Methods to improve the reproduction rate of meat pigeons

Meat pigeon has the advantages of early maturity, long service life, strong disease resistance, fast growth (body weight can reach more than 500 grams in 23-28 days after hatching), high feed utilization rate and so on. Raising meat pigeon has the advantages of low cost, high benefit, rich nutrition and good health care and medicinal value. Therefore, the breeding prospect of meat pigeon is broad.

Child pigeon breeding

The squab reserved for breeding is a child pigeon before leaving the nest until it is sexually matured. Raising child pigeons should first pay attention to heat preservation to prevent catching cold. Child pigeons begin to molt at the age of 2 months, and can be properly fed with energy feed to promote feather growth. Chinese herbal medicine such as gentian can be added to health sand and antibiotics can be added to drinking water to prevent respiratory tract and paratyphoid and other diseases. 3-month-old pigeons can carry out a selection of good and bad breeding work, in order to prevent early mating, male and female should be raised separately, regular deworming, health sand supply should be adequate, each feather daily dosage of 3 grams 4 grams. Most of the 6-month-old child pigeons are sexually mature and should be prepared before pairing.

Paired reproduction and matters needing attention

1. Pairing preparation: first, in order to enhance the disease resistance of pigeons, Metro vaccination and elimination of parasites in vivo and in vitro were carried out about 15 days before pairing. Second, pigeon house, pigeon cage, appliance preparation, you can choose 3 or 4 layers of pigeon cage, usually rectangular, equipped with sink, food trough, health sand cup and egg nest. Third, carry out a comprehensive disinfection of the environment inside and outside the house about a week before entering the pigeon.

2. Pairing method: one is free pairing. Child pigeons are allowed to pair freely after they reach sexual maturity at the age of about 6 months. The advantage is convenient and labor-saving; the disadvantage is that it is easy to cause inbreeding and early mating, which is not conducive to obtaining good offspring.

The other is artificial pairing. Select excellent male and female pigeons to be put into the same cage and let them pair up and breed. This method can overcome the disadvantage of free pairing and is especially suitable for caged meat pigeons.

3, precautions "first, prevent breeding pigeons from being too fat or too thin." Scientifically prepare diets and master appropriate feeding times and quantities. Second, distinguish between male and female to prevent mismatch. If no eggs are laid after half a month, or if two eggs are found in the nest on the same day, the females and males should be re-identified. Third, the first 3 days of forced pairing should be observed and found that the fight should be taken apart and rematched.

Hatching and taking care of eggs

The incubation period of pigeon eggs was 17-19 days, with an average of 18 days. Generally, the female pigeon begins to hatch after laying 2 eggs, and the male and female participate together and take turns to cuddle. The eggs are usually photographed twice during incubation. The first time was carried out 4-5 days after hatching. if it was found that there were reddish-brown, spider-web-like blood vessels in the egg, and the shape was stable, it was a fertilized egg; if the blood vessels in the egg were not seen, they were azoospermic eggs and should be picked out in time. The second time was carried out 9-10 days after hatching. if it was found that most of the area in the egg was black, and a transparent blank area was formed at one end due to the enlargement of the air chamber, it indicated that the embryo developed healthily; if there was no clear distinction between black and white in the egg, there was a sense of fluctuation when turning the egg, and the eggshell was gray, that is, the egg was a dead embryo and should be removed in time.

1. The reasons for the occurrence of unfertilized eggs: first, the dietary nutrition is not complete. Lack of methionine, lysine, vitamin E, B2, B12 and minerals in feed. Second, inbreeding can reduce the egg laying rate of offspring and increase the number of azoospermic eggs and dead embryo eggs. Third, the breeding is not normal. The feathers around the anus of the breeding pigeon are too thick to reveal the anus and cannot breed normally. Fourth, the breeding pigeon is old or too young.

2. the causes of dead embryos: first, there is a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet. Second, the nest basin is not standard, and the bottom of the nest is too flat, too big and too hard. Third, poor management, faeces adhere to pigeon eggs; if hatching pigeons are disturbed by sudden noises and cats and mice, it will often cause the suspension of hatching and the emergence of dead embryos. Fourth, the nesting performance of parent pigeons is poor. Fifth, the humidity in the later stage of incubation is too low and the water evaporates too quickly.

Breeding and management of parent pigeons

1. Manage carefully and reduce broken eggs: there are many reasons for broken eggs. First, the structure of the egg nest is poor, there is no cushion or the bottom is flat, the two eggs are not concentrated, and it is easy to be trampled by pigeons. Second, there is discord between male and female pigeons, especially newly matched pigeons, often pecking each other and trampling on pigeon eggs. Third, the stranger interferes or the keeper moves rudely, and the pigeon is frightened and breaks the pigeon egg. Fourth, the diet of pigeons is not nutritious, and the breeders should adjust it in time according to the specific situation.

2. Strengthen feeding and pay attention to heat preservation: the food intake of young pigeons increases gradually with the increase of squab age, and should be fed 2 or 3 times a day. After 10 days of age, the growth rate of squab is accelerated, so the nest basin should be adjusted in time to keep the nest box warm and clean. Parent pigeons begin to molt at the end of summer and early autumn every year for as long as 1 ~ 2 months, which can appropriately reduce the protein content in feed and reduce the amount of feed. in the later stage of molting, the formula of diet should be adjusted and the amount of feeding should be increased in time to promote the breeding pigeons to lay eggs as soon as possible.

3. Adjust the pigeon flock and make a good record: the young pigeon should be caught away from the parent pigeon at the age of 1 month, and the squab without seed can be put on the market at the age of 20-25 days. Breeders should conscientiously do a good job in filing and recording the production of parent pigeons. Adjust the pigeon flock once or twice a year to eliminate poor production performance and old breeding pigeons and supplement excellent breeding pigeons.