Homing pigeons have been bred for several thousand years. The ability to orientate in space in this species of birds was noticed a long time ago. The first post breeds began to appear immediately after the meat breeds. Pigeon mail was used in ancient times, both in Europe and in Asia. It did not lose its relevance until the middle of the twentieth century. Now these pigeons are considered sports and participate in competitions.
Carrier pigeons
General characteristics of breeds
Postal thoroughbred pigeons are very highly regarded. But this does not mean that by purchasing such a bird, you can immediately send it to the competition. Raising and training a real postman takes a lot of time. Not all individuals, even from purebred lines, are able to perform their duties well. What are the features of carrier pigeons?
Historical reference
The history of the breeds goes back more than one hundred years. In the 19th century, information on stock exchanges was transmitted using pigeons. The financial success and collapse of many financial companies depended on their speed. Birds were an integral attribute of troops in the First and Second World War. They even carried out aerial photography, becoming the forerunners of modern drones.
Orientation in space
How does a dove with a letter know where to fly from and where, how does it determine the path to its native dovecote? Instinct leads the birds home, because there they are waiting for a female or male, warmth, protection and delicious food. They are strongly attached to the place. Until today, it is not known how the postmen pigeons orient themselves in space and can deliver mail to the addressee.
They tried to transport the birds in closed crates, temporarily euthanized them, twisted them on the carousel on the road, but they still found their way home. Some researchers believe that pochtari are guided by infrasound, which is transmitted over long distances and is not audible to the human ear. Others argue that the bird flies, sensing the magnetic field of the earth. An internal compass helps you determine the direction of flight.
Ability characteristics
Here are the main characteristics and features of carrier pigeons:
- Large beak, sometimes with a pronounced hump
- Well-developed wax
- Many have a pronounced periocular ring
- The body is large, massive, with developed muscles
- Extended Breast
- The wings are long and powerful
- Flight altitude - 100-150 meters
- Average flight speed 60-70 km / h
- Maximum speed - 100-120 km / h
- Maximum flight range - 1100 km, in rare cases more
- The dove can be sent with a letter weighing 80-90 grams (1/3 of the mass of the bird).
Pigeons develop the best flight characteristics by 3-4 years. Postmen serve up to 15 years. The average life span of these breeds of pigeons is 20-25 years. How much does a feathered postman cost? Birds are sold at prices ranging from 1,500 to 10,000 rubles. A thoroughbred, well-trained pigeon competing in prestigious competitions can cost several thousand dollars.
Breeding pigeons
The dovecote should be populated with chicks between 30 and 45 days old. At this age, young animals define the concept of home for themselves and become attached to the place. The flock should have the same number of males and females. Pigeons begin to breed from 5 months. It is advisable to choose pairs that are fully consistent with breed standards. The pigeon with the dove is placed in a spacious closed box for several days. If, after leaving, they stick together, then the pair has developed.
The female begins to lay her testicles approximately 14 days after mating. One clutch contains 1-3 pieces. Both parents hatch eggs in turn. It is important to identify the fertilized eggs. At first, all have a translucent shell, then it becomes milky white and gradually darkens. Unfertilized eggs remain translucent, the surface becomes rough.
Chicks are hatched for 16-19 days after masonry. They are blind, covered with thin fluff. Parents feed them milk, which is formed in the goiter, for two weeks. Then a porridge of secret and half-digested grains is used. At the age of about a month, the chicks begin to give swollen grains, from 45 days they switch to adult food. It is best if the couple will feed one chick. To do this, the second is either put on the "childless" couple, or the weaker one is removed.
Care and Feeding
Caring for and feeding carrier pigeons is the same as for other breeds. A dovecote is arranged in the attic or in the courtyard of the house. It should have nesting sites and perches. Flight windows are made with an area of 20-30 cm². It is important to ensure that the house is clean, light, and free of drafts.
In winter, it is not necessary to insulate it, the birds tolerate the cold well. On the other hand, at low temperatures their sexual instinct decreases. If you keep the pigeons warm, you can get offspring all year round. Some breeders use this principle. Others say that pigeons are depleted and chicks are born weaker and less responsive to training.
