Say, it cost $1.00 for each pair of birds kept in a house and the birds costs $2.50 a pair. The interest on this investment at 6 per cent a year would be 21 cents, thus leaving $1.04 as absolutely net profit from a pair of pigeons in a year, after paying all expenses at a liberal rate and paying good interest on the investment.
There is no other business open to those who have a small capital which will give such large returns. For every 100 pairs of pigeons kept, it is perfectly safe to say that a clean and clear profit of $100 may be made. Where a large number are kept, it is not uncommon for the owner to realize $1.50 net profit from a pair of Homers.
The one who begins with ten, twenty-five, or fifty pairs of birds will get proportionate returns from his investment in the way of increased number in his flock and will soon be in position to consider himself an extensive pigeon-breeder, because he may expect to have at least four pairs of first-class breeders from each pair he started with at the beginning of any year, having kept only the best and sold the poorest of the squabs. These estimates are very conservative for it is our intention in this book to give the beginner only the facts on which he may rely. If he fails to do much better than these figures after some experience in the business, he may well feel that he is not gaining the fullest measure of success.
The business is only in its infancy and those who start in now or any time soon may expect to reap a rich reward in the way of profits.
A Flock of Mammoth White Homers in far off Alaska.
The illustrations on this page and succeeding pages show the rapid development of squabs from the egg to the market in four weeks.
Eggs in the Nest.