Why are pigeons and, moreover, meat?
Step # 1
I always wanted to keep some kind of living creatures in the country, the benefit of premises on a rural estate is more than enough. But there is one very serious thing, but I do not go there every day. I went through a bunch of materials about animals and birds, decided to deal with birds, since animals require the presence of a person every day (except for rabbits). But rabbits are uncomfortable with the danger of a sudden epidemic.
As I studied the material on the bird, everything turned out to be not as rosy as it seemed at first:
Some need walks, others need expensive automation, others need heating, etc. etc. Incubators, brooders, it turns out that you need to leave everything and deal only with the bird, or not at all and not torture yourself, not pets.
On one of the forums I read a conversation about meat pigeons, and the idea with pigeons stuck firmly in my head. If you do poultry in your free time, then do meat pigeons.
There are a lot of pluses compared to minuses.
1. There are practically no competitors in the market. In the process of collecting information about the breeds of meat pigeons, basically all information was reduced to one phrase - "where to get meat pigeons."
2. Higher price per poultry compared to growing costs. For example, a hunting pheasant costs about $ 15, a pair - $ 30; the simplest industrial lines of the king -50 $ (pair), the Polish lynx - 30 $ (pair). And when you count the costs of raising pigeons and pheasants, the difference is huge.
3. The bird is very resistant to diseases (if properly kept).
4. Does not require heating.
5. Does not require daily presence.
6. Auto feeders and auto drinkers are cheap.
7. Propagates in the presence of glare all year round, except for molt. Any mechanical cheap daily timer can cope with the inclusion of the backlight in winter.
8. Pigeons hatch chicks well. No incubators needed.
9. They also excel at raising their offspring without human intervention. Heated brooders are just an unnecessary detail.
10. They don't need animal proteins like chicken proteins.
11. Exceptional taste and dietary properties of meat.
Let's face it, there are not many cons:
1. They are monogamous, each female requires a male.
2. A small number of offspring per year, on average 12-18 chicks.
3. Small carcass weight.
4. Not all pigeon can be taken as food.
Well the cons are actually quite controversial. The first fact is obvious, there is nothing to be done.
You may not agree with the second, because a hen hen will grow up hardly more chickens for
season. Well, at the expense of the weight of the carcass, there are also smaller birds, the same quails. The fourth is more difficult, in view of the historically formed prejudices. But there is a huge number of amateurs who want to buy not meat, but a live bird. After all, it is birds that are much more profitable to sell than meat. Well, if there are unclaimed chicks left, there will be a connoisseur. And you can grill yourself, surprise your friends.
Step # 2.
Soon after the decision to have pigeons, the opportunity to purchase four king chicks from the industrial line turned up (the parents were transported from Hungary). For several days the kings were in my barn. Since I have not yet decided on the content system. They were simply released onto the floor of the room. I installed a vacuum drinker and the same feeder, fine gravel, chalk. That's all the preparations.

The poultry farm is of great help to the family budget. Among many types of farms, pigeon breeding is very popular. It is generally accepted that such birds are raised as a hobby or for sports purposes. However, pigeon meat is considered a valuable dietary product. It is easily absorbed in the body and is suitable even for babies. Poultry lovers should pay attention to meat pigeons. This article provides information for novice pigeon breeders who decide to start breeding birds for sale.

Where to begin?

First of all, you need to get more information about birds, since pigeon breeding has its own nuances that should be taken into account. Some elite breeds, in their habits and living conditions, differ significantly from ordinary pigeons. Let's pay attention to the general characteristics of birds:

• The pigeon is an independent bird, loves to fly and in the summer is able to provide itself with food.
• The unpretentiousness of meat breeds relieves the poultry farmer from unnecessary trouble when arranging a home for them.
• The digestive system of pigeons is arranged in such a way that their glands, located in the area of \u200b\u200bthe goiter, are able to secrete the so-called bird's milk, which birds feed their chicks with. It is interesting that this property is possessed not only by females, but also by males.
• Individuals are distinguished by their fidelity towards each other, therefore they create monogamous pairs. The bird does not leave its partner until the moment of his death.

Individuals that are sources of dietary meat need separate mating boxes and a competent approach to feeding. In this regard, a beginner fancier faces a number of mandatory tasks:

• Prepare the room and stock up on material for the design of future boxes.
• Choose the right breed, since the quality of the meat product and the income received will depend on this.
• Take seriously the care of young animals, as well as their feeding.
• Send pigeons for slaughter in a timely manner.

Types of rocks

There are quite a few, but only a few individual breeds are suitable for growing them for meat. Among them are gigantic, chicken and meat. Each of them has its own characteristics. Giant birds cannot fly and are heavy. Chicken species are very similar in structure to ordinary chickens. They have a wide short body and a small tail. Meat birds are typical birds of this family, only slightly larger. The following characteristics are expected from meat pigeons:

• rapid development and growth;
• good fertility;
• high endurance;
• tendency to accelerated fattening.

