Detailed Explanation of White King Pigeon Breeding and Management Techniques
The White King Pigeon is a bird of the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae. Because of its rich nutritional content and medicinal value, it is regarded as an excellent tonic. Pigeon meat is neutral in nature, salty in taste, and non-toxic, and is rich in protein and fat; pigeon eggs contain protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and more.
Regular consumption of pigeon meat nourishes the kidneys and boosts qi, dispels wind and removes toxins, and can treat chronic malaria; eating pigeon eggs can prevent measles. There are many breeds of meat pigeons, mainly the White King Pigeon, the French Mondain, the Homer Pigeon, the Shiqi Pigeon, and others. Currently, the White King Pigeon is the main breed being promoted.
The White King Pigeon has the characteristics of strong reproductive capacity, large body size, fast growth, and tender meat. Breeding results show that the White King Pigeon is easy to raise and has a high survival rate. With a good feed ratio, it can produce more than 8 clutches per year. Reserve breeding pigeons at 6-7 months of age can be paired to lay eggs, and squabs at 18-20 days can reach a weight of 1-1.2 jin.
The White King Pigeon has distinctive features and is easy to identify: large body size, pure white plumage all over, a relatively round head, a prominent forehead, a thin beak, small nasal ceres, a broad and round chest, a broad and thick back, a medium-long tail that is slightly upturned, and a relatively short, slightly rounded overall body. Its greatest characteristics are its large body size, poor flying ability, strong disease resistance, and freedom from devastating diseases. The average weight of adult male pigeons is 750-900 grams, and the average weight of female pigeons is 600-750 grams. The slaughter rate of squabs is as high as 82%, with an eviscerated weight of over 400-500 grams, and the carcass is white. In addition, the White King Pigeon also has the following advantages:
1. Stable genes: The plumage color is uniform, all white, and there is no difference in the body weight or plumage color of offspring squabs.
2. Good production performance: It lays about 20 eggs per year, with high egg fertilization and hatching rates, and can raise more than 6-8 pairs of squabs per year.
3. Fast growth of squabs: The average weight at 2 weeks of age is 488 grams, and the average weight at 4 weeks of age is 620 grams, which has already exceeded commercial specification requirements. Therefore, raising White King Pigeons has the advantages of a shorter cycle and quick returns.
4. Tolerant of coarse feed and high feed conversion: The feed can use unmilled raw materials such as corn, peas, wheat, sorghum, and others. The feed-to-meat ratio for squabs is 1.9:1.
Breeding and Management Techniques for White King Pigeons
1. Feeding and management techniques for squabs: Squabs are the young pigeons from hatching until leaving the nest for sale or before breeding. During this period, the squabs are all fed by the parent pigeons (breeding pigeons). According to observation, within 7 days after hatching, the parent pigeons feed the squabs a whole-milk diet (called pigeon milk, from thin to thick), and after 7 days they feed a mixed milk diet, gradually transitioning to whole-grain feed. If the parent pigeons are healthy and have good feeding performance, the squabs grow very quickly. Generally, by 18-20 days of age, they can reach a weight of 1-1.2 jin, at which point they can be sold. If they meet breeding selection requirements, they are raised for another 10-15 days. When the squabs' feathers are fully grown and they can feed themselves, they can leave the nest for breeding and live in a group.
2. Feeding and management techniques for young pigeons: Squabs selected as breeding stock are called young pigeons from the time they leave the nest until they reach sexual maturity and are paired. The purpose of raising young pigeons is to obtain a good reserve breeding flock, in order to expand production and to replenish and renew the breeding flock at any time. Feed for young pigeons with larger grains (such as broad beans, corn, etc.) should preferably first be ground into small particles, then soaked in clean water and dried before being fed. Salt or compound vitamin B1 can be appropriately added to the drinking water. Young pigeons begin molting at around 50 days, and at this time they are relatively sensitive to the effects of the external environment and are prone to catching colds, which can cause colds and bronchitis, so cold protection and warmth measures should be well carried out. When young pigeons reach 3 months of age, their activity capacity and adaptability become increasingly strong, and they gradually enter a stable growth period. At this time, the first deworming and selection of the best and elimination of the inferior can be carried out for the flock. When young pigeons reach 6-7 months of age, they have entered maturity and can be paired for production. Before pairing, another round of selection of the best and elimination of the inferior and deworming should be carried out. Pigeons are birds that live in “monogamous” pairs. Adult pigeons are selective about their mates, and after pairing they are devoted to their partner, unlike chickens or other poultry that mate indiscriminately and pair indiscriminately.
3. Feeding and management techniques for production pigeons: Pigeons that have been paired and put into production are called production pigeons, often referred to as laying pigeons.
(1) Feeding and management techniques during the new pairing period: For newly paired production pigeons raised in cages, inspections should be made several times a day during the first few days after initial pairing to observe whether they are getting along harmoniously. If the pairing is appropriate, generally after 2-3 days a pair of pigeons will get along harmoniously; if after pairing they are still not getting along after 4-5 days and often fight, it indicates that this pair is not suitably matched, or both are male pigeons, or although one is male and one is female they are unwilling to mate. In this case, they should be re-paired promptly.
(2) Feeding and management techniques during the egg incubation period: After newly paired production pigeons get along with each other, become familiar with their cage, and settle into life, they begin to lay eggs. Therefore, nesting bowls with nesting grass should be provided to the production pigeons early, and egg-laying records should be kept well.
(3) Feeding and management techniques during the brooding period: Under normal circumstances, 2 hours after the squabs hatch, the parent pigeons will pass air mouth-to-mouth to the squabs, allowing the squabs to adapt to being fed pigeon milk. After another 2 hours, the parent pigeons feed the squabs very thin pigeon milk. At this stage, attention should be paid to observing whether the parent pigeons are feeding the squabs. If it is found that the parent pigeons are not feeding the squabs, careful distinction should be made as to whether the parent pigeons are ill or whether artificial measures should be taken to train the parent pigeons to feed the squabs.
4. Feed formulation and health sand formula
(1) Feed formulation: When formulating feed, diversification should be achieved as much as possible and excessive uniformity avoided, because multiple feeds combined together play a role in compensating for each other's nutritional deficiencies, which is beneficial for improving the vitality or reproductive capacity of pigeons. During the brooding period, breeding pigeons should preferably use the following daily ration formula: (for reference) corn 40%, wheat 30%, peas (mung beans) 20%, brown rice 10%.
(2) Health sand formula: Supplying sufficient health sand is very important for raising pigeons well, especially caged pigeons. During the brooding period, breeding pigeons should preferably use the following formula: (for reference) methionine 0.3%, lysine 0.6%, Andrographis paniculata 0.5%, gentian 0.6%, iron powder 0.5%, alum 1%, multivitamins 1%, trace elements 1%, charcoal powder 4%, salt 4%, aged gypsum 6%, bone meal 10%, yellow mud 10%, shell powder 25%, medium-coarse sand 35%.
The White King Pigeon has strong activity and strong disease resistance. Male pigeons can reach a weight of 1000 grams; female pigeons average 700-800 grams in weight. A pair of breeding pigeons can produce 6-8 pairs of squabs per year. Squabs at 22-28 days of age can reach a weight of 500-750 grams. After slaughter, the eviscerated weight of squabs can reach 400-500 grams. The meat is delicious, and the breeding techniques are easy to learn and the breeding equipment is simple, making it the first choice project for laid-off workers and rural specialized breeding households to escape poverty and become wealthy.