Profitable Squab Breeding by Carl Dare

Carl Dare’s 1914 manual, Profitable Squab Breeding, is a comprehensive, practical guide that revolutionized the perception of pigeon raising, shifting it from a fancier’s hobby to a rigorous, profitable agricultural pursuit. Drawing on a lifetime of experience, Dare meticulously lays out the blueprint for success, whether the venture is managed in a small town backyard or scaled up to a thousand-pair commercial farm. The book focuses relentlessly on the concept of utility pigeons—those bred purely for their fast growth and high market value. Dare provides explicit, step-by-step instructions on everything from house construction and sanitary practices to specialized feeding regimens and marketing strategies, ensuring that conscientious beginners can avoid failure and secure a successful, high-return career in squab production.

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Who May Benefit from the Book

• Aspiring commercial farmers and beginners.
• Individuals seeking profitable side income.
• Women and children capable of less laborious occupations.
• Small-space enthusiasts (town lot backyard operations).
• Men of affairs seeking large investment opportunities.

Top 3 Key Insights

1. Squab raising is an immensely profitable business that is easy to manage, adaptable to both small backyards and extensive multi-acre farms.
2. Pigeons are constant breeders, with each pair reliably producing at least twelve young squabs annually, ensuring a rapid increase in stock.
3. Success hinges on acquiring high-quality breeding stock (like American Homers) and implementing strict sanitary conditions and proper feeding methods.

4 More Lessons and Takeaways

1. Squabs reach prime market weight in an incredibly short period—about four weeks—offering returns much faster than other poultry.
2. The high market value of pigeon manure as a fertilizer can often generate enough revenue to cover the entire annual cost of feeding the breeding birds.
3. Breeders must use purebred, already mated pairs from reliable sources to avoid inbreeding and guarantee heavy, light-fleshed squabs for premium prices.
4. Birds thrive and produce best under strict confinement, quiet handling, and highly regular feeding, cleaning, and breeding schedules.

The Book in 1 Sentence

This essential 1914 guide details how to establish and profitably manage a squab-breeding business for maximum utility returns, emphasizing purebred stock, sanitation, and rapid market access.

The Book Summary in 1 Minute

Carl Dare’s 1914 guide establishes squab raising as an immensely profitable business, suitable for anyone from backyard hobbyists to large-scale farmers. Demand is growing continuously, replacing expensive game birds. Success relies on utilizing high-quality purebred stock, particularly the straight American Bred Homer or Giant Carneaux, and maintaining rigorous sanitation. The book details operational essentials, instructing readers on building simple, dry structures called “lofts” with attached “flies”, providing specific grain mixtures, and preparing squabs for the market in just four weeks. Profits often exceed $1.00 net per pair annually, a substantial return, especially since the sale of the highly valued manure frequently covers the entire feed bill.

The 1 Completely Unique Aspect

The guide advises breeders to utilize the recently established Parcel Post service to ship nicely dressed squabs directly to distant consumers, thereby opening a large field of customers and avoiding the high costs and fees associated with commission merchants.

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Chapter-wise Book Summary

CHAPTER I: Profits of Squab Raising—Will It Pay?

“The squab business is comparatively new in this country although it has already reached such proportions that there can not be any doubt but it is the most profitable and pleasant business in which any one may engage”.

The squab business has experienced “wonderful growth” in recent years, becoming immensely profitable and pleasant. The demand for squabs has steadily increased as game birds became scarce and more people realized the delicacy and quality of squabs as food. This industry can be undertaken successfully by those who are not strong enough for more laborious occupations, or by established “men of affairs” on a scale requiring several acres. Squab raising is far simpler than chicken farming because attendance is minimized—there are no eggs to gather or young birds to feed; the parents handle all the work. A major financial advantage is the speed of return, as squabs are sold in four weeks, compared to twelve weeks for chickens. Furthermore, the pigeon manure can be sold as a fertilizer, often generating enough revenue to pay for the annual feed costs, which typically range from 85 cents to $1.25 per pair (this figure includes the cost of raising the squabs). The success seen across the country, from California to South Jersey and Iowa, proves the profitability of the methods outlined in the book.

• Chapter Key Points:
  • Squab raising is highly profitable and scalable.
  • Pigeon manure sales offset feed costs ($0.85–$1.25/pair).
  • Returns are quick, with sales occurring at four weeks.

