How Do Beginners Raise Pigeons? Breeding Methods and Tips

Speaking of pigeons, I believe everyone is especially familiar with them; they are a common bird in our daily lives. Pigeons are not only interesting and cute, but also a particularly nutritious and delicious delicacy, so many people like to raise some pigeons themselves to sell, eat, or play with. So what should beginners pay attention to when raising pigeons?

How Do Beginners Raise Pigeons

The first thing for beginners raising pigeons is the pigeon loft. The simplest is an interior that can shelter from wind and rain and an exterior where they can bask in the sun. The interior and exterior are connected, and the exterior only needs to be enclosed with netting. The entrance and exit are set on the exterior. This is fairly basic. Of course, if conditions are lacking, it can be simpler. Change it later when suitable. It is best to face south, otherwise the north wind will blow directly into the pigeon house.

Next is buying young pigeons. The reason young pigeons are recommended is that they settle into the loft quickly and can be well trained for home flying. There are also requirements for choosing young pigeons; since you are going to raise them, you should choose ones with better home-flying ability. Pigeons' home-flying ability can even be somewhat hereditary. It is best to choose a loft whose pigeons already fly well at home and buy some young pigeons from there. Those pigeons' home flying will not be beyond your expectations. It is best to choose young pigeons that have just left the nest. Pigeons that have already been outside the loft flying once or twice cannot be taken, since they are all from nearby. Those whose voices are already changing are even less acceptable. They will easily fly back. Also, do not buy any that look unclean in the feathers, not beautiful, or thin and small. Of course, if you have a friend who raises pigeons, you can ask them to help you choose.

How to Raise Pigeons

1. Pigeons' staple food

Pigeon feed is mainly miscellaneous grains, with the more commonly used ones being wheat, buckwheat, sorghum, corn, peas, mung beans, hemp seeds, and so on. When feeding, at least two kinds of feed should be selected and mixed; for example, normally wheat, corn, and sorghum together make 3 parts, and peas 1 part. During training, change it to wheat, corn, and sorghum together making 3 parts, peas 1 part, and hemp seeds 1 part.

2. Pigeons' supplementary food

Besides miscellaneous grains, green feed such as leafy greens, cabbage, and wheat seedlings, as well as mineral feed, can also be provided. The ratio of mineral feed is: yellow mud and yellow sand 3 parts each, slaked lime 2 parts, salt 1 part, shell powder or eggshell powder 0.5 part, and charcoal 0.5 part. After crushing, add water, mix, roll into balls, and dry them in the sun. When feeding, break the balls and place them in the pigeon loft.

3. Feeding times

Feed twice a day, once at around 7 in the morning and once at around 4:30 in the afternoon. The morning feeding amount accounts for 1/3 of the daily ration, and the afternoon feeding amount accounts for 2/3 of the daily ration. The daily feed amount for each adult pigeon is about 50 grams, and it can be appropriately increased a little during training. Feed should be given after the pigeons return to the loft, so that they form a conditioned reflex that there is food upon returning to the loft, which helps with homing.

4. During the period when pigeons are trained for racing, more corn and peas should be fed, and water should be given first, then feed. You can first feed glucose water, then lightly salted water. In summer and during the period of hatching young pigeons, an appropriate amount of salt can be added to their drinking water.

Pigeon Management Techniques

Pigeons live on plant-based food. Among grains, corn, rice, wheat, and sorghum, and among legumes, peas, mung beans, broad beans, and mixed beans, are all good feed. In the feed mix, grains can account for 2/3, and legumes about 1/3. As for the protein content in the feed, breeding pigeons during the period of rearing squabs can have about 18%, and young pigeons about 15%, while appropriately combining grit, salt, minerals, and multiple vitamins. Using complete mixed pellet feed to feed pigeons gives better results. Meat pigeons have a large body size and consume more feed; homing pigeons and ornamental pigeons consume about 1/3 less feed than meat pigeons. Daily feed consumption can be roughly calculated as 1/10 of their body weight. In addition, a pigeon needs to drink about 30-60 milliliters of water per day. Artificial incubation and the use of synthetic pigeon milk to feed squabs can increase the reproduction rate of breeding pigeons.

The pigeon house should be built with sufficient light and kept dry, while also taking care to prevent harm from cats, snakes, rats, and so on. A breeding pigeon house with an area of 8-10 square meters can raise 20-40 pairs. Each pair of breeding pigeons needs two nest boxes, so that they can be used alternately when laying eggs, incubating, and brooding. A space of 10-20 square meters can raise 50-100 pairs of young pigeons aged 1-5 months. The main equipment in the house is separated square perch boxes, so that each has its own place and fighting over territory is prevented. For breeding commercial squabs, three-layer or four-layer overlapping cages are now mostly used, one pair per cage, which is convenient for management and can increase the reproduction rate of breeding pigeons and the weight gain speed of squabs.

Advantages of Raising Pigeons

Because China's meat pigeon industry has developed rapidly in recent years, and thanks to factors such as the continuous improvement of production technology in the meat pigeon industry, more and more meat pigeon farmers have appeared in China, and meat pigeons have a very good development situation in both domestic and international markets. Engaging in pigeon farming has low investment, a short cycle, few diseases, and high returns, making it a farming industry with great development prospects. Therefore, China's demand for meat pigeons will show a trend of substantial growth, with great room for market expansion.

So, in order to let the pigeon farming business show a mature development model, help the pigeon farming industry become bigger and stronger, and build a modern pigeon farming industry. In the future, joining the pigeon farming market will become more and more mature, bringing tangible benefits to pigeon farmers while also allowing consumers to eat healthy, high-quality pigeon meat at any time.

As mentioned above, raising pigeons is actually very simple, but if you are a beginner, it is best not to raise too many at the beginning. It is best to raise just 4-6, and after the pigeons reproduce, slowly increase the number. During this breeding process, the beginner will long ago have become an old hand!