Homestead Squab and Guinea Production

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If the birds are fed in a self-feeder, this feeder should be filled at least every other day. Most pigeon fanciers prefer to hand-feed their birds in troughs that are placed inside the pigeon house—usually at the base of the alleyway partition—so that it is not necessary for the attendant to enter the pigeon enclosure. They should be fed twice daily and are given all that they will clean up within an hour after feeding. Of course fresh water is supplied—drinking fountains save time in this regard—and a bathing pan is set in the yard, the water changed daily. Pigeons love to bathe and insist on clean water. Here on Toowoomba, we have a small door leading from the flyway to the outside through which we pass the bathing pans, thus eliminating the need for going into the pen.

SANITATION

It is difficult to produce squab under any but the most sanitary conditions. The problem is simplified if one is prepared to devote a few minutes each day to the pigeons' maintenance. Floors of pigeon houses should be of board or concrete construction so that they may be cleaned at least once a week, and flyway floors should be covered with fine gravel so that they may be raked out at least once every ten days.

Pigeons are not subject to many diseases. However, the prevention of the diseases that do affect them is much simpler than is their cure. Nests should be cleaned out after each pair of squabs has been butchered, and plenty of clean, coarse straw should be kept on hand so that the pigeons may arrange fresh nests for each setting of eggs.

Pigeons that show signs of lice should be dusted with sodium fluoride (we make a practice of doing this twice annually despite the fact that we have never had lice among the birds) and the entire house should be sprayed with some sort of cresol solution at least twice a year.

Watering and feeding facilities should be kept clean and leftover feed should not be permitted to collect in the bottom of the feeders as these grains will soon sour and will be detrimental to the flock. Bathing water should be changed daily (for the birds will often drink from their baths) and fresh gravel should be scattered on the floor of the flyway at least twice each year. All this may sound complicated and time consuming. However, the beginner will be amazed at the small amount of time necessary if filth is never permitted to collect.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT

Squabs are at their prime at from 26 to 30 days and should be collected from the nests the evening before butchering. This will permit the craws to empty and will lessen the labor of cleaning. The squabs are usually dry-picked and are butchered before pin feathers have a chance to form under the wings. All body temperature should be removed by placing the picked squabs in cold water and if properly wrapped they will keep in a deepfreeze unit at zero degrees Fahrenheit from 8 to 10 months.

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