CHAPTER II: The Best Breeds for Squab Raising—The Kind to Buy

“The best results will always be obtained by using pure bred birds and in selecting the variety to stock your plant you must have in mind the investment which you expect to make and the market on which you will sell your squabs”.

Selecting the right breeding stock is the first long step toward success. The author strongly cautions against paying “fancy prices for highly advertised cross-bred stock,” emphasizing that purebred birds yield the best results. For the general market under most conditions, the ideal choice is the straight American bred Homer. These birds are the best workers and feeders, highly resilient, and produce squabs weighing eight to ten pounds per dozen. For experienced breeders accessing a premium market, the Giant Carneaux is suggested; they are slightly larger, produce whiter meat, but their foundation stock costs two or three times more than Homers. Other large varieties like the Swiss Mondaine, Runts, and Maltese Hens are generally slower to breed and mature. When purchasing, always buy from a reputable breeder who sells true mated pairs—birds already paired and ready to breed, not just young, unmated stock. Buying poor, dark-fleshed stock, even cheaply, guarantees failure.

• Chapter Key Points:
  • Focus on purebred birds like the American Homer.
  • Giant Carneaux are suitable for premium, high-cost markets.
  • Buy only mated pairs from reliable dealers to ensure immediate production.

CHAPTER III: The Construction of Houses

“No business has had such a wonderful growth within the last few years as the raising of squabs for market. Only a few years ago the use of squabs for food was confined to a few of the most wealthy families”.

Beginners should dismiss the idea that costly houses are necessary; comfort and good care are more important than aesthetics. Pigeons are housed in structures called “lofts,” regardless of whether they are on the ground or in an upper level. Every loft must have an attached, wired-in yard called a “fly,” typically 10 to 30 feet long, enclosed with two-inch mesh poultry netting. While some breeders allow birds to fly freely, strict confinement leads to higher squab production and prevents losses from predators or accidents. The loft must be dry, ideally built with a floor at least a foot off the ground to prevent disease and keep rats from burrowing. For ventilation, stout muslin is often used instead of glass for windows, allowing light and air circulation. Crucially, at least two nests must be provided for every pair of birds, as they will begin nesting a second time while the first set of squabs is still maturing. Tobacco stems are the preferred nesting material because they deter insects. Sanitation demands fresh water (in special fountains) twice daily and bathing facilities (like a large dishpan). The entire interior should be whitewashed at least twice a year to kill germs and insects.

• Chapter Key Points:
  • Housing must be dry, clean, and comfortable, not necessarily expensive.
  • Provide two nests per pair for continuous breeding cycles.
  • Sanitation (fresh water, bathing, whitewashing) is mandatory for health.

CHAPTER IV: Feeds and Feeding—Breeding Habits

“Canada peas should be well dried out, selecting those of the previous year as they are thoroughly dry and sound. This is the highest priced feed the pigeon-keeper will need to buy but it is not fed largely, being used sparingly on account of the great nutritive qualities, which cause squabs to grow rapidly and make heavy breast meat”.

Pigeons are exclusive grain eaters and do not require green or animal food. All grain must be sound and wholesome. The principal feeds include red wheat, sifted cracked corn, Canada peas (or raw peanuts), kaffir corn, hemp seed, and German millet seed. Cracked corn must be sifted to remove the fine meal that can cause bowel issues. Canada peas are essential for nutrition, promoting rapid growth and heavy breast meat in squabs. Hemp seed and millet should be fed sparingly as they are highly fattening. Beyond grains, the birds require a constant supply of grit, salt (rock salt or hardened table salt), and charcoal for optimal health. Pigeons should be fed indoors, twice daily, at fixed times. A recommended mixture includes equal parts wheat, cracked corn, and Canada peas in the morning; and kaffir corn, cracked corn, millet, and Canada peas in the evening.

The breeding habits of pigeons are characterized by constancy; they mate in pairs and remain true to each other for life. After courtship, the hen typically lays two eggs. The parents share brooding duties for about seventeen days. Squabs are fed “pigeon’s milk”—a highly nutritious, partially digested, milky liquid pumped directly from the crop of the parent bird. This unique feeding method results in marvelous growth, allowing the squabs to reach full size and fatness at about four weeks old, the ideal time for market.

