Making Pigeons Pay - A Manual of Practical Information on the Management, Selection, Breeding, Feeding, and Marketing of Pigeons

Wendell Mitchell Levi

Description

This book contains a complete guide to breeding pigeons for profit, with information on common problems, selection, necessary equipment, ailments and diseases, marketing, and many other related aspects. An accessible and comprehensive guide, “Practical Pigeon Production” will be of utility to anyone occupied in keeping pigeons for economic gain, and would make for a useful addition to collections of allied literature. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on pigeons.

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 06 août 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528763257
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

MAKING PIGEONS PAY
A Manual of Practical Information on the Management, Selection, Breeding, Feeding, and Marketing of Pigeons
By
WENDELL MITCHELL LEVI, A.B., Ph.B., J.D., Litt.D.
1st Lieutenant, in charge Pigeon Section, U. S. A. Signal Corps, S. E. Department, 1917-18; Captain, Commanding Company L, 323rd Infantry, 81st Division, A. E. F., 1918-19; President, Palmetto Pigeon Plant 1923-56, Chairman of Board from 1956; Editor, Question and Answer Department, American Pigeon Journal, from 1927; President, National Pigeon Association, 1931-33; President, American Carneau Association, 1942; Author, Merit Badge Pamphlet on Pigeon Raising, Boy Scouts of America, 1934, Revised 1958; The Pigeon, 1941, Revised 1957, 1969; The Visible Pigeon, 1963; Encyclopedia of Pigeon Breeds, 1965
150 ILLUSTRATIONS
1976
Copyright 2013 Read Books Ltd.
This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Pigeons
Pigeon keeping is both the art, and the science of breeding domestic pigeons - it has been practiced for over 10,000 years in almost every part of the globe. In that time, mankind has substantially altered the morphology and the behaviour of the domesticated descendants of the rock dove, to suit his needs for food, aesthetic satisfaction and entertainment. There are hundreds of breeds of domesticated pigeon arising from this common ancestor, and they are generally split into three groups; Sporting, Fancy and Utility. People who breed pigeons are commonly referred to as pigeon fanciers , although, as is perhaps clear, pigeon keeping is not restricted to frivolity. Flying and Sporting pigeons are kept and bred for their aerial performance, as well as for reproduction. Perhaps one of the most famous examples of these birds are the racing homers ; trained to participate in pigeon racing, but also extremely useful as message carriers in times of war. Speckled Jim ; the popular British comedy sketch in Rowan Atkinson s Blackadder series, plays amusing testament to their important, though not unproblematic usage in the First World War. Sporting races often have large cash prizes of anything up to one million dollars, and the Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race is perhaps the most famous of such events. There are also competitions for different types of flight, including Rollers (spinning around in the air), Tumblers (tumbling backwards during flight) and Tipplers (bred for their endurance; non-stop flights of over 22 hours have been reported). Fancy pigeons, the second large grouping of pigeons, are birds which are bred not based on performance, but on appearance. Examples of fancy pigeons would include Jacobins, Fantails and Pigmy Pouters. Similar to sporting pigeons however, they are competed at shows and exhibitions - judged by expert panels on their proximity to respective breed standards. These pigeons come in all sizes, colours and types. Utility Pigeons, the last grouping of pigeons, are generally bred just for their meat, or as replacement breeding stock. The meat of pigeons is customarily referred to as squab , a term of Scandinavian origin, meaning loose, fat flesh , and is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. Historically, squabs or pigeons have been consumed in civilisations as diverse as ancient Egypt, Rome and Medieval Europe. In the modern day, both the hobby and commercial aspects of pigeon keeping are all over the world, and various specialised societies have been founded to cater for this growing passion.
To My Friend
HAROLD MO SE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. S QUABS A S A F OOD
In Antiquity . On the European Continent . In the United States . History of the Squab Industry in the U. S. A . Nature of Squab Meat .
II. S HALL I R AISE S QUABS ?
Introduction . Squab Raising as a Business . Advantages of the Squab Business . Disadvantages of Squab Raising .
III. H OW TO S TART
Backyard Squab Raising . Where to Start . When to Start . What is Needed . Selection of a Site . General Location . Specific Location . Nature of Land . Dryness . Conveniences . Water . Paved Roads . Electric Power and Telephone . Capital Required . Experience . Cash Possibilities .
IV. S ELECTING B REEDING S TOCK
How to Select and Purchase Breeding Stock . With What Breed Shall I Start? Introduction . Specific Qualities Desired in Breeding Stock . Merits of the Various Colors . White . Brown . Blue and Black . Red . Dun, Yellow, and Silver . Mixed Colors .
V. B REEDS U SED FOR C OMMERCIAL P URPOSES