Perhaps the description of meat pigeons presented in our article will help you make the right choice. However, before purchasing productive birds, you need to prepare a comfortable home for them.

Room arrangement

For keeping meat pigeons, special nurseries, outbuildings or attic rooms are used. There are no special requirements for the design of the dovecote. The main thing is that in winter there is no subzero temperature and the room is equipped with ventilation and electric lighting. When building, it should be noted that no more than 3 pairs of rare individuals can be settled on 1 m 2.

Pigeons are clean birds, so you should take care of the bedding. For these purposes, use straw, sawdust or shavings. They must be changed depending on the degree of contamination. General cleaning of the premises is carried out twice a year.

The presence of an aviary with feeders and drinkers installed in it is mandatory.

It is advisable that there is enough room in the room to accommodate boxes for mating pigeons. There should be more of them than the pairs themselves, so that each of them can independently find the nest they like and remember it. Once the mating process is complete, the boxes can be used for nesting birds.

Feeding

Although the maintenance and care of meat pigeons is not a big deal, they still have their own dietary preferences. In order for the birds to obtain the maximum amount of valuable product, they need to ensure constant feeding and adjust the correct balance. Basically, pigeons feed on oats, millet, peas, corn, barley and potatoes must be mixed in the feed, since it contains the necessary substances that are useful for birds. To insure pigeons against obesity, food should be constantly enriched with vitamin E. For 1 kg of the bulk of the feed, it is enough to include only 10 mg of the additive.

Slaughter

Poultry farmers raising pigeons for meat are always interested in sending the birds to slaughter quickly. Undoubtedly, the young meat is distinguished by its delicate structure and excellent taste. The meat breeds of pigeons are the most profitable in this respect. They can please the poultry farmer with recoil after their first flights. Subject to proper maintenance and care at the age of one month, the bird will be ready for slaughter.

Feeding should be stopped 24 hours before slaughter to facilitate the evisceration process. It will also improve the taste of the meat. Experienced pigeon breeders recommend feeding the pigeons with herbs in a few days to give the product a spicy flavor.

The total period of keeping birds, in particular, depends on their species. Elite individuals grow in different ways and have individual size and weight. So, let's start our review of meat breeds with giant pigeons.

Roman giant

The giant bird reaches from 1.3 to 1.5 kg in weight. Individuals are inactive, do not strive for flights. The body is powerful, large, oblong (total length up to 50 cm). The variety of colors is impressive. Giants are white, black, gray-blue, red, fawn and with a brownish bloom. According to their size and habits, birds need a low aviary and large nests. Due to their inherent sluggishness, they have a predisposition to obesity. Birds are highly immune to infections. By their nature, they are too gullible, for this reason they should be protected from predators.

King

Representatives of chicken breeds bred in America. The advantage of king pigeons is in their productivity and impressive mass. Unlike other meat pigeons, they grow more slowly. The keeping time of these individuals is at least 45 days. By this period, the birds weigh almost 800 g. Kings love freedom, so they need to be periodically released from the cage, and the room for their maintenance should be built more spacious. The speed of their weight gain will depend on the walking of the birds.

The female is able to reproduce up to 17 chicks per year. Since pigeons love to roam free and live in large buildings, they are more suitable for large farms. However, if optimal conditions are created for the birds, it will be possible to receive considerable income from the sale of valuable dietary meat.

Carnot

Breeding of meat breeds of pigeons of this species began at the time of the progress of mechanized pigeon breeding. Breeding the Carnot breed involved keeping birds in an aviary. For this reason, pigeons are not adapted to forage themselves. Karnaugh is easier to keep in automated rooms. They do not need to be spacious as pigeons react normally to crowding. Individuals are small, but productive and very rapidly gaining a certain weight (no more than 600 g). The plumage is different: black, yellow, white. There are no feathers on the legs.

The disadvantage of the breed is that the pigeons have a nondescript appearance and a disproportionate structure. They have an overly bulging chest and a thickened neck. Against the background of a rounded body, the head looks too small. At the same time, it should be noted that these characteristics are not reflected in the value of the dietary product. Their meat is juicy and rather tender.

Modena

A distinctive feature of this breed is its rich plumage. The general background of the whole body of the bird casts a variety of colors, and the wings can have a different color. Each individual wing feather is edged with a contrasting outline. There are two varieties: German and English Modena. The first is medium-sized, it is not grown for culinary purposes. English is famous for its large dimensions and bred for meat production. The maximum weight of an adult pigeon reaches 900 g. The article provides photos of meat pigeons. On them you can see the exterior differences of birds.

Texans

Quite foldable birds of powerful constitution, with a wide back and an upright neck. Tightly fitted wings fold in the middle of the tail. The head is small, the chest is convex, the tail is slightly raised up. Reproductive ability is well developed. A female individual is capable of hatching more than 20 chicks under good conditions. Texans have a calm disposition and are not picky about food. They grow quickly, the average weight of an adult bird is 750 g. Since birds are not particularly demanding on living conditions, they are suitable for busy people who cannot spend too much time keeping birds.