• Chapter Key Points:
  • Pigeons require a sound variety of grains and supplemental grit, salt, and charcoal.
  • Cracked corn must be sifted to remove harmful fine meal.
  • Parents feed squabs “pigeon’s milk,” allowing rapid growth to market size.

CHAPTER V: Increasing the Flock—Selecting Future Breeders—Banding—Mating

“If, in any case, nest mates show inclination to mate together, they should be shut away from each other, and forced to mate with non-related birds”.

To economically increase a flock, the breeder should save only the best squabs, selecting those that grow most rapidly, weigh the most, and have light-colored flesh. It is vital to avoid detrimental inbreeding. Breeders must band their stock: an open pigeon band is placed on the cock’s right leg and the hen’s left, using consecutive numbers to track siblings. Since the first squab hatched is almost always a cock and the second a hen, these nest mates must be prevented from pairing. If nest mates show signs of mating, they must be separated and forced to mate with non-related birds, often using a “mating pen”—a cage divided by a wire screen. Detailed bookkeeping is necessary to record mating pairs and track their squab production, ensuring the owner knows which pairs consistently produce high-quality young. Young birds begin to mate at about six months of age. If a pair fails to produce, the hen may be barren or the cock may be impotent, and the breeder should try breaking the mating and introducing new partners.

• Chapter Key Points:
  • Improve stock by saving the heaviest, fastest-growing squabs.
  • Use banding (cock right, hen left) to prevent inbreeding.
  • Keep breeding records to eliminate barren hens or impotent cocks.

CHAPTER VI: Making a Market—Preparing Squabs for Market

“Squabs properly packed may be sent 1,000 miles to market and yet be profitable, but there is hardly a place in this country where a good market can not be found within 200 or 300 miles”.

While shipping to large cities is an option, the “enterprising squab-breeder” should aim to develop a profitable local, home trade to save commission and freight costs. Building a private trade by introducing nicely dressed squabs to wealthy families or supplying local restaurants can allow a breeder to command high prices, sometimes $1.00 a pair. The new Parcel Post system also offers a means to ship dressed squabs efficiently to individual customers.

Squabs are ready to dress when they are about four weeks old and are at their heaviest. Before killing, they must be confined overnight without food to ensure their crops are completely empty, preventing the contents from souring and spoiling the meat. The book describes two killing methods: sticking with a knife for bleeding or the preferred, neater English method of firm neck dislocation, which instantly kills and thoroughly bleeds the bird while keeping the blood inside the skin of the neck. After plucking, squabs must be chilled in spring water and then plunged into water cold enough to nearly freeze them, removing all animal heat. For shipment, squabs should be packed in boxes or barrels with liberal amounts of cracked ice layered between the birds. Squabs are graded in the market by weight (e.g., 10-pound, 8-pound per dozen), and consistency is key; putting poor or light-weight squabs in a package will reduce the price of the entire shipment.

• Chapter Key Points:
  • Building local, private trade yields better prices than shipping to cities.
  • Squabs must have empty crops before killing to prevent spoilage.
  • Thorough chilling and liberal icing are essential for packing and transit.

CHAPTER VII: Diseases of Pigeons

“The very best way to escape trouble from diseases among pigeons is to prevent them by always keeping the lofts and flies in first-class condition”.

The greatest enemy to pigeon health is carelessness. Diseases are best prevented by maintaining clean lofts, supplying sound feed and pure water, and practicing regularity. New birds should always be quarantined for a week to prevent the spread of imported diseases. Common diseases and treatments include:

• “Going Light” (Tuberculosis): Affects weak birds, causing diarrhea and appetite loss. Treatable with castor oil, followed by daily doses of cod liver oil and hempseed.
• Canker (Diphtheria-like): Yellowish-white blisters in the mouth. Treat by gently scraping off the cankers and swabbing the raw area with a half-and-half solution of peroxide of hydrogen and water. Severe cases can sometimes be cured by turning the bird out of the fly.
• Roup: Indicated by an offensive nasal discharge. Treat in early stages by squirting coal oil or camphorated oil into the nostrils and the mouth slit.
• Cholera: Caused by dampness and filth. Highly contagious and treated by adding carbolic acid or tincture of gentian to the drinking water, coupled with intense disinfection.

