Zhang Xueyun realizes his dream of getting rich by raising pigeons

Zhang Xueyun is tending to his pigeons.

"Raising pigeons requires care and attentiveness; you treat them like family." On March 24, the morning wind was still blowing cold through Qingbao Village, Wenzhi Street, Enyang District, but villager Zhang Xueyun had already arrived early at his meat pigeon breeding shed, feeding the birds while continually stroking the pigeons in their cages.

Qingbao Village lies in a deep ravine 8 km from Enyang, connected to the outside world by a single winding path. For generations, the villagers have farmed the land, living at the mercy of the weather and getting by on a few mu of poor soil.

Zhang Xueyun, now 63, was once a "well-known" impoverished household in Qingbao Village. His family of 4 had 2 mu of farmland per person, mainly growing miscellaneous grains and beans. His wife suffers from glaucoma and can barely see, and he himself has long been plagued by stomach ailments. His 2 sons work odd jobs away from home and earn meager wages, making life exceptionally hard for the family.

In 2015, to ensure targeted assistance was delivered effectively, the Qingbao Village "two committees" followed the concept of "Party building + targeted poverty alleviation" and paired Yuan Chao, the "first secretary" of the village Party branch dispatched by the district civil affairs bureau, with Zhang Xueyun for paired assistance. Based on the specific circumstances of Zhang Xueyun's family, Yuan Chao suggested that the family take up meat pigeon breeding.

Yuan Chao's suggestion struck a chord with Zhang Xueyun at once. Several years earlier, Zhang Xueyun had already had the idea of raising pigeons. "At the time, no one in our family could do heavy work, and our annual income was only enough to cover the family's expenses." Though seriously ill, the proud Zhang Xueyun was no longer willing to depend on farming and government subsidies to get by; he was determined to rely on his own two hands to increase his income and get rich.

With the devoted support of the assisting official, Zhang Xueyun acted on his decision right away. After researching information and breeding methods, he went to inspect things on the ground. From choosing breeds to management experience, he wrote everything down in his notebook and committed it to memory. "At the time I felt pigeon breeding had certain prospects for development and could be built up into something big. And I felt pigeons were relatively easy to raise, and I already had some experience in this area."

"At the time I had no capital, so I only brought in 70 birds." With no money to build sheds and housing, he and his wife carried and dug everything themselves, bit by bit. Later, the village-dispatched officials helped him obtain a 10,000 yuan loan through the industrial revolving fund and secured a 3,000 yuan subsidy from the civil affairs department, solving the urgent shortage of startup capital. Within a year, Zhang Xueyun's meat pigeon inventory reached more than 400 birds.

"Raising pigeons isn't especially tiring, but you have to be diligent and not be careless at all; not a single thing that needs attention can be overlooked." In the process of breeding, Zhang Xueyun came to realize that raising pigeons must rely on science and technology and must be done with scientific feeding methods. To master scientific breeding techniques, Zhang Xueyun actively took part in various breeding technology training courses held by the district animal husbandry bureau. After a year of study, Zhang Xueyun worked out his own set of pigeon-raising methods.

Today, Zhang Xueyun's meat pigeon breeding is gradually getting on track. "Now we can make money just by selling pigeon eggs; at present I still won't sell the pigeons themselves." Speaking of his plans going forward, Zhang Xueyun said with full confidence that this year he will build another meat pigeon breeding shed and expand the scale to 4,000 birds. At current market prices, in 2017 his family's income from selling pigeons alone will exceed 50,000 yuan.

Yuan Chao said that besides raising meat pigeons, Zhang Xueyun also raises 100 chickens and 30 geese, and he himself also works at the village's rose cooperative, having become a well-known skilled earner in the village.

Seeing Zhang Xueyun stand on his own feet, many impoverished households in the village were inspired and also decided to seek development through their own efforts. "Under Zhang Xueyun's leadership, we now have 42 impoverished households that have also developed breeding businesses," Yuan Chao said. Zhang Xueyun always shares his pigeon-raising experience with other villagers without holding anything back, and now whenever anyone has questions about breeding, they all come to him.

"Now that we've escaped poverty, my illness has also improved a lot. The days ahead will keep getting better." From an impoverished household to a skilled earner, Zhang Xueyun never stops striving for self-improvement. He is not only moving toward his goal of prosperity through his own efforts, but will also lead the village's impoverished households in realizing the dream of moderate prosperity together.