Meat pigeons are relatively small in size and very sensitive to the external environment. If scientific feeding is not paid attention to, they are prone to death, which affects the survival rate. To do a good job in the feeding and management of meat pigeons, the following "ten key points" need to be grasped. 1. Housing, that is, choosing a good pigeon farm and building good pigeon houses. A site should be chosen where there is no
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<p>Meat pigeons are relatively small in size and very sensitive to the external environment. If scientific feeding is not paid attention to, they are prone to death, which affects the survival rate. To do a good job in the feeding and management of meat pigeons, the following “ten key points” need to be grasped. </p><p></p><p>1. Housing, that is, choosing a good pigeon farm and building good pigeon houses. A site should be chosen where there is no contamination by pathogens and “three wastes,” with higher terrain, good drainage, shelter from the wind and facing the sun, and far from busy urban areas to build the pigeon farm. The pigeon house should use a brick-wood or earth-wood structure, be dry and clean, with fresh air, and good lighting and ventilation. </p><p>2. Control, that is, controlling the environment well. In winter, attention should be paid to keeping warm, but a sealed pigeon house has a very strong ammonia smell, which is not conducive to the healthy growth of pigeons. Besides simmering vinegar on the stove to fumigate and reduce the ammonia smell, windows can also be opened for ventilation; in the rainy season, the hygiene of the pigeon house should be done well to ensure ventilation and dryness, especially the bedding under the nest bowl must not be damp; in hot summer, prevent heatstroke and pay attention to ventilation and air exchange. Commonly used disinfectant should be used to spray and disinfect the pigeon house, and quicklime should be spread on the ground for disinfection.</p><p>3. Feed, that is, ensuring feed quality and achieving scientific feed formulation. More small-particle feed should be given, increasing mung beans and hulled wheat, and reducing hulled grains. All kinds of feed should be soaked and softened, then dried before feeding, feeding less and adding more frequently. The feed formula for young pigeons should increase grains such as corn, wheat, and sorghum, and the feed for laying pigeons should contain sufficient protein. Keepers generally supply feed on the principle that laying pigeons eat their fill and squabs are fed full.</p><p>4. Drinking, that is, supplying sufficient drinking water. The water intake of meat pigeons changes with the environment and temperature. Water intake in summer is greater than in other seasons, and caged meat pigeons drink more water than those raised on the floor. Drinking fountains should be clean and hygienic, and the water supply must be guaranteed to be clean and pollution-free.</p><p>5. Supplement, that is, adding health sand and cod liver oil. To increase the market weight of meat pigeons and benefit their health, meat pigeons aged 7 to 30 days should be fed special health grit 2 times a day, 1 pellet each time; cod liver oil 1 pellet per day. Health sand should be mixed and used immediately. Generally, coarse sand, bone meal, shell powder, etc. are mixed first (mixing the amount for 3 to 4 days at a time), and then the ingredients used in small amounts, prone to oxidation, and prone to deliquescence are mixed with the prepared health sand before feeding. </p><p>6. Light, increasing lighting time. In order for pigeons to eat more, promote their rapid growth, and increase the time for mother pigeons to feed squabs, it is best to turn on several 6 to 10 watt energy-saving lamps in the pigeon house at night. </p><p>7. Bedding, that is, paying attention to increasing or decreasing bedding. The pigeon nest should increase or decrease bedding according to the season and temperature changes to ensure that the belly of the meat pigeon stays warm and does not get cold. </p><p>8. Bathing, that is, giving pigeons regular baths. Regular bathing can not only prevent the invasion of external parasites on pigeons, but also stimulate pigeons to secrete growth hormone and promote growth and development. Young pigeons raised on wire floors are bathed by basin bathing, once every 15 days; laying pigeons in cages are bathed by spraying water with a sprayer, generally once every 20 days. </p><p>9. Adjusting, that is, changing the position of squabs on time. Change the position of squabs once every 2 to 3 days so that the squabs receive balanced care. If 1 squab dies, feed the remaining 1 half a yeast tablet every day to prevent overeating and food accumulation. </p><p>10. Prevention, that is, doing a good job in disease prevention and control. Breeding pigeons introduced from outside must undergo strict quarantine and isolation observation; try to achieve self-breeding and self-raising; pigeon farms should not mix other livestock and poultry; pay attention to good cleaning and hygiene and regular disinfection, and give pigeons disinfected water once every 5 days; keepers should be in good health, without infectious diseases, and can enter the breeding area only after disinfection in the disinfection room. At 12 to 13 days of age, squabs are prone to indigestion, pharyngitis, and crop food accumulation. Prevention can be carried out at 8 days of age, feeding half a yeast tablet every day, and at the same time feeding 1 pellet of health grit each morning and evening. In addition, for squab colds, half a cold tablet and 1/6 tablet of chlortetracycline can be fed, 3 times a day, and it can be cured in 3 days. If eye inflammation occurs, chloramphenicol or chlortetracycline eye drops can be applied 2 to 3 times a day.</p>
Meat pigeons are relatively small and very sensitive to the external environment. If scientific rearing is not paid attention to, they are prone to death, which affects the survival rate. To do a good job in the feeding and management of meat pigeons, the following "ten-character formula" should be grasped.
