What management measures are there for young breeding pigeons?

Squabs kept for breeding are called young pigeons from the time they leave the nest and are raised in groups until they reach sexual maturity and are paired. When young pigeons have just been moved to a new loft, some are not adapted to the new and unfamiliar environment, are emotionally unsettled, and have no appetite. But there is no need to worry; after letting them go hungry for a few hours to more than ten hours, when they see other pigeons getting food from the feed trough, they will also follow and look for food.

Because young pigeons need a process of adapting to the new environment, and their body functions have also undergone relatively large changes, improper management can easily cause stunted growth or illness and death. Therefore, they must be cared for carefully. First of all, attention should be paid to keeping warm and preventing colds. The positions of the feed trough and water trough must not be too high. They should be given fine granular feed, and an appropriate amount of multivitamin B aqueous solution should be added to the drinking water. In hot weather, attention should be paid to ventilation and mosquito prevention; in cold weather, attention should be paid to preventing drafts. At night, it is best to use infrared light bulbs or brooder umbrellas for warmth.

Half a month after young pigeons are moved to a new loft, they have a certain ability to adapt to the environment. At this time, food can be supplied according to the formula for young pigeon feed and health sand, and they can also begin bathing, moving around in the exercise area, and sunbathing to strengthen the pigeons' physique. At about 2 months of age, young pigeons begin molting. In the feed formula, energy feed can be appropriately increased to 85%-90%, and the amount of hempseed increased to 5%-6% to promote feather renewal. Chinese herbal medicines such as Andrographis paniculata and gentian can be appropriately added to the health sand, and antibiotics can be added to the drinking water on a planned basis to prevent the occurrence of diseases such as respiratory diseases and paratyphoid. For young pigeons at 3 months of age, secondary sexual characteristics begin to appear, and their activity ability becomes stronger and stronger. At this time, superior ones can be selected and inferior ones removed, males and females can be raised separately, and the pigeon flock can be dewormed to ensure normal growth and development of the pigeons.

For young pigeons aged 3-5 months, attention should be paid to the amount of feed supplied. In order not to pursue the body weight of the pigeons, the nutritional level and food quantity of the feed should not be continuously increased, so as to prevent the pigeons from becoming too fat and maturing too early. It is appropriate to feed 2-3 times a day, and the amount supplied each time should not be too much, about finishing it in half an hour. After finishing the feed, remove or turn over the feed trough, with the bottom facing up, to prevent the feed trough from being contaminated by droppings. The supply of health sand should be sufficient, 1-2 times a day, with 3-4 grams per pigeon per day. There is no need to supplement feed or increase lighting at night.