Pigeon Raising

Pigeon Raising

Pigeons and squabs can be profitablyraised on the small homestead. Although theyrequire good housing, they can be raised any-where in the United States.

Breeds: You should begin breeding withnot less than four pairs of mated breeders.(Pigeons mate for life and are sold in pairs.)Buy good stock from a registered breeder. Youmight be able to find a breeder in your area bychecking at a local feed and grain store.

The following breeds are recommendedfor beginners. They are good producers andraise large, broad-breasted squabs: White King,White Carneaux, Giant Homers, and GiantRunt.

Housing: Twenty-five pairs of breedingpigeons may be kept in a pen and loft. Theloft must be dry and draft-free. Pigeons needsunshine, and a flying pen is usually constructedin the front of the loft, extending up to theroof, so the pigeons can fly and sun themselves.A pen 6 by 10 by 7 feet high is sufficient. Theloft and pen must be mouse- and ratproof. Usefine wire mesh.

The loft floor should be smooth so it canbe easily scraped. Put two inches of finegravel on the floor. Open-front lofts can bebuilt in warmer climates, but lofts with openingwindow's for summer ventilation should beprovided in cooler climates.

Never give the pigeons nesting material.It is useless and messes up the floor. Cheapnesting bowls, made of pulp and available at afeed store, will keep eggs and squabs together.After a few months' use they may be discardedand replaced with new ones.

Each breeding pair will need two nests—one for the current squabs and another for the

start of a second nest when the first squabsabout two weeks old. Orange crates stactop of each other with plywood betweenserve well as nest boxes and are cheap toplace.

Pigeons are very clean and love toA large pan filled with three inches ofshould be placed in their flying pen onmornings. After several hours, removepan, empty, and wash. Pigeons kept in aloft and allowed to bathe regularly don'tinsect pests. Keep the floor clean andnesting boxes of manure at least everymonths.

Feeding: If you can't raise yourgrains for feeding, buy whole, unmixedThese are cheaper than commercialfeed. Use whole yellow corn, wheat, redsorghum, peas, or vetch. Never feedor table scraps, and feed lettuce or greensoccasionally. Pigeons need grit in their crhelp them crack grains and to aid in prfood for their squabs. Keep small boxesred pigeon grit available in the pen. Theneed a constant source of fresh, cleanMake sure they cannot get their feet intowater supply, or they will bathe in it.

Care: Pigeons mate at six months.female lays two eggs which hatch in 18The male helps with the nesting, sitting onnest from early morning to late afternoon.female sits during the rest of the day. Knthis pattern may help in sexing pairs.also tend to be more aggressive, larger anda coarser appearance.

During incubation, a substance"pigeon milk" forms in the crops of bothThis is fed to the young for the first five ordays after they emerge. After about theirday, they are able to digest grain whicifed from the crops of the parents. Since re best characteristic of this tree is that it,ears comparatively heavy in its early years.fou won't have to wait forever to enjoy the.`ruits of your labor.

Trees should be planted 25 to 30 feet:part. Frost pockets mean sure death and should be avoided. Air drainage must be good.After ten to 15 years, every other tree should becut out so that the planting distance is enlarged150 by 50 feet. Yields will not be increasedby crowding trees.

It is wise to plant several varieties in closeproximity, as the Chinese chestnut is self-sterile.Trees grown alone will produce but a few nuts.Supply plenty of moisture for young trees, as it6 vitally important for good spring growth andfor the very life of the tree. You might forma shallow basin around the tree to catch andhold water. The mulch around trees will pro-tect the topsoil from drying and caking, whileplenty of humus will hold water in the soil.It would be a good idea to use a moisture meterto keep constant check on young trees untilthey are well established.

Although done successfully by some grow-ers, grafting and layering the Chinese chestnutare rather difficult for the home gardener.Therefore, propagation is usually limited toplanting seedlings. Since the career of this treein America is still in infancy, experimenters areconstantly working to improve the variety.Some experts maintain that in due time theChinese chestnut will surpass the Americanvariety in quality and yield.

Chestnut weevils can become a major problem, but may be controlled by gathering nuts from the ground daily to prevent theworms from entering the soil.

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