Strassers

The bird has a solid appearance. She has a round, proudly protruding chest, large head and forehead. Wide, short back, fully covered with wings. The color ranges from white and gray to black and white. Legs set wide apart, without feathers, red. Pigeons are considered the most fleshy breed. The weight of the male can reach up to 900 g, and that of the females - up to 700-800 g. The Strassers are not flying birds, violent and often arrange fights. Indicators of fertility and productivity in them are manifested, to a greater extent, with purebred breeding.

Conclusion

As you can see, breeding, care and maintenance of meat pigeons is not such a difficult process. The selection of birds is not limited to the above list. In fact, there are many more of them. Poultry farmers distinguish some more of the best varieties. These include: the Kuborg lark, Hungarian giants, Polish lynxes and some of the chicken-like individuals. If you like this kind of activity, choose the right breed and get a healthy product.

Pigeon meat was served to the table of aristocrats back in the Roman Empire. And the doctors of ancient Egypt, having appreciated the dietary, easily digestible proteins of pigeon meat, recommended it to weak and unhealthy people. America and Europe have long ago put this bird on an industrial basis, and there meat pigeons are an excellent alternative to animal husbandry.

The value of pigeon meat, rich in easily digestible proteins, has been known since ancient Rome.

On the territory of our country, meat pigeons are less widespread, but this industry is beginning to gain momentum.
The breeds of meat pigeons, and there are about 60 of them, were conditionally divided into:

• gigantic;
• chicken;
• meat.

The bird of this group is large, massive, heavy, poorly flying. It included breeds: Mondain, Roman, Texan, King, Koshua, Strasser, Carnot, Hungarian Giant, Montoban, Sottobanka.

The most popular in our territory: Strassers, Roman, Texans and Kings.

Roman pigeons

The breed is very old and has undergone significant selection selection over several centuries.

This bird has poor flying qualities. She is inactive, but violent in temperament. Fights among the "Romans" are not uncommon.

The bird has low fertility, but due to good immunity, the population remains at a stable level.

The Roman dove has a large massive oblong body. The wing and tail are long. The live weight of the male reaches 1.3 kg, and of the females up to 1.1 kg. The bird's head appears large due to the size of the forehead. The beak is large. The neck is curved. The chest is rounded, and the back is shaped like a wide oval. The limbs are low, naked, scarlet.

Roman pigeons can be of all colors by color.

"Romans" are readily used to improve pigeons of other breeds.

The weight of one Roman pigeon exceeds a kilogram, but they are not very fertile.

Kingi

Created through careful selection in the USA. Kinga are used both as industrial poultry for fattening for meat, and as show poultry.

This breed is very prolific. The live weight of a bird reaches 850 g. Their body is large. The chest is wide, with a bulge. The wings are short and straight, close to the body. The tail is short, and the legs are medium, non-feathered. The plumage is smooth, well-fitting. The most valuable are light-colored birds, especially white ones.

A bird for exhibitions reaches a weight of up to 1.7 kg and is similar to chickens. The head and short neck of this bird seem to merge, and then a huge fleshy chest follows. But the lower part of the bird is small. The neck, broad back and tail pulled up give the impression of a semicircle. The short wings fall on the tail. The limbs are scarlet and wide apart. Feathers are white, silver, fawn, variegated.

The Kings are good parents. On average, they can give 6 - 8 pairs of offspring per season.

In one season, king pigeons bring offspring up to 8 times.

Strassers

A bird with original plumage and weighing up to a kilogram. Large body with a large head and large forehead, medium dense curved neck. The protruding round chest is the decoration of this bird, but the back is short, but wide. The wings completely cover the dorsal part and end at the tail. The fledgling legs are of medium size, scarlet and wide apart.

Strasser pigeons have all sorts of colors, some with a belt on the wings and tail. There are white-winged and white-tailed strassers among the strassers.

Strassers are violent, they often fight, and fly badly. The fertility of the breed is high, and the genetic potential made it possible for industrial breeding of the breed... An adult female weighs about 700 g, and a male up to 1000 g.

With purebred breeding, the indicators are much higher than when paired with other breeds. To prevent a drop in productivity, females no older than six years of age are allowed to breed.

Strasser pigeons are heavy, reproduce well, but have a violent disposition.

Carnot

They are grown mainly in cells. The mass of a pigeon is up to 650 g, but they grow at a rapid pace, for which they are popular. The color can be varied, but the meat is always tender and juicy.

Carnot pigeons are not too large, but gain weight quickly.

Texans

The productivity and multiplicity of meat pigeons, bred in the USA, are appreciated. If favorable conditions are created, up to 22 cubs can be raised per year.

The bird grows quickly, with a calm temperament, well accustomed to the conditions of keeping and new feed.

The sex of this bird can be determined immediately after hatching: "girls" - with yellow long down and a pink spot on the edge of the beak, "boys" - without down or with very short. Adults are also easily distinguishable. The males have a white color, and only the neck and chest with colored occurrences. Doves are darker, in places with a belt.

