Breeding meat pigeons in 3 stages: buying, feeding and breeding

Breeding of meat pigeons at home is gaining more and more popularity. The meat of these birds is compared to quail, because it has a fine-fiber structure and an unusually pleasant taste. Among other things, nutritionists recommend using it, as it is easily absorbed by the body.

A pigeon farm is a very profitable business. The start-up capital of a business can be up to 200 thousand rubles, together with land lease. Primitive cages / enclosures for keeping 10-20 individuals cost from 15 to 20 thousand rubles. The price of one pair of pigeons, according to various estimates, varies from 2 to 4 thousand rubles. Much depends on their variety.

The lion's share of the capital will need to be spent on the purchase of feed. You will have to pay up to 5,000 rubles per ton of feed mixture.

The subtleties of choosing meat pigeons

Experienced breeders choose these particular species of birds, because they quickly increase body weight. Also, meat pigeons are distinguished by high reproductive ability, which contributes to a rapid increase in their population.

Several breeds of these birds are offered on the market:

• Strasser (Austrian, German and Czech);
• Polish lynx;
• Roman giants / giants;
• king (up to 2 kg);
• texan;
• Benesov pigeon.

Before buying a flock, you need to collect as much information as possible about each species.

Considering an already selected bird, it is important to pay attention to:

• the purity of the bird;
• harmony of the male / female, muscle tightness;
• eyes (the absence of mucous formations is a clear sign of health);
• the condition of the feathers (they should be even, not lethargic);
• character (non-aggressive).

In addition, experts advise a thorough skin examination. The presence of parasites is indicated by holes under the wings. It's also important to check if they have lice. They often accumulate near the beak or anus. Since meat pigeons live in pairs, you need to find a suitable "life partner" for them. To do this, you will have to observe their behavior. If they coo, then they fit together, and if they are at enmity, they are of the same sex.

Some facts from the life of pigeons. These birds are monogamous and live in pairs. They group together, forming flocks of dozens of individuals. Unlike other birds, they feed babies with milk - a gruel of an unusual texture.

The age of pets plays an important role in reproduction. This parameter can be easily identified by its legs and beak. In young animals, the wax, although white, is rather soft and not as rough as in adults. The paws of the chicks have a pink tint, as well as a delicate texture. Do not take too old birds.

Breeding meat pigeons: decent housing and food

A specially equipped nursery, spacious cage or aviary will be a suitable place for the flock. The dimensions of the structures are determined depending on the breed, as well as the behavior of the birds.

The bottom of the structures is covered with:

• sifted sand;
• sawdust;
• peat;
• dry grass;
• straw.

The room is regularly cleaned, and after wintering, a general disinfection is carried out. This helps protect pets from dangerous viruses and bacteria.

The optimum temperature for keeping meat pigeons is within + 5-20˚С. To maintain such a microclimate, additional thermal insulation is carried out. This applies to cages or nurseries with a metal roof.Due to the high thermal conductivity of the material, the room becomes very hot in summer and quickly cools down in winter. Therefore, heating systems are installed in the building.

Separately, it is recommended to keep birds of different breeds and ages. It is also necessary to isolate sick individuals so as not to infect everyone else. Before being allowed to the flock of new chicks, they are checked for diseases.

Feeding fleshy pigeons - a complete diet

The diet of pigeons must include vegetables (potatoes, carrot), as well as fruits. To obtain a more fleshy structure of fillets, the birds must necessarily prepare potato or egg-pea mixtures. Also, experts advise adding a sufficient amount of fat to the porridge.

The daily menu for Strasser pigeons and other breeds may include:

• corn, rice, wheat, millet and buckwheat (50-70%);
• peas, beans, lentils or barley (up to 20-40% of a single ingredient);
• oatmeal (15%);
• fresh herbs in the form of spinach, clover, cabbage, nettle, or lettuce leaves (10-25%);
• minerals and vitamins (up to 5%).

