The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-02-15
Raising Squads for Profit.
(By e. l.. Reber.)

state who would gladly go into the
SQUAD business if they believed they
could make it a success but they hest
tate because they know nothing about
birds. Since | began writing for The
Ranch on the subject of SQUAD Rails
ing for Profit have had many letters
from persons who have made sue
cess of chickens and who believe 1t
would be well to work the two bust
nesses together. To all such persons
| have advised, go into the squad bust
ness but not on wholesale scale until
you learn something about it. Buy
frst-class birds, birds that are known
to come from good breeding strain,
study them and you will in all prob
ability do well. While there is much
to learn about squad breeding, the es-
sential points of success are few. AS
said before the birds must be of good
stock, they must be kept clean, given
good and wholesome foods, and at
tention paid to the few details which
make every business a success. For
instance, birds must have grit, char
coal and salt. Those things are es-
sential if they are to live and be
healthy and happy They must have
fresh water, for drinking and bathing.
i
A poultryman in Eastern Washing
ton wrote me to the effect that he
wanted to go into the business but did
not for the time being desire to spend
much money in a building. He had
an old clubhouse or two also the loft
of his barn was not in use and he
wanted to know if these would answer
the purpose for the present. They
certainly will. There is no better
place 10 keep Homers than in the loft
of a barn. 1t is an easy matter to
take care of twenty-five and even fifty
pairs in the loft of a small barn. Steps
should be taken to keep out cats and
rats and mice 1t is marvellous what
destructive little things mice are par
ticularly in a pigeon house. The OLD
mice like to make their homes in the
nests of the birds because OF the
warmth; they get to squirming about
and soon the old birds, annoyed by
this desert the nests or leave them so
frequently that the eggs get cold or
the SQUADS die for lack OF pal
attention.
If you go into the squad business
make up your mind from the start that
there shall be no rats or mice get INTO
YOUR loft. 1t is easy to keep them
out if you close up the holes, and
leave no places in the loft behind
which they can hide. Everybody has
to learn his lesson by experience. After
a rat got away with one of my choice
Young Homers, brothers and sisters or
which had won many honors at the
worlds fair at st. Louis, | concluded
that no rats should get into my lofts
and they never have.
am inclined to believe that Homers
do better in this country and that
Young birds get down to SQUAD breed
ing at an earlier date than in the east.
This is due to the difference in Gil
mates Last November | purchased
from one of the most celebrated Homer
fanciers in the world number OF
pairs of young birds. Most OF them
were born in August and September;
This fancier told me that they would
probably get down to work by spring.
AS a matter of fact half of them are
already at work and one pair has al
ready raised a pair of young that is
now fying and the parents have tneir
I1xr .iy1cr