say at once, why, that
is the pigeon for squads" In theory tins
is all right, but from the fact that the Runt
is not a prolific bird and that they are not
the best Of nurses, from a practcai point OF
view this is all wrong. Their squads are
large, but there are not enough OF them
through the year to satisfy the breeder for
market. Then, again, large RuntS are
worth from So to SO pair, which makes
| them too expensive.
If these extremely large squads could
| D1 nll Ill SuIllclcflJ
| if, under existing market conditions, they
would prove profitable, as squads are
usually sold by the dozen, and not by
weight, and as the consumption OF food by
| these large birds Is twice that consumed
by the Duchesse and the Dragon cross,
the expense of keeping the breeding stock
and raising the squads Is naturally In
creased.
| There is a large white pigeon frequently
met with, by some called Runt, although
not half as large as a true HUNT, that would
make a good cross with the Dragon or
Antwerp. These / have frequently seen
in the markets of Philadelphia and New
York, and when seen always secured them
| for this purpose
| Pigeons at least a year old are the best
to begin with. The hens are good for four
or five years, and the males twice as long.
Once the flock is established it will need
only occasional additions to keep it intact.
While establishing your flock you must
expect many disappointments, especially
regarding the sex OF those you buy, and II
you get a good flock the first year you
should be satisfied. After this, by watch
ing your birds you wiIl md when are your
best breeders and feeders, and can Gull out
the poor ones and substitute others at your
leisure.
WHITE PIGEONS.
The advantage of having all white birds
in your flock is that they will always com
mand good price, when in good plumage,
from taXidermiStS; and so when cul!lng,
instead OF having to accept the low prlce
that cOlOred pigeons would BRING, you can
often get all you have paid. To be in good
Feather the white birds need to be in full
feather about the head and throat. Wing
feathers and tail-featherS can be supplied
by the taxidermist but only nature and
good condition can supply the fine short
feathers of the head and throat.
INT, inf antrF,
try, where his birds can fly at liberty, he
could keep a flock on purpose to breed
SQUAD raisers, and not be obliged to look
elsewhere for them. By judicious selec-
ton and pairing in few years flock
could be secured that would make ideal
SQUAD raiSers. This is no theory, but the
actual practice of successful breeders, and
only needs to be tried to prove its value.
AS the object is to raise as many young
from pair each year as possible, as soon
as it is found that hen begins to lay only
one egg, or is irregular in her laying, it is
best to dispose of the pair altogether, or if
the maze is a good, strong, healthy bird,
secure new partner for him. By having
an extra flock to draw from it is an easy
matter to keep the breeding stock up to the
standard of production desired.
| ] regard mating pen, which is a box
with two apartments separated by wire
partition as shown in Fig. 1, so that the
| birds you desire to pair can see each other
| between the wires, very necessary addl-
ton to every breeding loft. Place all
uncertain birds in this pen before turning
them into the breeding room.
FEEDING-BOXES.
All food should be placed in a covered
feed-box or trough, as shown in Fig. z.
To make one take an inch board 10 inches
wide and six feet long, make sides and ends
of strips two and one-hah inches wide,
nailed to upper side of this board; make q
attach hinged cover to it; connect the two
by strips of laths nine inches long, placed
two inches apart, and you have a covered
feed-bo that the pigeons can not get into,
and from which they can not throw out the
grain. Allow one feed-box to every 25 or
so pairs.