The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1920-09-17

SOIHIOTt lOT TIE DlTuS tiiut uIc W
fnhabit 1t is the main requisite In a
pigeon house. No matter how much
money may be put into the construc-
ton and finish Of house, II 1t is
damp, dark, and close the birds that
are to live there will not do well.
The prime essentials In pigeon
houses are fresh air, dryness, sunlight,
and space enough to keep the pigeon
comfortable. TIE location should have
good water drainage and air circula-
ton In order that the floor and yards
may be dry, while 1t should be stu
ated for convenience In management.
A southern or southeastern exposure
is best. The general principles of con-
struction which apply to poultry build
ings apply also to pigeon houses.
Almost any style Of house can be
used for pigeons, and in many cases
where only few pigeons are kept
available buildings, such rs the lofts
of barns and vacant poultry Eouses,
can be fitted up at small cost.
A gable-roof building 10 to 10 feet
wide, @ feet from the floor to the
caves, and s or 8 feet to the ridge
makes a good pigeon house. A she'd
roof also makes good pigeon house,
and is the easiest and cheapest style
of house ~ puild. If a large par; OF
the roof slopes toward the south, the
house may be too hot during the sum-
mer. The house can be made any
length desired, but II Is not consider
ed advisable to keep more than 4OO
pairs of breeders in one house. pen
by 9 feet will accommodate 20 pairs
of pigeons, while 40 pairs may be kept
in a pen by Ii feet. The necessary
floor space to allow for each pair
varies from 21a to 3 square feet, ac-
cording to the size of the pen, pair
Of birds requiring less floor space In
large than in small pens. From 20 to
rs pairs Of pigeons may be kept to ad'
vantage in each pen.
Cost Of Construction.
1t costs at the rate Of from about s.
to $2.75 a pair to construct pigeon
houses, including interior fittings and
a small outside pen or flyway.
The house should be tightly con.
structed on all sides to prevent drafts
More open and less expensive Eouses
may be built In warm than In cold
climates, but the house must be >com'
Portable in cold weather. 1t Is especial
ly necessary to make the north, west
and east sides of the pigeon house
tight and comfortable for winter use
which is often done by covering these
walls on the outside with roofing pa
per.
TIE number Of squads produced In
winter in cold climate may be In
creased somewhat by heating the pig
con house, but this expense does moi
pay under average conditions In the
United States. Windows should make
I'D about one-tenth Of the front OF the
house and should be arranged so that
they can be taken out during warm
weather. One window In each pen may
be replaced by muslin curtain In cold
weather for ventilation when the house
is shut. Too many windows make the
house cold during the winter, and
pigeons will not produce well II they
are cold. The windows should be
placed Just below the caves to allow
the sun to shine back into tie house
In the southern section Of the country
Il is advisable to have a small shutter
in the rear wall just under the caves
for summer ventilation. This must be
well built, so that the opening can be
closed tightly in winter to prevent any
drafts, and 1t may be necessary to Gov
er the opening and shutters with roof
ing paper during cold weather.
Houses Should Be Rat Proof.
Pigeon houses should be construct
ed so that they can not easily become
infested with rats. This Is usually &C
complished by building the house from
IL to "a inches above the ground, us
ing up tie space between the ground
and the floor. but leaving small doors
90 that cats and dogs can get under
the house. Cement makes a very good
floor for a pigeon house. as It keeps
out the rats. The floors should be well
covered with sand or kept heavily bed
ed with straw. Alleyways 25 to 3 feet
wide are usually built on the north
side of the pigeon houses which con.
tain more than two or three pens.
II the pigeons are confined. fly
way, or outside yard covered with wire
Il attached to the south side Of the
house. The fiyway is usually from Z
to 8 feet high. 10 to 80 feet long, and
the width Of the pen. The sides and
top are usually covered with 1-inch
mesh wire to keep sparrows out, as
they eat the feed. Twoinch mesh wire
can b. used where sparrows are moi
prevalent. A few pigeon holes Z
inches high and 8 to II inches wide
ere cut in the front Of the house and
1t convenient height, usually about
4 10 8 feet above the door. A shutter