Breeding for Meat Pigeons

[nicalandia]

Hi guys, My name is Marvin, I am from Nicaragua, I am quite the genetic expert on the chicken and genetics forum. I have never raised pigeons or doves, but I am very very impressed at how this birds grow from hatch to 30 days, and I want to see if I'm able to raise them for meat. the issue is that all I have is wild pigeons and a few fancy fantailed ones, to me the faintails may look just abit larger but this could be because they have regular feed and are caged(or at least the ones I've seen) now my question is out of these two breeds(if they can be called that way) which one do you think could be the best for my "Broiler Pigeons" breeding program?

thanks

 

[jak2002003]

Neither seem a good choice.

Wild pigeons may have a host of diseases and parasites that are dangerous to people and other pigeons. They are also small and don't have much meat. The colour of the meat will be very dark - and most people don't like the look of the dark meat.

The fantail doves are also not a good choice. They are not as prolific as other pigeon breeds, and they don't have much meat - they are mostly feathers! But the white ones will have nice light meat.

You really need to try and find White King Pigeons. They are the ones used for food. They are huge and fat and prolific breeders too. Get the utility kind, not the fancy show ones.

I am trying to start up a pigeon farm too, but here in Thailand I am having trouble getting the King pigeons. Its taken me months, and I only have 5 now - and they are all females!!!!!!!!! I am considering crossing them with my white fantails to see if the young will be big and fat like the king.

Good luck.

 

[nicalandia]

Neither seem a good choice.

Wild pigeons may have a host of diseases and parasites that are dangerous to people and other pigeons. They are also small and don't have much meat. The colour of the meat will be very dark - and most people don't like the look of the dark meat.

The fantail doves are also not a good choice. They are not as prolific as other pigeon breeds, and they don't have much meat - they are mostly feathers! But the white ones will have nice light meat.

You really need to try and find White King Pigeons. They are the ones used for food. They are huge and fat and prolific breeders too. Get the utility kind, not the fancy show ones.

I am trying to start up a pigeon farm too, but here in Thailand I am having trouble getting the King pigeons. Its taken me months, and I only have 5 now - and they are all females!!!!!!!!! I am considering crossing them with my white fantails to see if the young will be big and fat like the king.

Good luck.

the issue is that in Nicaragua we just dont have the white king pigeons, so I wanted to see if I could breed for larger and larger pigeons untill I reach the good meat type of pigeons, now one question do all white pigeons have white/light meat?

 

[jak2002003]

I would use the fantails then, and keep breeding for bigger birds - but that will take a long long time.

Not all white birds have white meat. It depends of the cololour of their flesh. The birds with the light colour meat will have pink beaks, legs and skin. You should only breed from those ones.

I wonder if you can find some way to import king pigeons into your area?

 

[Mnredjunglefowl]

Pigeon grow fast n 3 month there out of there nest already..but for meat best i think r farm pigeon.i use to raise king foe meat but the bigger they r they less meat they get just from my experince

 

[jak2002003]

Pigeon grow fast n 3 month there out of there nest already..but for meat best i think r farm pigeon.i use to raise king foe meat but the bigger they r they less meat they get just from my experince

How can that be? If they are bigger what are their bodies made of - air?

Bigger birds means more meat.

 

[Mnredjunglefowl]

no king r just big ,,,there breast is realy not alot of meat i use to breed them for meat pigeons ,there really not alot of meat on them as the barnpigeon or homer pigeons..i feed my pigeon realy high protein feed..so i got rid of the king n raise barn pigeon for meat now just cuzz they grow faster n reproduce faster then king also there breast have more meat on it,

 

[nicalandia]

no king r just big ,,,there breast is realy not alot of meat i use to breed them for meat pigeons ,there really not alot of meat on them as the barnpigeon or homer pigeons..i feed my pigeon realy high protein feed..so i got rid of the king n raise barn pigeon for meat now just cuzz they grow faster n reproduce faster then king also there breast have more meat on it,

oh thanks for that info buddy.. so white pigeons with pink/red beaks it is then

 

[larrylofts]

there are pigeon clubs in all parts of the world do not know how to contact maybe the npausa.com has some leads there