The physique is powerful, harmonious. The back is wide, tapering towards the caudal region. The ends of the wings are laid on a medium tail. The quality of the breed is determined by the width of the legs apart - the wider the better.

Texans are distinguished by their productivity and prolificacy, bringing up to 22 cubs per season.

Polish lynx

All these pigeons are distinguished from the rest by white belts on the wings. But the plumage itself can be of different shades.

Their average weight is within 700 g, and they give no more than 8 broods. Pigeons are calm, unpretentious, capable of medium summer and independent forage, which earned the attention of rural pigeon breeders.

The average weight of the Polish lynx is 700 grams.

Chickens

These birds slightly resemble domestic chickens, which is why they got this name. Their body and tail are shortened, and their legs are long. This group includes: Viennese, Modena, Florentine, Maltese, Hungarian pigeons. Chicken-like birds are rarely found in our territory. This group never received industrial breeding.

Chicken doves got their name from their characteristic appearance.

Hungarian giants

Among chickens, these birds are especially attractive. It is easy to recognize them by their abundantly feathered short legs. The male can gain up to 1200 g of weight per season, the female up to 900 g. The color of the plumage is from black to the lightest.

Pigeons "Hungarian giants" bring up to 1.2 kg of valuable meat.

Meat

The meat breeds of pigeons are similar to domestic pigeons, but their live weight reaches 750 g. The meat breeds include the Benesov pigeon, the Moravian broccoli, the Kuborg lark, and the Prachensky kanika.

Meat pigeons are similar to sports or decorative pigeons, but differ from them in increased body weight.

Kuborg Lark

These breed are quite weighty, and long wings allow maintaining good flight qualities. The bird incubates and feeds chicks well.

The pigeon "Kuborg Lark" with a large body weight retains good flying ability.

Features of maintenance and reproduction

Meat pigeons have short wings and a rather weighty body, so they cannot fly or fly badly.

The ration of feeding such pigeons must be more carefully balanced in terms of nutritional value. Monotony is unacceptable.

Raising meat pigeons can be a very profitable business with minimal investment.

Breeding pigeons for meat is no more difficult than ordinary pigeons, they are prolific and hardy. However, the nests for them must be fitted on the floor or slightly above the floor. In this case, the main thing is that the bird should be able to independently and safely enter its nests. Multi-storey nesting sites for this bird are inappropriate. The upper floors will remain unclaimed, and the bird will fight for the lower nests.

It is better to attract purebred individuals to breeding meat pigeons. In this case, the meat yield will be much higher, and the funds spent on feed will be covered by the profit.

Breeding of meat pigeons still remains unclaimed by a wide mass of pigeon breeders, and this direction can make an invaluable contribution and add a high-quality protein product to the human diet. Having considered the breeds of pigeons, having weighed all the advantages of meat pigeon breeding, you can safely start breeding and keeping this bird.

* Calculations use average data for Russia

Perhaps some of the most common birds in the world are pigeons. We meet them at every step, and most of us do not even realize that it is possible to earn money from breeding and selling these birds.

Once upon a time, pigeons were used for mailing. Thanks to their ability to perfectly navigate even in unfamiliar terrain and unmistakably find their way home, these birds perfectly suited the role of postmen. Of course, they cannot carry heavy parcels and parcels, but they are quite capable of delivering small notes and letters to the addressee. However, pigeon mail has long lost its relevance. And although good orientation on the terrain allows pigeons to be used for other purposes (for example, for wedding photo sessions, when the newlyweds symbolically release snow-white birds into the sky), this is not the main "sphere of application" of birds. The most important thing now is breeding pigeons ... for meat, unless, of course, you consider pigeon breeding as a business, and not as a hobby.

It is widely believed that only homeless people eat pigeons. However, pigeon meat is a delicacy and is served in the most expensive restaurants. Back in the Middle Ages, the famous doctor Avicenna recommended that patients include in their diet pigeon meat, which is dietary, contains a large amount of protein and consists of small fibers, therefore its taste and nutritional value are much higher than that of meat of other types of poultry.

Of course, ordinary "city" pigeons are not suitable for consumption. There are various meat breeds of birds, for example, Strasser, Monden, King, etc., which are bred on special "pigeon farms" for slaughter.

Pigeon meat with all the necessary documents is then sold both in retail and directly to catering establishments. One average carcass of a pigeon in retail costs about 250-300 rubles. One kilogram of meat at purchase prices will cost 1000-1500 rubles. (Here it is necessary to clarify that the weight of a processed pigeon carcass is, on average, two times less than that of an untreated one, so manufacturers set a price for their product both per kilogram and per whole carcass).

On the one hand, it seems that pigeons are too small birds, so these prices are fully justified and the profitability of their breeding business is in question. On the other hand, it should be taken into account that one pair of meat pigeons can yield up to 7 kg of meat per year! Breeders are constantly working to improve meat breeds. The weight of one pigeon of this species reaches 1 kg, but there are breeds (King), representatives of which weigh up to 2 kg (see below).

