Breeding pigeons requires special knowledge. An inexperienced breeder can make serious mistakes that are fraught with the loss of both breed qualities and a whole line of offspring. The article further describes the features of breeding, important rules for pairing, and much more.
How to distinguish a dove from a dove?
To breed pigeons, the first thing you need to be able to do is to distinguish the sex of the birds. There are several ways to distinguish a pigeon from a dove within the same species:
- Appearance. The dove is larger than the dove, its head is large, round with a high forehead, and its neck is short, with a thick base. Doves are graceful, their eyes are more expressive, and the base of the beak is thinner. In decorative bird breeds, the male is often smaller than the female. Therefore, such signs of gender differences do not work 100%. The plumage of a dove is often dimmer than that of a dove.
- The width of the pelvic bones. The male's pelvis has a narrower distance between the bones, they practically converge, and in the female - 1.5-2 cm between them.This sign of difference does not work for young animals, that is, birds that do not yet lay eggs, and individuals that have calcium deficiency (their structure can be deformed).
- Bird behavior:
- When two males are caged, their behavior will become aggressive towards each other. This is due to competition, leadership in the seizure of territory.
- If there are two females in the cage, then most often they begin to coo, peacefully living together.
- In case of landing of opposite-sex birds, the pigeon will begin active courtship: dissolves tail feathers, inflates a goiter, stretches its neck, pursues the dove, trying to hug it. The behavior of the female is more calm, measured.
When sympathetic to a pigeon, she accepts courtship. In behavior, bows towards the pigeon appear, head nods, feathers fluff up, emphasizing the beauty. - When raising the bird by the wings and stroking the breast, the male presses his legs.
- Folk methods it is advised to distinguish the sex of birds by voice sounds. It is believed that the voice of the male is louder and rougher than that of the female.
When using gender recognition methods, the nervous state of birds, breed, age should be taken into account.
Determination of sex in chicks is somewhat more difficult, since the age habits of birds have not yet been formed. However, in some breeds, the signs are on the contrary clear. Individuals are clearly distinguished by feather length and color.
By applying the same sex determination methods within their birds, the breeder is able to identify clear differences between individuals. This is important for the correct formation of the size and reproductive capacity of the flock.
How do you know if the pigeons are sexually mature?
The period of sexual maturity in pigeons begins six months after their birth. However, this does not mean at all that from this age it is possible to actively start mating of birds. On the contrary, it is worth giving the female another 6-9 months for the complete formation of all body systems, so that the offspring is healthy.
Thus, for natural maturity to coincide with physiological sexual maturity, it must take from one to two years. Separation of chicks by sex and rearing males separately from females is a prerequisite to prevent premature egg laying.
How to pair correctly?
Consider their temperament when pairing pigeons. An active male and a timid female are not suitable for each other. And vice versa, from a couple where a lively dove and a modest dove, nothing worthwhile will come of either. Their temperament should be about the same.
Close kinship among a couple is undesirable, as are similar developmental deficiencies. Birds from the same brood should be tagged.
Age
The reproductive ability of pigeons lasts up to 12 years of age. Do not pair especially young birds or birds over 10 years old. Chicks with a high degree of probability they will have reduced immunity and low survival rate. In addition, young females often lay unfertilized eggs. And in the case of oviposition with future offspring, they are not able to hatch them.
It is possible to correctly determine the age of pigeons by:
- Voskovice. In young animals, it is pink, thin and delicate. From 5 months it turns white and thickens.
- The color and condition of the legs. They are smooth and pink in young individuals. They become rough and red with age.
- For the century. In adult birds it is white, and in young birds it is almost transparent.
Size and weight
There are no exact requirements for the weight and size of birds before breeding them. But it is important to observe the nutritional characteristics so that the individual is not undernourished or, on the contrary, overfed.
Proper feeding of birds before mating is very important. One individual per day requires approximately 50 g of feed. Don't forget to add minerals in the form of chalk, shells, crushed red bricks and coarse river sand. Include minerals and greens in your diet. Let the bird fly a lot.