Many beneficial mineral compounds are found in river sand, clay, charcoal, table salt, eggshells, and fine gravel. A complex of vitamins, consisting of vitamins C, B, A and E, as well as glucose or fish oil, is purchased separately. Thanks to this kind of feeding, the pigeon business will progress quickly and successfully. However, there are a few more subtleties of this case.

Breeding meat pigeons - home marriage bureau

The most suitable age for mating young animals is from 6-8 months to 2 years. It is then that the wax becomes white, which indicates puberty. Too young individuals need to be restrained, since they do not have the patience to hatch eggs later. At the same time, full-fledged reproductive abilities are observed in birds over the next 10 years.

The mating process is very important for breeding meat pigeons, so it must be organized correctly. Farmers prepare nurseries and cages for spring. The room is cleaned and disinfected. A special nest is formed for the couple. Hay, twigs or straw are placed in boxes with a low side. After "mating dances", the birds make a comfortable place for themselves. The breeder should then fill the empty space with sawdust and plaster.

Over the years, experts have found 4 ways to breed pigeons:

1. Naturally (in March or April). Birds find their own mate, which does not always give suitable offspring.
2. Inbreeding. They are used to obtain purebred birds of the same breed. It is carried out between individuals who are closely related.
3. Linear. The breeder selects strong and healthy birds. This is necessary to obtain certain hereditary qualities.
4. Meat pigeons are mated, taking into account only their external characteristics.

The number of steam boxes must match the number of pairs. Otherwise, they will fight "for a place in the sun." Containers are placed farther from each other, if the dimensions of the room allow.

After laying the eggs, the couple incubates them in turn. It is not recommended to disturb the birds for 4 weeks. It is better to check the progress of the process in their absence. Chicks hatch after about a month. It is noteworthy, but the plumage of the meat pigeons determines their sex. Females are born with long yellow feathers, and males without them at all. Chicks receive complete independence from their parents in a month.

If you do not find a customer for your products in time, then breeding pigeons as a business is fashionable to be considered a failure. At the same time, some people breed birds exclusively for their own needs.

Fattening of young stock or baby food regimen

The immature organism of chicks is most susceptible to attack by harmful viruses, bacteria and microbes. For this reason, their diet should include a lot of minerals, vitamin complexes and nutrients.The technology of feeding young animals has some differences. For the first 1-2 weeks, feed portions will be maximized (especially in the evening), and then gradually reduced. This happens after the bird's iris has changed.

Their diet includes:

• grain up to 40 g / day (wheat, corn, barley or millet are sprayed with 5 drops of fish oil);
• water with glucose (a few drops);
• juicy greens (10 g / day);
• baked goods, boiled potatoes or porridge (only as additives).

As soon as the chicks begin to fly fully, the portion of grain crops is halved. Overfeeding the birds with supplements can lead to eating disorders and therefore weight loss.

A special place in the breeding of king pigeons is played by the intensive feeding system. This breed of birds gains weight (up to 800 g) in just 30-38 days. For fattening choose 3-week-old chicks. They are placed in a dark place and fed 4 times a day with special porridge-like mixtures. For the procedure, syringes with soft nozzles are used.

Porridge is prepared from:

• cereals;
• grain crops (barley, wheat);
• legumes;
• mineral elements (iron, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium found in chalk / sand);
• vitamins.

Each chick should eat up to 50-60 g of this feed per day. One dose accounts for up to 15-20 g of the mixture.

In doing so, they are given a warm liquid for easy assimilation. Special drinkers are installed in the dovecotes, the water in which is changed regularly to keep it clean.

Final stage - slaughter

The birds will be ready for slaughter in 28-35 days. A week before, the flock is recommended to drink milk with added salt, which bleaches the meat and makes it tender. For the piquancy of taste, the chicks are fed with grains of herbs (cumin, anise or dill). To simplify the evisceration of the carcass, food is stopped for the bird 24 hours before the procedure. Taking into account all the intricacies of breeding meat pigeons, you can rightfully get an exotic delicacy. If you can't sell it, then home and guests will like it.

King pigeons - video