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So, a meat pigeon breeding business can be very profitable and promising. However, as in any other business, there are subtleties and nuances here. Let's try to figure them out.

Pigeon meat breeds

King.The weight of meat pigeons depends on the breed. Among the most famous is the king breed, which was bred in the United States. Representatives of this breed are very fertile, gain weight quickly (with proper maintenance and balanced nutrition, a king pigeon can be fattened in 45 days to an average weight of 700 g). A female can bring up to 18 well-fed chicks per year. Adult birds weigh 650-800 g. However, show representatives of this breed can weigh up to 1.5-2 kg. True, they cost much more. The slaughter weight of such pigeons is 60-68%. This indicator directly depends on the growing conditions of the king. For example, with a cage keeping, the weight of a bird will be much lower than with a restricted-range method of growing or, even more so, an open-air cage.

Beginner pigeon breeders prefer cage keeping, which can significantly increase the number of heads in the house. However, the benefit in this case is rather dubious. A gutted pigeon carcass kept in a cage weighs up to 350-370 g, and the slaughter weight does not exceed 55-56%. However, in whatever conditions representatives of this breed are kept, "at the exit" you will receive the following indicators - 50% meat, 16% fat and 5% offal. Everything else is recycled.

Strasser. Strasser pigeons also belong to large breeds. The weight of a male of this breed, bred in Western Europe from the Moravian Pstros and other local breeds of pigeons in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic, can reach 1200 g. Although the average representatives of this species of meat pigeons weigh about 1 kg. Unlike the Moravian Pstros, which belongs to the productive types of pigeons, has a larger than average figure, but at the same time is agile and has good flying qualities, the strassers are stocky and inactive. Already at the age of 30 days, the weight of a bird can reach 700 g. True, the strasser themselves are significantly less than males and weigh up to 800 g in adulthood. It has been noticed that the mass of the offspring directly depends on the age of the parental couple. Therefore, in order to avoid weight loss of chicks, experts advise removing birds older than five years from the dovecote.

The body of the strassers is large, massive (the length of the birds is 36-40 cm). The head is large, with a wide and convex forehead. The beak is medium, strong, whitish wax, small. The eyes are dark orange, the eyelids are narrow, light, but there are varieties of birds with red eyelids. The neck is of medium length, thick, slightly arched. The chest is wide, rounded, strongly protruding. The back is relatively short, wide and straight. The wings are medium, wide, cover the back and lie with their ends on the tail. Legs of medium length, non-feathered, strong, wide apart, bright scarlet. The tail is of medium length, twelve feathers, tight, narrow. There are pigeons with white or black scaly wing coverts, as well as white-belt with white tails and Bavarian with white wingtips.

Strasser meat is fine fiber. These birds are distinguished by high productivity - from one pair to ten chicks can be obtained per season. As mentioned above, chicks gain a live weight of 600-700 g per month, thus, the slaughter yield of this breed is on average 60%.

Roman pigeons, as the name of the breed implies, were bred in Italy, and then further breeding work was carried out in France. These birds are also among the largest representatives of their species and are successfully used as breeding material for the creation of other meat species. Representatives of the Roman breed have a large body, strong, oblong in shape, thick, dense plumage, wing feathers and tail are long. The head is large, round-elongated, smooth, the forehead is relatively high. The beak is long, powerful, slightly curved, dark in black and gray birds, light in other colored lines. The wax is long, white, smooth, heart-shaped, divided in the middle. The eyes are small, in all the colored ones - pearl color, in the whites - dark. The eyelids are 2-4 mm wide, they are finely warty, red or dark, in young pigeons they are smooth and narrow. The neck is relatively short, thick, the throat is well defined, in some, the throat fold is noticeable. The head is large, round, with a high forehead. The eyes are small, pearly, dark in birds with white plumage. The eyelids are red or dark, finely warty, 2 to 4 mm wide. The beak is large, slightly curved, dark in doves, light in other species. The neck is thick, short, with a well-defined throat. The chest is convex, wide, with a straight long keel. The back is relatively broad, oval and tapering towards the tail. The wings are large, with long flight feathers. Shields are missing. The belts in silver and gray individuals are black, in beige and brown ones - gray. The limbs are strong, short, bright scarlet with long fingers and light claws. Birds of black and gray color have dark claws. There is no feathering on the legs. The tail is rather long, wide and rounded. Body weight is 1-1.3 kg, doves - 0.9-1.1 kg.

Representatives of this breed do not fly very well. The plumage of such birds is silver or gray, there are transverse black belts on the wings or a transverse stripe at the end of the tail, while the lower back is light in color. The plumage of Roman pigeons has a silvery or bluish tint with transverse black belts on the wings and a transverse stripe at the end of the tail. Their lower back is light. Roman pigeons of black color have white specks on their heads, beige ones have dark (brown or gray) belts on the wings and the same stripe on the tail. There are also pure red, fawn, white birds. Colored pigeons have a darker neck with a shiny tint. The largest representatives of this breed are gray birds, the smallest are red pigeons. The length of the bird from the beak to the end of the tail is 50-56 cm, the wingspan is 100-105 cm. The live weight of an adult pigeon is 1-1.3 kg, and that of a pigeon is 0.9-1.1 kg. Individual copies weigh 1.7 kg. The weight of young animals at the age of four weeks is 620-650 g.

