Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-04-17
Practical Poultry Pointers


own at all times. They should know 1t
as home And 1t should be worthy of
the name-comfortable, orderly, clean,
ventilated, convenient.
Not many poutrymen were obliged to
pay an income tax last year. But the
way the business Is picking up, another
year should find more of their profits In
the taxable class. Feed is almost GER
tain to go lower. Prices on eggs rule
firm and they are likely to continue good
for months. There are no signs of over
production.
Sour skim milk seems to be the most
satisfactory single article of food for
poultry Of all ages 1t gives little chicks
the best sort of a start in life. 1t is a
bulwark against white diarrhea.
The color of the yolk Of the egg is
largely influenced by the amount of an
imal or insect food available, also green
food. Birds that are given free range
over "a rich pasture almost invariably
lay eggs with rich yellow, almost red,
yolks due to the great quantity of bugs.
worms and greens that they forage.
Dark colored yolks are not richer nor
more nourshing than light yolks, as
the dark yolks give more colcr to cakes
| and buildings. Eggs gathered from the
| farm flock usually run much darker than
eggs produced on the speciality farm.
The hens on the specially farm are fed
grain diet almost exclusively. which
accounts for the pale yolks. Very often
| the egg with a red yolk has a strong
flavor.
| Mealed alfalfa or cut clover, steamed
and fed in moistened condition, will
serve to darken the yolks of eggs laid
| by hens kept in close confinement. Table
scraps tend to darken the yoks.
| 1t is unwise to market eggs taker
| from stolen nests. To do so may cos
you your best customer. Better use such
eggs at home.
HINTS ON SQUAD RAISING
On general farms, whore a flock o.
pigeons may obtain the greater part o
| their keep from the fields, they will re
turn nice revenue at very little ex
pense or trouble to their keeper.
Unlike chickens, pigeons are monog
amous; they mate in pairs, and usual.
remain devoted for life. Obviously. tn
experienced breeder sees to it that hi
birds are properly mated, either natur
ally or by special methods. The presenc
of minated males in q loft means fight
ing and jealousy.
The production of squads from eacl
pair of breeders varies widely, much tn
same as the egg yield will vary in
flock of hens. Pigeons are known t
yield 10 or l. pairs of squads year
This is exceptional. fair aVerag
, would be six pairs. Squads sell at tn
, highest prices during cold weather.
The young of pigeons are fed by tn
parent birds on a thick, creamy mix
ture. called pigeon milk, which is secret
ed in the crops of the pigeons. TIL
squads are usually fed shortly afte
the grown birds have eaten, consequent
} care should be taken not to disturb tn
, flock at this time.
Squads intended for market should
caught In the morning before they ar
fed by their parents, that their CROP
) will be empty. They are killed in tn
same manner as chickens. by cutting tn
arteries in the back of the roof of tn
mouth and piercing the brain. then blet
after which the feathers and down ar
. plucked clean. with the exception Of tn
= head.
: There are a great many varieties {
pigeons, though only a few breeds al
= extensively used for squad culture. TIL
homer is a popular standard breed, hard
prolific and of fair size. The Carneau
U is widely bred, too. The King, Dragon
Runt and Maltese varieties, which Al
n larger than the homer. are used in crosl
. ing to increase the size Of the squads.
The homer derives its name from II
= fact that it will usually find Its wa
la, ot.t, h.
2 taken under cover for hundreds of mile
: FEEDING AND HOUSING
Pigeons are accommodating creature
6 They will adapt themselves to almo
a every condition. from the caves Of Il
% barn to the nests of well-appointt
y loft. They do best. of course, in qua
+, ters that are fairly roomy, dry, wei
!, ventilated and sunshiny Aove ever
), thing else, the pigeon loft must be pro
), against rats. These pests are notorio
thieves, killing the young birds in Il
N nests and destroying the eggs
The usual varieties Of grain are ust
in feeding pigeons. A good ration
= made up as follows: Equal parts |
q weight Of cracked corn (sfted), ha
" red wheat, kafir corn and Canada pea
q with a small quantity, perhaps 10 p
: cent, of hemp and millet seed added du
ing the melting season. Other graf
which may be added to the ration a
peanuts, which are used to some exte
to take the place of peas, hulled oa
J. barley. cowpeas and milo maize.
q small amount of stale bread, rape. riC
g. vetch and sunflower seed may be fed
l. variety. Lentils are sometimes fed
IT tonic to breeding birds during the mol
y ing period
= The grain may be fed on the floor
% the pen. in troughs or kept before I
is birds in hoppers. 1t is not we'll to fe