Other concerns include Vertigo (incurable brain affection), Egg-bound (treatable with vaseline and steam), and Lice (prevented by tobacco stem nesting material, cleanliness, and treating the loft with kerosene and whitewash). The breeder should keep a medicine chest containing essential items like peroxide of hydrogen, camphorated oil, and cod liver oil.

• Chapter Key Points:
  • Sanitation, sound feed, and quarantining new stock prevent disease.
  • Canker requires physical removal and peroxide treatment.
  • Do not return sick birds to the loft until fully recovered.

CHAPTER VIII: Miscellaneous Information—Catching Mated Pairs

“Keep everything going like clock work, and the work will be properly done and the birds thrive better for the regular habits they learn”.

For success, the principle of regularity is crucial—maintaining a fixed schedule for cleaning, feeding, and killing squabs. Birds should be handled quietly, as quick motions and loud noises disturb them, potentially causing them to abandon nests or stop feeding their young. Starting a loft is best done by purchasing 10 to 50 high-quality mated pairs. Breeders should avoid squabs weighing less than eight pounds per dozen, as these sell poorly. A good pair of pigeons will breed regularly for seven or eight years.

Housing recommendations emphasize avoiding overcrowding: 50 pairs require a room 8×10 feet and a fly at least 10×24 feet. Good ventilation is necessary, especially in winter. The book emphasizes the increasing profitability of squab raising as demand rises and game birds decrease. The business has grown into a respected “profession,” allowing people from various walks of life to earn a good living or supplement their income. Other practical advice covers handling vermin (mice like to hide in nests and kill squabs), feeding a proper variety of grains, and selecting an ideal site that is well-drained and sheltered from harsh winds.

• Chapter Key Points:
  • Regularity in all routines ensures birds thrive.
  • Avoid overcrowding; provide sufficient space for lofts and flies.
  • Do not kill squabs before they are firm and solid, regardless of age.

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Notable Quotes from the Book

1. “The rearing of squabs for market is immensely profitable as well as easy“.
2. “The fancier, who raises animals because he likes their looks or their actions… is not the man for whom we have written this book“.
3. “It is just as easy to pet a practical animal as an impractical animal, and much more satisfying“.
4. “The manure from a loft of pigeons can be sold as a garden fertilizer for enough to pay for the cost of feeding the birds“.
5. “There is no advantage to be gained by crossing the blood lines of two or more varieties for breeding purposes”.
6. “Pigeons mate in pairs and remain constant to each other for life, as a rule”.
7. “If the feed is given in hoppers the birds will eat the kind they like best and waste much of the rest of the feed“.
8. “If an odd cock or an odd hen is left in a loft, there are family troubles without end“.
9. “The Parcel Post now brings a large field of customers right to your door”.
10. “If a large loft of pigeons average six pairs of pigeons a year, it will do as much as can be expected of it”.

About the Author

Carl Dare, operating out of Des Moines, Iowa, copyrighted and released Profitable Squab Breeding in 1914. Dare speaks from the perspective of an industry veteran, noting he has “the experience of a lifetime in the work” and twenty years of engagement in the business. His professional background centers on developing the utility aspect of pigeon breeding, focusing strictly on the birds’ earning capacity and their market viability as a food staple. Dare’s career insights were heavily influenced by the realization that squabs offer a quick profit, reaching market size in just four weeks. His writing style is deliberately simple and “plain,” intended to provide a comprehensive, practical guide that covers every minute detail an expert or a beginner needs to know. Dare’s primary achievement, reflected in his major work, is the systematization of squab breeding, helping readers succeed not merely in raising squabs, but in mastering the critical “business end of the industry”.

How to Get the Most from the Books

Follow all instructions diligently, start with the right high-quality mated stock, maintain strict regularity in feeding and sanitation, and use the guide to track and select your best breeders.

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Conclusion

Profitable Squab Breeding by Carl Dare serves as an invaluable historical document and a highly effective practical manual for the turn-of-the-century squab industry. Dare successfully argues that pigeon raising is neither merely a hobby nor a risky venture, but a reliable and immensely profitable agricultural business, accessible regardless of the initial scale or capital invested. The book’s core lessons—the necessity of sanitary confinement, the use of purebred, prolific stock like the American Homer, and the economic advantage gained from quick market returns and manure sales—remain the foundations of maximizing profit in this niche field. By adhering to the methodical and detailed instructions laid out by Dare, the conscientious breeder is ensured a successful and reliable income.