Introduction . Kings . White Kings . Silver Kings . Blue, Red, and Yellow Kings . Carneaux . Red Carneaux . White Carneaux . Yellow, Black, and Dun Carneaux . Squabbing Homers . Mondains . Introduction . White Swiss Mondaines . French Mondain . Giant American Crests . Giant Homers . Runts . Hungarians . Maltese . Florentines . Strassers . Polish Lynx . Crosses .
VI. H OW TO B UILD THE S QUAB H OUSE
Introduction . General Principles for all Squab Houses . Sanitation . Sunshine . Ventilation . Size . Site . Height from Ground . Location . Houses in Series . Uniformity of Interiors . Time Savers . Height of House and Fly Pen . Wire-floored Fly Pens . Successful Types in Use Today . Southeastern Type . Eastern and Northern Type . Southern California Type . Details of Squab House . Introduction . Foundations . Floors . Outer Sides . Dividing Partitions . Fronts . Aisles . Roofs . Roofing Materials . Hood or Visor . Nests . Perches . Fly Pens . Size . Framing . Doors . Floors . Equipment . Introduction . Containers for Grain Ration . Aisle Troughs . Cafeteria Feeders . Troughs in Loft . Water Vessels . Non-running types . Running Water System . Grit Containers . Bath Pans . Frequency of Baths . Nesting Material Containers . Nesting Materials .
VII. H OW TO F EED
Introduction . How the Beginner Should Purchase Feed and Grit . Feed . Mineral Mixture . Water . How to Feed . Feeding by Hand Twice a Day on the Floor . Feeding by Hand in Covered Trough in Loft . Feeding by Hand in Aisle Troughs . Feeding by Cafeteria Feeders . Home-Mixed Feeds . Tested Home Mixtures . Substitution of Grains . Corn . Wheat . Grain Sorghums . Peas . Feed Substitutes . Substitutes for Cereal Grains . Barley . Buckwheat . Millet . Oats . Rice . Rye . Substitutes for Peas . Peanuts . Vetch . Soy Beans . Miscellaneous Seeds . Flaxseed . Hemp Seed . Sunflower Seed . Green Food . Storing Feeds . Home-Made Grit .
VIII. H OW TO B REED
Introduction . The Life of The Pigeon . Matings . Forced or Controlled Matings . Natural Matings . Nest Making . Driving . Eggs . Brooding . Hatching . Squab Growth . Weaning Age . Six to Sixteen Weeks of Age . Sex Maturity . Breeding Life . Raising Breeding Stock . Selection of Youngsters . Fast Production . Low Mortality Losses . Docility . Absence of Autumn Pause . Heavy Feeding of Squabs . Long Life . Culling Youngsters at Market Age . Care of Youngsters . Time to Raise . Sex . Distinguishing Cocks and Hens . In Squabs . In Adults . Appearance . Behavior . Sex-Linkage . Nature . Practical Sex-Linked Matings . Auto-Sexing or Dual-Colored Pairs . Inbreeding, Linebreeding, and Cross-Breeding .
IX. H OW TO M ARKET
Introduction . Confidence of Customers . Quality of Product . Integrity of Policy . Kinds of Customers . Retail Trade . Private Wholesale Trade . Commission Houses . Squab Sizes . Squab Prices . How to Prepare for Market . Introduction . Killing . Cleaning . Picking . Cooling . Drying . Grading . Packing . Containers . Wrappers . Packing . Unwrapped Squabs in Boxes . Unwrapped Squabs in Buckets or Barrels . Wrapped Squabs in Boxes . Shipping . Dry Ice . Freezing Squabs . Shipping Live Squabs . Oven Dressed or Eviscerated Squabs .
X. H OW TO T REAT S ICK P IGEONS
Introduction . Diagnosing Diseases . Sanitation . Floors . Nests . Ceilings . Fly Pens . Dryness . Sunshine . Paratyphoid . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Canker . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Pigeon Pox . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Colds . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Bronchitis . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Roup (Big Eye) . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Coccidiosis . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Tuberculosis . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Thrush . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Vertigo . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . One-Eye-Colds . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Dysentery (Diarrhea) . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Ruptured Spleen . Sour Crop . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Crop Bound . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Tumors . Nature . Symptoms . Treatment . Temporary Tumors . Going Light . Bumblefoot . Mud Balls . Feather Eating . Stiff Knees . Hawk Beak . Medicines and Tonics . Introduction . Cod-Liver Oil . Castor Oil . Epsom Salt . Baking Soda . Muriatic Acid . Potassium Permanganate . Fluid Extract of Gentian . Brewers Yeast .
XI. H OW TO K EEP D OWN P ARASITES AND P ESTS
Introduction . Parasitic Worms . In General . Common or Large Round Worm . Hair Worm . Other Round Worms . Tape Worm . Pigeon Lice . Occurrence and Description . Feather Louse . Golden Feather Louse . Large Body Louse . Control . Roost Mite (Red Mite or Chicken Mite) . Occurrence and Description . Control . Pigeon Fly . Occurrence and Description . Control . Mosquitoes . Bedbug . Occurrence and Description . Control . Fleas . Occurrence and Description . Control . Rats . Occurrence and Description . Control . Preventive Measures . In New Construction . In Old Construction . Remedial Measures . Poisons . Traps . In Tunnels . Mice . Occurrence and Description . Control . Poisons . Traps . English Sparrows . Cats . Dogs . Insecticides and Disinfectants