Do not fatten pigeons before mating. This useless measure will not only not speed up the process, but, on the contrary, will create additional problems. Beefy females often have difficulty laying eggs. Conversely, a thin dove will not be able to hatch eggs. Her body is unable to cover and warm them all. Proper feeding of birds before mating is very important.
Mating games
The mating season of pigeons begins at the end of winter and lasts until the beginning of spring. In the wild, birds choose their own mates. In captivity, this process can be delayed. It takes time for the male to appreciate the female and begin courtship. Due to the strong development of the sexual instinct of pigeons, sometimes you have to wait a long time.
The dove shows its sympathy for the dove by active courtship, circling and inflating the goiter, loosening its feathers and hugging it. When accepting them, the female bows and "swims" on her tail. The couple pinch each other's feathers and coo. This means that soon their offspring can be expected.
The pigeon family often survives and produces chicks throughout their lives. This is due to the fact that these birds are monogamous.
But it happens that a couple does not form due to the fact that the birds do not accept each other. Try to pick up other individuals.
Mating types and their features
For mating, only healthy, young birds from the same breed, but of a different litter, are selected. Pigeons up to 5-6 years old are able to reproduce high-quality offspring, then the chicks become more and more painful, the number of congenital defects increases.
Natural mating
Such mating takes place with the free life of pigeons in nature, or if the breeder is breeding one breed of birds. There is no need for a person to select a pair and put them in a common box. The pigeon chooses its own dove.
Pairs are formed on an ongoing basis, and the offspring appear soon. Egg productivity, fertility and hatching of chicks are at a natural high level. The younger generation turns out to be strong.
Forced pairing
Used to preserve and optimize the quality of the breed. In this type of mating, the pair is selected by the breeder. Individuals are identified for the night in a closed box, and the next day they are released into the enclosure with the rest of the birds.
Young pigeons recognize each other most easily and mate. To find out if the process of pair formation has occurred, just look at the birds. Having shown sympathy for each other and mating, the pigeons will coo among themselves, showing signs of attention and caring for their partner.
Do not remove the box where the mating took place, most likely the birds will nest in it. If the couple chose a different location, move the box there.
Building a nest
In nature, wild pigeons build a nest frame from branches. This should be taken into account by the breeder when creating suitable conditions for laying in the territory of the dovecote.
For domestic pigeons, you can take boxes or baskets. They are placed sideways or attached to the wall with their bottom, and the floor of the dovecote is covered with dry grass, straw, leaves. From these materials, a pigeon pair will create its own nest. The male brings them in his beak, and the female builds the first dwelling for the chicks. Setting up the nest takes approximately 5-7 days.
Several conditions apply to steam boxes:
- They should be at a distance from each other. When hanging them on the wall, choose a staggered arrangement. This will help the birds remember the path to their nest.
- It is desirable to paint the boxes in different colors.
- Fix the number of nest boxes by several units more than the number of pairs. This will prevent competition and box fighting among the pigeons.
- Maintaining maximum privacy to create comfort and intimate atmosphere.
In no case should you move boxes that have already been occupied by birds!
If there are several pairs of pigeons preparing for the incubation period, then nest boxes should be marked or numbered. This makes it easier to keep track of families and chicks.
Breeding process of pigeons
This "event" consists of several stages, which are described in more detail below.
Clutch of eggs
As soon as the nest is ready, 12-15 days after mating, the dove begins to lay eggs. This process takes 2-3 days. At this time, the behavior of females changes. They calm down, practically do not leave their nest.
The female's cloaca is swollen. Upon the exit of the first egg, the dove can leave the box, and return before the exit of the second. But it may not do it. Thus, the difference between hatching chicks is a couple of days.