Roman pigeons are quite convenient to keep: they move little, fly badly and are trusting of people. Although it does not do without flaws - they are pugnacious and not the best hens. Unfortunately, the representatives of this breed are not very fertile - they bring up to 8 chicks a year, but they have good disease resistance. Representatives of this breed are used in breeding work when breeding meat breeds of high productivity. For these purposes, Roman pigeons are crossed with more fertile breeds bred by Russian breeders (for example, drummers).

Monden breed pigeons were bred in the French city of Monde-Marsan. The weight of adult males of this breed is up to 1.1 kg. The smallest weight of its representatives is 850 g. In 30 days, a chick can be fattened to a weight of 700 g. At the same time, the slaughter yield of meat in Monden pigeons is 61%. Representatives of this breed have the highest massiveness index among other meat breeds. It is estimated at 28.7%. This indicator is primarily used when assessing the meatiness of poultry. The main advantage of this breed is that its representatives can be eaten almost entirely, since the Monden pigeons have the highest index of edible parts: in males it is estimated at 82.6%, and in females - at 81.3%. Among gourmets, the meat of French and Swiss monden chicks is most appreciated, weighing 550 and 600 g, respectively.

Carnot. One of the earliest breeds is the French Carnot breed, which is an open-air cage. The weight of an adult pigeon of this breed is from 550 to 700 g. In a month, the pigeon can be fattened to a weight of 330-340 g. However, weight in this case is not a priority. The main thing is the taste of pigeon meat, which is much higher for representatives of this breed (at least at a young age), weeks for other meat breeds of pigeons. Although purely from the point of view of decorative pigeon breeding, monden birds are not the most attractive, due to their taste, they are the leader among meat breeds.

Ready ideas for your business

In general, there are not so many meat breeds of pigeons when compared, for example, with the number of breeds of chickens and other poultry. The main problem that domestic pigeon breeders face is difficulties in buying good producers. Although the business of raising pigeons for meat is profitable and promising (there is no doubt about this), there are very few farms in Russia that offer quality producers for sale. Pigeon breeders have to purchase birds of rare breeds from us in the countries of near and far abroad. Someone brings representatives of the most common breeds from Ukraine, someone from Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany. True, the prices for a pair are not at all humane - from 8,000 to 15,000 rubles. Not all farmers can afford this luxury. Transportation is also a complex issue. The journey to Russia by train takes more than one week. Chances are good that one of the pigeon pair will simply not live to see the destination.

The simpler and more common breeds are sold at various exhibitions. If you are planning to acquire one, you should visit thematic exhibitions in Crimea, where the price for one bird is now from 500 rubles.

When breeding pigeons, it must be borne in mind that one female pigeon of not the most productive breed lays one or two eggs up to three times a year. Thus, in a year you can get from one bird to six chicks. Masonry incubation takes about a month. Moreover, unlike chickens, a pigeon pair incubates eggs alternately. Within a month, young animals reach their maximum weight and are ready for sale. The weight of a meat pigeon is, on average, 1 kg. In this case, we do not take into account show birds, the weight of which can reach 2 kg. True, the weight of the processed (gutted) carcass will in any case be half the weight of a live bird. But it is not so easy to process (gut) a pigeon. It is for this reason that each manufacturer decides for himself how it is more profitable for him to set prices - per kilogram or per carcass.

Criteria for choosing birds when buying

The age of the birds. The age of a pigeon is determined by its legs and wax. When the bird turns five months old, the wax is gradually becoming white, which indicates the onset of puberty. In the future, the wax grows in size and over time it becomes more and more, which makes it possible to determine the age of the bird up to three to four years. After that, it becomes difficult to accurately determine the age of the bird. Pigeons are long-lived. They live up to fifteen or twenty years, but for reproduction they are used (at least in meat breeds) only up to five or six years. Old individuals are not suitable as producers: they are not productive and bring very weak offspring. Therefore, only purebred and healthy birds are mated.

But even with these recommendations, it is far from always possible "by eye" to determine the presence of problems, especially if you have not previously had experience in keeping and breeding birds. In this case, it is better for beginners to seek help from a more experienced fancier or to read special literature in advance. Determining the presence of diseases in a bird is not so difficult. Do not forget to take the contacts from the seller (an honest seller will definitely give them) in order to contact you in the future regarding the purchase of birds, their keeping and breeding. To abuse the kindness of the seller, of course, is not worth it, but the rare calls once or twice a month are unlikely to cause him trouble.

