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Systems of Housing and Feeding of Pigeons for Squab Production
Dissertation Abstract:
Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the reproductive performance of a meat breed of pigeons for squab production.
Results showed that paired pigeons kept in cages significantly laid more eggs, produced more squabs, consumed more feed, had better feed conversion efficiency, and was more profitable than those kept in communal fly-penns. No significant differences were obtained on hatchability, livability, growth rate, and dressing percentage of the squabs between the two housing systems. In general, the pigeons fed with commercial pigeon pellets performed slightly better than the pigeons indicated a good potential but this requires further studies.
The addition of three percent grit (20-mesh sand) to a pigeon layer mash formulation depressed the performance of pigeons.
The stock of pigeons had an average sexual maturity age of 156 days, an incubation period of 18.5 days, and an interval of 20.3 days between the hatching of the squabs in a brood and the laying of the next batch of eggs. The parent (mother and father) pigeons alternated in incubating and feeding their squabs.
The sex ratio of the two squabs in the same brood with one male and one female was 45.5 percent; with both males, 18.3 percent; and was 6 percent of liveweight.
The pigeons were susceptible to internal and external parasites, specifically to roundworms, plumage lice, and mites.
Parent pigeons that suffered from total blindness in the cages were as productive as the normal couples.
Rearing mated pigeons in individual cages and feeding them with commercial pigeon pellets can be a profitable enterprise if there is a demand for and a reasonable selling price of squabs.