1. Housing, that is, choosing a good pigeon site and building a good pigeon house. A pigeon site should be chosen in a place free from pathogens and "three wastes" pollution, with higher terrain, good drainage, facing away from the wind and toward the sun, and far from downtown areas. The pigeon house should use a brick-wood or earth-wood structure, and should be dry and clean, with fresh air and good light and ventilation.
2. Control, that is, controlling the environment well. In winter, attention should be paid to keeping warm, but a sealed pigeon house has a strong ammonia smell, which is not conducive to the healthy growth of pigeons. Besides simmering vinegar on the stove to fumigate and reduce the ammonia smell, windows can also be opened for ventilation; in the rainy season, the sanitation of the pigeon house should be done well to ensure ventilation and dryness, especially the bedding under the nest bowl must not be damp; in hot summer, heat prevention is needed, and attention should be paid to ventilation and air exchange. Disinfect the pigeon house by spraying with commonly used disinfectant, and spread quicklime on the ground for disinfection.
3. Feed, that is, ensuring feed quality and achieving scientific feed formulation. More small-particle feed should be given, mung beans and hulled wheat should be increased, and shelled grains should be reduced. All kinds of feed should be soaked to soften, then dried before feeding, and fed less but more frequently. The feed formula for young pigeons should increase grains such as corn, wheat, and sorghum, and the feed for breeding pigeons should contain enough protein. Keepers generally supply feed on the principle that the breeding pigeons eat their fill and the squabs are also fed full.
4. Drinking, that is, supplying sufficient drinking water. The water intake of meat pigeons changes with the environment and temperature. In summer, water intake is greater than in other seasons, and caged meat pigeons drink more water than those raised on the floor. Drinking fountains should be clean and hygienic, and the water supply must be guaranteed to be clean and pollution-free.
5. Supplement, that is, adding health sand and cod liver oil. In order to increase the weight of meat pigeons at market and benefit their health, for meat pigeons aged 7 to 30 days, feed special health grit 2 times a day, 1 piece each time; cod liver oil 1 piece daily. Health sand should be prepared and used immediately. Generally, coarse sand, bone meal, shell powder, etc. are first mixed well (prepare the amount for 3 to 4 days at a time), and then the ingredients used in small amounts, prone to oxidation, and prone to deliquescence are mixed with the prepared health sand before feeding.
6. Light, increasing the lighting time. In order to let pigeons eat more, promote their rapid growth, and increase the time for female pigeons to feed squabs, it is best to turn on several 6 to 10 watt energy-saving lamps in the pigeon house at night.
7. Bedding, that is, paying attention to increasing or decreasing bedding. The pigeon nest should have its bedding increased or decreased according to seasonal and temperature changes to ensure that the belly of the meat pigeon stays warm and does not get cold.
8. Bathing, that is, giving pigeons regular baths. Regular bathing can not only prevent the invasion of external parasites on pigeons, but also stimulate pigeons to secrete growth hormone and promote growth and development. For young pigeons raised on wire flooring, basin bathing is used, once every 15 days; for caged breeding pigeons, a sprayer is used to spray water for bathing, generally once every 20 days.
9. Adjusting, that is, changing the positions of squabs on time. Change the positions of squabs once every 2 to 3 days so that the squabs receive balanced care. If 1 squab dies, feed the remaining 1 half a tablet of yeast tablets every day to prevent overeating and food accumulation.
10. Prevention, that is, doing a good job in disease prevention and control. Breeding pigeons introduced from outside must undergo strict quarantine and isolation observation; try to achieve self-breeding and self-raising; pigeon farms should not mix other livestock and poultry; pay attention to cleaning and hygiene and regular disinfection, and give pigeons disinfected water once every 5 days; keepers should be in good health, without infectious diseases, and can enter the breeding area only after disinfection in the disinfection room. At 12 to 13 days of age, squabs are prone to indigestion, pharyngitis, and crop food accumulation. Prevention can be carried out at 8 days of age, feeding half a tablet of yeast tablets every day, and at the same time feeding 1 piece of health grit in the morning and evening each day. In addition, for squab colds, half a tablet of cold medicine and 1/6 tablet of chlortetracycline can be fed, 3 times a day, and it can be cured in 3 days. If eye inflammation occurs, chloramphenicol or chlortetracycline eye drops can be applied 2 to 3 times a day.