Dovecote device

Pigeons are extremely unpretentious birds in terms of keeping. If you have ever lived in private areas of the city (or, even more so, in a village), then most likely you have seen dovecote more than once. Unlike chicken coops, a dovecote does not require much space to equip. Someone uses their attic for this, where previously unnecessary trash was stored. Someone equips a separate superstructure on the roof for the dovecote. Ideally, of course, you should get a separate room where pigeons will be kept. Large investments in its arrangement are not required. This can be both an open-air cage with a stretched netting-netting, and a "typical" house-dovecote, where birds can hide from the rain and rest.

However, regardless of your financial capabilities, the main thing is that cats and various small predatory animals (from foxes to rats) cannot enter the territory of the dovecote. It is for this reason that dovecotes are often raised above the ground (although this also saves space). As for the area, proceed from their calculation that a dovecote with an area of \u200b\u200b12 sq. meters can accommodate up to 50 pigeons. But with a limited area, the question of choosing breeds of pigeons becomes relevant. So, for example, representatives of the king breed are very bloodthirsty. As pigeon breeders themselves say, kings destroy other people's nests, throw other people's eggs out of the nest and kill chicks. Although pigeons are generally recognized as symbols of peace, these birds, regardless of breed, are not at all so friendly. Males often fight to the death with each other, and females drive other representatives of the bird species out of their nests. Conflicts between females can be avoided by providing them with enough nests for incubating eggs.

The bottom of the dovecote is sprinkled with sand, which will make cleaning easier in the future. Old newspapers can also be used, but this method is more expensive. Perches are made along the walls of the house. At the same time, special care for the dovecote is not required: regular cleaning of the premises is sufficient. Once a year (after the winter period), experts advise to arrange a general cleaning and repair of the premises.

Feeding pigeons

The birds also do not require special supervision. But when feeding, it is necessary to inspect all the inhabitants of the poultry house and remove sick individuals. Pigeons are usually fed at the same time. The optimal frequency of feeding is twice a day. Accordingly, the feeding is divided into morning and evening. Pigeons are fed with a grain mixture of cereals. This includes millet, millet, lentils, peas, barley, and oily plant seeds (e.g. sunflower, flax, etc.). Various vitamins should also be given regularly. They are quite inexpensive, and you can buy them even at the most ordinary pet store. Chalk, sand, red clay and even ordinary crushed red brick are suitable as top dressing. Birds need pebbles: they grind food that enters the stomach, contributing to its better absorption. If you are raising pigeons on an "industrial" scale, it is more profitable to purchase various vitamin supplements at wholesale stores.

An average of 55 g of feed is required per pigeon daily. It is also important to ensure that birds have access to fresh water. Quality and balanced feed, fresh water and no drafts are the main conditions for the success of your pigeon business.

Sales organization

Pigeon meat is especially in demand among the establishments of the HoReCa sector. If you can find a regular customer for your products among expensive restaurants or cafes, then you will not have problems with selling the bulk. Of course, you will have to conclude all the necessary contracts with the veterinary service and get the appropriate certificates. This applies to the sale of any bird, but especially pigeons, because they are carriers of various dangerous infections. Therefore, your customers must be sure that the products you offer are completely safe.

Another area of \u200b\u200bwork is selective breeding of meat pigeons and their sale to both amateur poultry breeders (there are, however, not so many in Russia as we would like) and breeders-farmers. Recall that the breeding of pigeons is a set of measures to improve the qualities of a certain breed or to breed a new breed with improved hereditary characteristics. The latter option seems to be very promising, but it requires considerable costs both for training and for the purchase of birds for breeding. On the other hand, given the almost complete absence of competition in some regions of our country, this line of work can bring good profits.

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The meat pigeon is one of the poultry species that are bred on farms for cooking. Meat of birds of this species began to be served as a delicacy in ancient Egypt and Greece. After a while, breeders bred about 50 species of meat individuals. In the largest cities in Europe, large poultry farms flourish, which breed pigeons on an industrial scale. Meat pigeons gained their popularity due to the special dietary properties of meat. It contains a lot of protein, it is very well absorbed by the body and is considered a delicacy. The meat has a high taste and tastes like wild meat.

In our country, meat pigeon breeds are not as common as abroad. In total, there are about 60 species of birds. They are conventionally divided into three groups:

• Chicken;
• Gigantic;
• Meat.

Breeding of meat species is gaining more and more distribution every year.

King

The King meat pigeon breed was first bred in 1890 in America. This was done after a fairly long selection. A distinctive feature of this meat breed from others lies in the peculiarities of the structure of the body of an individual.

Males have long and widely spaced legs, a broad back and a medium-length tail. Outwardly, birds are similar to other domestic chickens, since this type belongs to the chicken-like species.

The plumage is varied, most often individuals are grown in black, beige or red. White males and females are of particular value among individuals of this species.

The largest weight in males is 900 grams. Females weigh slightly less, with an average of 600 grams. Males with a special diet can be fattened up to one kilogram. Representatives of this breed are considered conscientious parents. They themselves incubate and raise their offspring. With good feeding, pigeons at the age of 1 month will weigh 600 - 700 grams.

Hungarian giant

Giants first spread in Hungary and Turkey.

The main feature of this species is the short legs of the birds, covered with dense plumage. The giants have a massive back, a small tail, and a wide chest.

