The Texan Pioneer utility pigeon- a tutorial

[yardbird tx]

They are cooped all the time. They are too heavy to fly like other Pigeons. I can leave the door to the coop open when feeding ect. And they show no interest in going out. They fell safe in there coops.

 

[Bossroo]

Great tutorial yardbird tx. I have a couple of questions that I can't seem to find current ( any information seems to be over 50 years old) answers to anywhere... how much feed does a breeding pair eat per day/ week/ month/ or year? How many harvested squab will a good breeding pair raise in a year? What are the live and dressed exact weights of each squab ( male, female) at 30 days? What is the exact mature weight of the mature male and female birds?

 

[Mad Tapper]

Very interesting post. Is there any experience with these birds in colder climates? By colder, I mean Wisconsin. Yardbird TX, do you think they would struggle through a northwoods winter? Keep the updates coming and thanks!

 

[yardbird tx]

Quote:
I will answer the best I can. But I dont have exact numbers. A breeding pair will eat more when raising young. I feed many grains ( see feeding in this thread) but six breeding pair will go threw a 50# bag of wheat in four months.

And young birds vary in size and weight. I don't have exact figures but if you go threw the thread I talked about size of young at various stages. And weights of mature birds.

 

[yardbird tx]

Quote:
Cold is not a problem. I get about three freezes a year. But nouthing like the Northwoods. The only problem I have had with the cold is when a young bird accidentally fall out of, or is kicked out of the nest. And they get too cold. If you are in a cold climate just make sure the birds can get some good afternoon sun. And keep a eye on the young in the nest. Thats what I would do.

At about two weeks the breeders will stop siting on the young. And I have worried before about the getting too cold in the winter. But by that time it seems the young can take the cold as good as the adults.

 

[Bossroo]

Thank you for your reply. I reread your posts, you state that you feed wheat, milo, corn and 16-20% pig feed. You state that your 6 breeding pair eat 50 pound sack of wheat in 4 months, so how much of the other feed do they also consume in 4 months? I also read your weights in ounces for various ages which is the same as listed for the Texan Pioneer breed standard. From personal experience with several chicken breeds, ie BR, RIR, NHR, I find that they rarely met the breed standard for weights. I talked to a fellow that raises racing Homers, and a pair of Runts. He stated that he breeds his pairs only twice a year and gets 4 babies from each pair but he lets his Runts breed at any time since he only gets 1-3 offspring a year from them anyway. Looking at the Runts , they were about twice the size of his Homers but no where near what the breed standard says as I have seen some before that were at least twice their size at a fair. In your 2 year experience, how many squab will a pair produce in a year? What weights can I reasonably get per squab at 30 days of age? I want to know what to expect in the real world of squab production.

 

[yardbird tx]

Quote:
I get a average of twelve squab a year from a breeding pair. I feel comparing Runts to the Texas is not a good way to go. The Runt like the King has been breed more for show than squabing. As a result both have become more show birds than squabing. They are lighter than there original breeds. I have a few squabs that are about 30 days. Tomorrow I will scale them to give you a idea of weight.

In the real world of squab production you can expect to have many variables. Nothing is set in stone. I have had breeders that crank out unbelievable young. And then I have had breeders that just could not get it together and only produce six birds a year.
The first thing I would tell you is to find good stock to start with. Then it is just a mater of time. Look at how pairs do together and adjust as needed. You will have to watch your birds and manage them to get the best results.

As far as the standard you have to breed for it. Not every bird is going to meet the standard. You must know that from raising chickens. As far as wight most ( 90%) for my birds met the standard. You must cull, mate, match and work to get the top birds and make them breeders. Some times I will dress out a bird that is light compared to the stander. But if you want every egg to be a champion standard bird its not going to happen.

I love these birds. And I have spent countless hours trying to figure out how I could make a living raising them. But to this day I cant figure how to do it. Even in a city like Austin that is organic food to the extreme, I would have to have so many birds. And the market is not stable enough here in Texas.

If same one called me and said they wanted to raise sqaub for a liveing and wanted to buy birds from me I would not sell to them. If you want to raise birds for a living it is possible in another country. And that is what I might do some day. But if you want birds to enjoy the hobby and sustain your family this is a good bird for you.

I am not a squab producer and I may not have all the exact answers you want. But I have dressed out birds in the freezer. And I have the felling for a self sufficient man. Witch is a nice felling to have. Six good pare give me enough to eat and sell to off set feed cost. The Milo estamint I gave you you can translate that to the other grain also. Except hole corn, I have to cut them back on that some times, its like crack to them they cant get enough. Too much and they get too fat. I feed most corn in the winter.
And a first place trophy for my daughter in a show dose not hurt ether.

Later, Joe

 

[Bossroo]

Congratulations on your daughter's 1st place trophy. If I understand what you are saying... if 6 pair eat 50 pounds of wheat in 4 months and they also eat 50 lbs. each of milo, corn and pig feed in the same 4 month period= 50+50+50+50 = 200 lbs. in 4 months x 3= 600 lbs per year / 6 pair of breeders= 100 lbs of feed per pair per year. May I ask why you feed the pig feed and what are the ingredients and is it medicated?

 

[yardbird tx]

Quote:
I am not realy good with numbers. But I would say its more like 50 lbs of feed per pair per year. That seems to be more realistic to me. They dont consume as mutch pig feed as the grain. And less wheat than milo.

The pig feed is for proteen. A lot of people feed peas for proteen. But in my area pig feed is easyer to get and mutch cheeper. Feed NON medicaded pig feed. I have never had to medicate my birds. I do give Red Cell. That is a liquid vitamin. I give one table spoon in a gallon of water every month.

Joe

 

[Bossroo]

Interesting...I am totally confused... I read an industry report from Australian squab producers that is about 30 years old. They state that an average breeding pair will consume 45 kg ( 99.208 lbs.) of feed per year. On a pigeon talk forum ( from about 3 years ago and did not state what breed of pigeon, I assume to be homer) one member stated that each of their breeding pair ate 125 pounds of feed a year. Is the pig feed a pellet, crumble, or ground up grain ? What are the ingredients of the pig feed that you are using?