Hatching eggs
After laying the eggs, the incubation period begins, which lasts 20 days. The first 9 days do not need to disturb the dove. On day 10, carefully using an ovoscope, check the eggs for the presence of an embryo in them. If the egg is fertilized, then a dark speck and blood vessels will be visible inside. Egg fertilization in adult couples is high - up to 95%, in young pigeon families - about 65%.
Twice a day the male replaces the dove in the nest. During this time, she manages to satisfy her hunger. During incubation, the dove turns the eggs over several times so that they evenly warm up.
Females of domestic pigeons are very responsible. The hens are especially careful and careful about hatching eggs. To facilitate this process, the breeder can maintain light and heat in the dovecote. And 2-3 days before the date of appearance of chicks, moisten the clutch with warm water. This will allow the shells to soften, taking away dryness and helping the chicks hatch.
If, for some reason, the chicks were not born on time, the pigeon pair leaves the nest.
Caring parents throw out the eggshells from the nest.
Chick care
A newborn chick weighs only 10-20 grams. He is practically naked, blind, with a disproportionately large head and a huge beak in comparison with the body.
In the first 14 days after birth, the offspring feeds on milk that forms in the goiter of the female. This is the special secret of yellow color and curdled consistency. Further, grain, insects, remnants of plant food, softened in this way, come to the diet.
The firstborn receives its first food approximately 4 hours after birth, and the second chick - 15 hours later. Therefore, they develop differently, often the weak dies.
After 3 weeks, the chick is already covered with dense plumage, which is replaced by an adult feather on days 43-50 during the molting process. After about 55-60 days, young animals feed on the usual food of the flock, independently harvesting it.
Preparation for breeding pigeons: choosing a breed
Breeding pigeons can serve various purposes for the breeder. But in any case, you need to responsibly approach this process and prepare for it in advance.
First, familiarize yourself with the breeds and choose the one to practice. Pigeons are divided into:
- Wild. These pigeons are bred for special purposes. Special conditions are required for their maintenance. Accustomed to living in freedom, painfully endure existence in cages and aviaries.
- Home. A very developed trend in pigeon breeding. Relatively simple keeping and raising of birds, which does not require special conditions. Moreover, there are many pigeon breeds in this group.
According to their purpose, the breeds are divided into:
- Meat breeds. This means breeding pigeons for the purpose of eating their meat. Such breeds are larger than their decorative relatives. Pigeon meat is nutritious and healthier than chicken meat. These include the breed: Roman giant, Strasser, French monden, etc.
- Postal (sports).Such pigeons take part in sports competitions. Breeding these breeds is time consuming and requires increased attention. Sports breeds: Russian pigeon, German pigeon, English pigeon, etc.
- Decorative. Used in the circus, landscape design, exhibitions, weddings and other celebrations. They are sold and rented. Breeding such pigeons is more difficult, and the costs are higher than with meat breeds. Popular breeds: German monk, Peacock, Jacobin, etc.
Knowing these differences, choose your favorite breed, taking into account the breeding goals, preferred size and color of plumage. Next, prepare the conditions for a bird plant and you can purchase young animals or pairs.
Breeding a new breed
If you want to breed a new breed through experiments, you should select a pair of birds of different breeds. All other steps are similar to forced mating. In this case, keeping a diary by the breeder is a necessary condition.
The process of breeding new breeds requires specialized knowledge and a large amount of information. It is better to do this, achieving positive results, having experience in breeding pigeons of the same breed.
We recommend that you read the article on how to breed pigeons correctly.
How many times a season do pigeons give offspring?
After a month, regardless of whether the chicks flew out of the nest or are still in it, the parents leave them. The pair takes up a new nest and the process of laying eggs and hatching is repeated. Thus, pigeons give offspring up to 4 times per season.
So, before you start breeding pigeons, you should familiarize yourself with a lot of information: what breeds are, the purpose of their breeding, mating methods and other features. Prepare conditions for the stay and breeding of birds. Complete all papers and permits. The process is laborious and costly. But lovers of pigeons are ready to go through all the difficulties so that the flock will please the offspring as much as possible and be healthy.