Females can gain weight up to 900 grams, and males almost 1.2 kilograms. The annual offspring of individuals is about ten chicks. The color can be of various colors. The most widespread are birds of black, white, yellow and even blue colors.

Texans

The Texana pigeons were bred in the 50s in Texas. Individuals are highly fertile. The average weight of pigeons is 900 grams. Unlike other representatives, individuals have well-developed secondary characters. Therefore, it is not difficult to determine the sex of the hatched chicks. Males have not big down and a small light-colored beak, while females have a dark spot on the beak clearly. The body of the female is covered with a long yellowish fluff.

When breeding a species, it is necessary to take into account and maintain special conditions of detention. Adults also differ in feather color. Males have white feathers, chest and neck can be yellowish or brown. Females have dark wings and blue or grayish breasts.

The main advantage of the species is the rapid growth of young stock, the fertility of the breed and survival.

They bring about 16 chicks annually. Pigeons have a calm nature and feed well.

Dove texan

Modena

The birds are named after a city in Italy called Modena. It was there that they were first bred. Pigeon meat breeds have a variety of plumage colors. Individuals of Modena have about 200 different shades and feather patterns. The most popular breeds of meat pigeons in Madena are:

• German;
• English variety of Shitty pigeons.

These are the best breeds of Madena. The English subspecies of birds has a large massive shape. Pigeons are covered with monochromatic feathers with small splashes in the area of \u200b\u200bthe wings and head. Individuals have well-fitting plumage.

Modena pigeons

Carnot

The Carnot meat breed appeared thanks to the works of French breeders during the period of active introduction of mechanization processes.

Pigeons live and grow in an aviary, as they do not have the ability to forage.

The weight of the birds is small, the average weight is 600 - 700 grams. The birds are highly fertile and rank first in terms of productivity. Carnot are not decorative individuals. They have a small head and a thick neck. The bird's beak is pinkish with a curved end, short wings are undeveloped, so the bird should be kept in fenced enclosures. The most common are yellow, black and white plumage. Legs are thin without feathers.

Dove carnot

Strasser

Strasser is the best meat type of pigeons, the main advantages of which are:

• Excellent quality meat;
• Fast growth;
• Decorativeness;
• High fertility.

Strasser meat pigeons breed about 7 chicks per year. They have a well-defined broad chest, a long neck and short, bare legs. The wingspan is average. The lower part of the body is white and the upper part is darker. Strasser can be fed up to 800 g, females up to 600 g.

Individuals are very shy and often fight among themselves. Due to poorly developed wings, they fly poorly.

Breeding

Breeding meat pigeons is not much different from other species. The breeding period goes through several successive stages:

• Mating games;
• Pairing;
• Filling the nest and arranging it;
• Clutching and incubation of eggs;
• The appearance of chicks;
• Feeding and caring for chicks.

But still, breeding a meat pigeon has its own distinctive features.

After the young are 8 months old, they enter the reproductive period and are bred. Reproduction begins earlier than in other individuals.

Chicks of this breed become completely independent from their parents as early as 1 month. In meat breeds of pigeons, the maternal instinct is well developed. The mass of pigeons is small compared to other species.

The most important thing is that the windows are located only in the south, and the air temperature does not drop to minus. Therefore, pigeon houses must be well insulated.

Pigeon nests must be dry. They must always be kept clean. This is necessary according to the rules of pigeon breeding. In the cell space, you can use as bedding:

1. Sawdust;
2. Hay;
3. Straw.

Disinfection of cells and the entire dovecote is carried out at least once a year. Males and females are very fond of swimming, so in the warm season they need to equip a special place for swimming.

Habitat

For a comfortable stay, birds of this species need a separate warm room and a fenced enclosure for walking. In the dovecote, it is necessary to maintain a certain air temperature (from +5 to + 20C). You can set the desired temperature using thermal insulation.

So that the birds do not have hypothermia, the floor is insulated with straw or sawdust.

During breeding, birds will take some of the litter for nesting. The litter should be changed as soon as necessary so as not to breed dampness. Complete cleaning of the premises should be carried out several times a year. At the time of cleaning, the pigeons are transferred to a quieter place or outside in an aviary.

The health and reproduction of birds is strongly influenced by daylight. Meat pigeons need walks in the fresh air, sunlight has a beneficial effect on the growth of young animals. Therefore, an equipped aviary for individuals of this species is extremely necessary.

The structure of birds and the size of their wings do not allow them to fly. Because of this, they are forced to equip their nests directly on the ground or floor.

Diet

There are certain features of feeding the meat type of birds. Minerals must be added to bird feed. The diet of birds should consist of cereals and proteins. The pigeon house should always have clean drinking water. It is best to equip them with a special convenient drinking bowl. The water in the drinker must be changed every day. Slaked lime and eggshells are excellent minerals.

Meat pigeons are easy to breed and care for, and are not picky about food. Compliance with all the rules for breeding this species brings a good income to the owners. Growing beef breeds is very profitable and challenging.