The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-11
SQUAB RAISING

The raising of squabs both as a reg Eular business and as a side line on farms has become so general that the Department of Agriculture, to meet the needs of practical advice on this lssubject has assigned one of it's pOul- ! try specialists to study Of this sup i ject, and also has obtained accurate l data as to methods from 22 large breeders, and from a large number or those who keep less than 300 pigeons. | The questions to which practical re- l plies were received covered all phases of the subject, from breeds that pro- | duce the best sQuabS to the housing, l feeding and general care of the pig cons The, results of investigations i and the information supplied by l breeders are published in Farmers Bulletin No. 684, Squab Raising. The
 bulletin on it's first page, however, contains a. strong caution which in l substance is that while annual profit of $50 for a pair of breeders l is considered good success in raising business ability, and good steady,
 market. It points out that many suc- ceSSfu1 pigeon farms make business, k of selling breeding stock and are not primarily interested in producing ISquabS for market.~s~To quote. the za1- I thor, there have been manysfailures on squab plants, as the profits in this 1 business have frequently been greatly over -estimated and 6he care of stock ! regarded as something very easy in q which anyone could succeed"
 Many people, the writer contin- l ues, "can keep pigeons successfully as a side issue, although this requires l constant oversight and careful at l tenton to details The greatest diff I fcu1ties confronting the successful raiser of pigeons seems to be n se- curing good breeding stock and find ling a good market for the produce \ of small flock. Pigeons are a prof fitabIe source of income on general farms where they may secure much of their feed from the fields, provided they are not a nuisance and the loss l by shooting and by hawks, owls and I cats is not large. They can also be
 raised successfully on farms where I they arec loseIey confined, provided I the squabs can be marketed to good advantage.''
 ] Then it is pointed out that prolific pigeons producing large squabs are a commonly kept confined in pens, j which involves proper housing and a q f1yway, or outside yard, covered with 1 wire. Common pigeons, allowed their l freedom, are less prolific and pro duce smaller suuabs- A study of i New York squab quotations shows
 that the price per dozen for dressed 1 suuats falls rapidly as the weight
 Lgoes down and therefore departs from II white. While prime white weighing 1 10 pounds to the dozen brought $3.75 I per dozen in March, 1915, in New
 York. s pound squabs were not quoted above $2 per dozen, while s1.50 was 4 the high price per dozen for dark
 Il squabs, and cu11s brought only or I 6 cents apiece. Squabs weighing 8 I pounds to the dozen. a fair average \, weight from goodc plants, bring Nari- n ous prices about as follows through
 out the year, according to the whole sale quotations in New York: Febru-
 ary, $4; March and April $3.25; May 4 and June S2.75; August $2.50; De- cember, $3.50. A summary of re- . ports from 22 large scale squa,b farms
 1 showed an average weight of pounds l to the dozen and an average price of
 $3.43 for the year. It must be re-
 l were produced definitely to meet the
 exact demands of the market, were 1 dressed exactly according to the local 4 requirements, and delivered to the
 l wholesaler in prime condition It Is Il evident while these figures are not of ] fered as indicating the prices, that the Ll small scale or new squab raiser can
 secure, they do establish that care in selecting breeds to produce large-siz- ed squab is 9, prime requisite
 : Best Varieties for Squab Raising Of the squab raising varieties the Homer s considered the most popular variety. The habit of this bird of re- turning home if allowed freedom I makes it necessary to confine pigeons
 purchased from other lofts. The Car>
 neuax pigeon has recently become
 popular as a squab producer. This
 variety is somewhat larger than the
 Homer and it is stated is about as prolific. Several other varieties of pigeons larger than the Homer are 1 used on a small scale in squab rais- ing, especially in crossing with the Homer and Carneaux to increase the size of squabs. The Runt is. one of the largest but is not as prolific or as good a breeder or feeder as the
 Homer. Some of the other varieties report ed used as squab breeders are the Dragoon, White Maltese hen pig ; con, the White King and the common
 pigeon
 Selecting Breeders
 | Good breeding stock is an essential Il of success in squaB raising, but as it lis difficult to tell the age and sex
 of pigeons, and age is very important,
 it is necessary to buy from reliable
 breeders and preferably those who
 guarantee their product Variety
 alone does not insure successful squab
 production The birds differ individ- } ua11y and they should be selected for , for quality and size of their squabs
 and their ability to feed and rear off
 spring Dark-co1ored skins, legs or beak indicate poor quality of flesh, . bringing lower prices on markets fCare should be taken to select breed b ing birds which have white or pink 2 ish white skin and light colored legs. Pigeons are most valuable as squab producers when from 2 to 6 years of s age, although many will breed until -i they are about years old. The { small varieties mate and breed at 5 ito months, and the large varieties 9 at 8 to g months. It is advisable,
 therefore to buy mated pigeons from
 2 to 3 years o1d, or to secure young
 birds 6 to weeks old and mate them 7 at the proper age. All squabs which I are to be saved for breeding should . De branded before they leave the