CHAPTER V.. Habits and Peculiarities.

HABITS AND PECULIARITIES.

In the first place, pigeons are monogamous. They must always be kept in even pairs, because they select their mate and very seldom ever change, unless forced to select another mate in a mating coop. Even pairs of pigeons will soon settle down quietly in various nest boxes. They usually keep the same nest boxes and alternate, having squabs first in one side and then the other. After the birds have become accustomed to their quarters and have selected in which nest they are going to start housekeeping, it will not be many days, before they begin to carry stems from the pile on the floor and start their nest. They need no assistance and should not be unnecessarily disturbed until they commence laying. This should occur in about two weeks and then it is advisable to look over the nests twice a week, and see that all new nests are well made and do not resemble a golf tee. Birds sometimes will build a high nest and lay the eggs on the top without any support. It is best to spread out a nest of this kind, after removing the eggs, so as to give a good foundation. Make a slight hollow in the centre of the stems and then replace the eggs, but be sure and see that the nest is firm enough to keep the eggs from sinking in, under the stems.

It is advisable for the beginner to mark very lightly with pencil, on eggs, the date laid. In this way it is very easy to learn the appearance of an egg at different ages, and soon you will be able to discern a bad egg at a glance and remove it, so that the old birds will not waste time sitting on it. Fresh laid eggs are semi-transparent and have a slightly dull appearance. They gradually grow opaque and solid white, with only an air space discernable unless candled. During the third week, the shell will begin to chip and the baby squab will chip a complete circle, in end of egg and gradually work out. One egg will usually hatch a day in advance of the other. This is accounted for by the fact that there is from one to two days between the time the hen lays the eggs. The birds always lay the eggs in pairs, but once in a while two pairs of birds will lay in the same nest and give the impression that four eggs have been laid.

Bad eggs are discernable easily with a little practice. At a week or ten days' old, bad eggs will have almost the appearance of a fresh laid egg, only they are shiny instead of dull on the outside, and are semi-transparent. If eggs like these are shaken gently, you can feel that they are loose and watery inside. On being held to the light and turned, the air space will shift all over. In good eggs, the air space is stationary. An egg, two or three weeks' old, having decided dark lines through it, is a sign that the squab has died in the shell. If uncertain as to an egg, it is best to leave till it develops definite signs of being bad.

Young squabs do not need assistance to get out of shell, but the empty shell can be removed later. The young squabs should not be handled too much and I do not advise any artificial feeding at all, as the old birds will give their young the best care. After eating and drinking, the old birds will fly to the nest and feed the young from their bills, just the right proportions of grain, formed into a substance called pigeon milk. The so-called pigeon milk varies according to the size of squabs and later contains whole grains and water. The squabs should never leave the nest till fully feathered, this takes about four weeks, and at that time the squabs are ready for market. To determine the exact age for marketing, look beneath the wings, as they feather out here last.

The feeding I have not gone into before, as it is contingent on the squabs.

Of course, every locality has peculiarities of its own and certain grains are cheaper in certain places. Your local dealer, no doubt, has a good pigeon feed to start with. Later you can improve and economize by mixing your own feed.

Our formula for winter feeding, is as follows:--

Argentine Corn 30% Red Wheat 10% Kaffir Corn 25% Buckwheat 20% Peas 15%

Summer feeding is:--

Argentine Corn 25% Red Wheat 15% Kaffir Corn 30% Peas 30%

Using these two formulas as a basis, you can easily arrange the best formula for yourself. Corn and buckwheat are very heatening, and the latter can be entirely dispensed with in warm localities. The corn should either be Argentine Corn or small American Corn with a part cracked corn. The amount of cracked corn is determined by the quality. If you can get a good recleaned steel-cut cracked corn, fairly free from loose fibre, it is all right to use half-and-half with the whole American Corn. Otherwise use 25% cracked to 75% whole corn.

All grains must be reasonably cured and dried. Do not buy new crops of grains until well seasoned. Inferior grains like heated corn, or wheat that has sprouted, are all to be avoided. Scratch feed is not to be recommended as a steady diet, but will serve for a while. Most scratch feeds contain rye, barley and oats, all three of which I do not recommend as pigeon feed. Scratch feed also lacks peas, and these are the finest fattening and strengthening food that squabs can get.

See that the birds get fed regularly twice a day and that they clean up all the food given them, within an hour. The morning feeding should be between 7:30 and 8:30, and in summer, not later than 8 o'clock.

Afternoon feeding should be around 3 o'clock in winter and 4 o'clock in summer. If the birds can only be fed once a day, feed in the morning and see that some feed lasts until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. It is easy to judge by the way the birds fly for the grain whether they are fed too heavily or too lightly.

Fig. 5 illustrates the card we use to regulate feeding.

A circular piece of card board, mounted with a thumb tack through centre, just outside the door, shows how much feed was given at last feeding. The top of card indicates the amount. Always setting the card the amount fed, avoids waste and having too much feed standing around, which may become mouldy and cause sickness.