Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-28

Photo by Winn
! mother hen. How many times have
you come upon a setting hen covering
the greater part of her eggs but with
three or more rolled out behind her.
1.-THE uninitiated are Immediately
afraid that she is neglecting her duty
and that those few eggs will not be
Matched But the hen knows what she
/ is about If you watch a while longer
/ you will see her reach back and care
/ fully tuck those eggs under her and
possibly roll some others out to get
4 little fresh air. These little actions
must have some significance and must
! be solved by successful poultry rails
ers"
Besides chickens and poultry the Pig
con industry is one of the foremost
features of the Kimballville farm. The
principal strain are English runts, Giant
California runts, Maltese hen pigeons,
Carneaux. runt Maltese, show Homers
and Dragons.
All of these breeds are noted through
out the country for peculiar character
istics in which each is strong. In
raising the different breeds Mr.. thinner
also conducts numerous experiments In
mating and crossing strains. AS re-
suit Of this work he has developed what
\ is known as the Kimballville SQUAD
breeders. a cross strain which are SUI
perior in breeding to any of the others
mentioned above.
This cross strain was developed from
breeding three separate breeds which
had peculiar traits and characteristics
tended to produce frst-class breeders
when combined.
HOW TO RAISE PIGEONS.
h In giving a word of advice to begin
ners on the subject of pigeon raising. Mr..
Zlmmers first words were start right!
Continuing he said: above all things buy
such birds as you know to be mated
as odd birds will cost more in feed and
care than they are worth. 1t is not
necessary TO have an expensive outfit
! to become a successful pigeon and squad
raiser If you have an clubhouse Of
any kind in your lot. you can easily util-
ize part of this for loft by adding
flying pen about 16x24 and about u feet
high, enclosing it with small wire net
I ting and cutting a hole to allow the
birds to go in and out and to be fed.
1.-THE birds should be kept in a clean
house and not above so to 1 pen of this
size. The nests should be a foot square
and built so that they can be taken out
and cleaned at frequent intervals. They
should be arranged one above the other
in rows against the side of the room, al
lowing two nests for each pair of birds.
birds will do this for themselves if a
good supply of pine straw and tobacco
stems are within their reach.
Pigeons should be fed only twice
day. At o'clock a. m. and again at 4
!. o'clock p. m. and they should be fed
only one kind of grain at time. Can
ada peas barley, buckwheat. cracked
corn, kaffir corn and red wheat all
make good food when given rightly.
Great care should also be taken to have
In the pens at all times some kind of
gravel, charcoal or oyster shell and
coarst salt. The pens should also be
supplied with open drinking vessels
which should be filled twice daily with
water containing a few drops of some
non-poisonous dlsinfectant.
SQUAD RAISING.
'lf it is the purpose of the fancier. to
raise squads great care should be OBJ
served In the mating Of the birds. I'm
/ less they are known to be mated they
should not be put In the breeding pen
but kept separate and apart The double
cage plan is a good method for mating.
Cages are constructed about one foot
square in size with every other parti-
tion made of wire. Place what you think
is cock on one side of the wire par
tition, and what you think is hen vu
the other. Watch them closely. If the
cock comes up to the wire and COOS and
the hen does likewise you may be rea-
sonably sure that you have a pair. Birds
related to each other should never be
mated.
In order to keep a straight record of
all mated birds it is a good plan to band
each bird with celluloid bands of diff
ferent colors. The cock should be band
ed on the right leg and the hen on the
left with, bands of the same color.
Squads in most cases are ready for
the market at the age of four weeks.
BY that time they will have attained their
proper growth and the pin feathers will
be of the proper length for easy picking.
The SQUAD should be removed from the
ing so that the crop will be empty. The
best method for killing is to hang the
squad by the feet. tie with strong
cord and make an incision with a sharp
knife in the roof OF the mouth. Tncy
should be l,ickeu Immediately and care
should be taken to see that they are
dry and cool before being packed for
shipment.
PET STOCK DEPARTMENT.
In the pet stock department of his farm
Mr.. thinner has a varied and assorted
collection with specimens from the jun
giles of Africa and the wilds of North
America. Graceful deer are to be seen
strolling about the lawns nibbling grass
One of these is a prime favorite with the
proprietor and springs upon him like pet
dog whenever Mr.. thinner comes near
with few loaves of sugar. Parti-color-
ed pheasants are to be seen in a special
section of the farm, gray and red foxes
and the genuine Texas coyote also lend
an atmosphere Of the far west, which is