How to Raise Yuanbao Pigeons? A Detailed Guide to Scientific Breeding Techniques

Everyone knows that pigeons come in a great many breeds, and among them the Yuanbao pigeon is one of the better-known types. The Yuanbao pigeon gets its name because its shape resembles a yuanbao (gold ingot), and it is currently distributed fairly widely across our country. Many people run into a lot of problems when raising Yuanbao pigeons because their techniques are not up to standard, so before starting to raise them, you must first understand the breeding techniques.

How to Raise Yuanbao Pigeons

1. Stocking density should not be too high. The temperature must be suitable and stable: 35°C for 1-7 days of age, 32°C for 8-14 days of age, 29°C for 15-21 days of age, 26°C for 22-28 days of age; for adult meat pigeons the rearing temperature can be controlled within the range of 10-30°C. Humidity should be controlled at 80% for 1-4 days of age, 75% for 5-7 days of age, 70% for 8-15 days of age, 65% for 16-20 days of age; the suitable rearing humidity for adult meat pigeons is 50%-75%.

2. When humidity is too high, measures such as ventilation and cleaning the site should be taken promptly; when it is too low, it can be raised through measures such as sprinkling water on the ground. Light duration and intensity can affect the growth, development and health of meat pigeons. If light intensity is too great, especially when stocking density is too high, it easily causes meat pigeons to become restless and irritable, nervous, and to develop the vice of pecking each other. Therefore, light intensity must be changed according to the different rearing stages of meat pigeons.

Yuanbao Pigeon Breeding Techniques

1. Strengthen rearing on wire mesh: some parent pigeons lay eggs again when the squabs reach about 15 days old, and at this point the squabs can be placed on wire mesh to be reared. Some of these parent pigeons will continue to feed the squabs, while others have no interest in feeding them. Therefore, careful observation is needed, and those that are unwilling to feed or do not feed in time must be fed artificially or given to foster pigeons.

2. Keep the nest housing clean and dry: nest bowls and bedding straw contaminated by droppings and damp must be replaced promptly, the housing must be disinfected regularly, and the interior of the housing kept clean and dry to keep disease outbreaks away.

3. Pay attention to providing health grit: to ensure the health of squabs and increase their weight at market, health grit must be provided to the squabs on schedule every day, to increase trace element and vitamin content and prevent indigestion in squabs.

4. Put on leg bands in time: meat pigeon leg bands are replaced by chicken wing tags, which have numbers printed on them, as a mark of birth time and to distinguish sister pigeons.

Yuanbao Pigeon Feeding Tips

1. First, when feeding racing pigeons, pay attention to feeding at fixed times and in fixed amounts; how much to feed each time and where to feed must be fixed. Never leave leftovers after feeding, otherwise the food on the ground will easily spoil. How much and what to feed must also be chosen according to actual conditions. Generally speaking, except for breeding pigeons raising squabs or when training volume is relatively large, it is not recommended to feed them full every time, as this makes management easier.

2. Next is the issue of drinking water. Many pigeon fanciers are very casual about letting pigeons drink: a large water jug is left out for the pigeons to drink from themselves, and the water is not changed even if it has not been finished in a week, and the water jug is not even washed when the water is changed. Some fanciers even directly use a basin of water, with the pigeons both bathing and drinking from it, and do not change the water when it is not finished, so the pigeons very easily fall ill. It is generally recommended to prepare two water jugs, using one while the other is sun-dried, changing them every one or two days. The key is mainly cleanliness. If you have time, give water at fixed times; if you do not have time, you must still change the drinking water every one or two days.

Common Diseases of Yuanbao Pigeons and Their Prevention and Treatment

1. Pigeon paratyphoid: the pathogen is Salmonella, with an intestinal type showing symptoms of diarrhea, passing green or watery droppings. There is a septicemic type, showing acute death. There is a joint type, showing inflammation and swelling of the leg joints and wing joints.

Prevention and treatment: use chloramphenicol, adding 50 grams per 50 kg of feed for 3 consecutive days; it is forbidden for laying breeding pigeons; norfloxacin can also be used for prevention and treatment, adding 12 grams per 50 kg of feed for 5 consecutive days; sulfonamide drugs can also be used for prevention and treatment. It is generally required to repeat for 2-3 courses of treatment.

2. Pigeon ascariasis: this disease is a common parasitic helminth disease, especially seen in pigeon flocks kept in groups and often in contact with the ground. In mild infection there are no obvious symptoms; in severe infection the sick pigeons are emaciated, their feathers grow poorly, digestion and absorption are disrupted, constipation and diarrhea alternate, there is often pica, and occasionally convulsions and head tilting and torticollis can be seen, finally ending in death from exhaustion.

Prevention and treatment: doing a good job of environmental hygiene inside and outside the pigeon breeding housing, frequently removing droppings and disposing of them harmlessly, and carrying out regular deworming are effective measures to prevent this disease. Commonly used deworming drugs include piperazine citrate, levamisole hydrochloride, albendazole, phenothiazine, and others.

When raising Yuanbao pigeons, you need to do a good job of temperature control and also pay attention to breeding density. When feeding, you need to pay attention to the amount, and also ensure water quality. Yuanbao pigeons are also easily infected by diseases, so when raising them you need to strengthen control in this respect.