Feeding sports pigeons should be rational. Undernourished birds cannot cover long distances, and overfed birds are less oriented in space and become lazy. The optimal amount of feed per animal is 410 grams per week. During the period of reproduction and hatching, the portions are doubled.
The birds are fed three times a day. The first time is right after sunrise, the second time is about an hour before lunch, the third is before sunset. Feed should include:
- Yellow peas (green is contraindicated)
- Lentils
- Viku
- Bran
- Flaxseed
- Rape
- Boiled potatoes.
Calcium preparations, chalk, table salt are added to the diet. There should always be clean water in the dovecote, the pochtari drink a lot.
Training
Proper training is an important part of raising carrier pigeons. Without this, they won’t get into sports competitions, their price in the market will decrease, and breeding will become unprofitable. Start training pigeons at the age of 6 weeks. At first they can only be allowed to circle over the dovecote. When they learn this lesson, after 1.5 months, they begin to take them some distance from home. In addition, training can only be started with birds that have lived at least 3 days in the new dovecote.
First, pigeons are trained on sunny warm days. The ideal period is from the second half of April to the first ten days of October. First, they are trained at a distance of 20-30 km from the house, they constantly increase it. Birds should be released no later than noon (12 noon), and best of all in the early morning. In the first year, they work at a distance of up to 320 km.
Before transporting pigeons, it should be well tamed so that they themselves will go into their hands, not be afraid of moving into cages. Birds are more malleable at night, so it is best to take them out of the house before dawn. You need to transport postmen quickly so that the stay in the cage is minimal. Birds are released in open areas. In a forest or valley, they can become disoriented, especially at the beginning of training.
You can fully train a bird by 3-4 years. At this time, they learn to develop their maximum speed, can return home from a distance of about 1000 km. It is from this age that birds are allowed to compete. For life, the postman flies hundreds of thousands of kilometers.
Carrier pigeons - a reliable means of communication
WHITE POSTAL DOVE / PIGEONS / TAUBE
Carrier pigeons (Ukraine - 2017)
Breeds of carrier pigeons
The founder of all modern postal breeds is the Belgian carrier pigeon. At first, the breed was divided into three:
- Antwerp
- Luttih
- Brussels
Now all Belgian pigeons are united. In Asia, the Syrian, Damascus, Baghdad pigeons are conventionally referred to as postmen.
The carrier pigeons in the photo do not look very attractive, because they were not raised for beauty. Their colors are very different, this does not affect sports qualities. The opinion that carrier pigeons are always white is fundamentally wrong. As pigeon mail is a thing of the past, some of the older breeds have become decorative or meat breeds. Today, postage is:
- German postmen
- Russian carrier pigeons
- English careers
- English dragons
- Belgian carrier pigeons
- Czech postmen.
German postmen
German carrier pigeons were obtained from crossing Antwerp and English. The main goal was to obtain small birds at high speed. In appearance, German postmen are more like decorative birds. They have a small, beautifully defined and compact body, an elongated neck and a small head with big eyes. The beak is short, but thick, with a pronounced bend, plumage can be of any shade. Sometimes this breed is also called the German show breed. It is often presented as decorative rather than sporting.
Russian carrier pigeons
Russian postmen came from German, but now these birds are significantly different from each other. The beak of pigeons is long enough, pointed and slightly bent at the tip. The neck is long, the head is beautifully outlined, the eyes are orange, the legs are high, without feathers, the body is compact. The wings of the Russian postmen are powerful and elongated, with the tips bent upward, tightly pressed against the body. Russian pochtari are often white, although there are also variegated individuals.
English careers
English carrier pigeons are an ancient breed that carries the blood of birds from the east and west. These are quite large birds, with a well-developed muscular body. Their head is small, their eyes are mediocre, they hide behind the third century. The beak is straight, with specific growths resembling warts. Feathers can be of any shade. English careers are capable of developing great speeds.
Belgian postmen
The Belgian Postman is the standard for modern sporting breeds. It was bred a long time ago, but improved in the century before last. The body shapes of Belgian pigeons are rounded. The chest is very well developed, broad and muscular. The neck is elongated, legs are short, the head is round, with brown eyes covered with a bright eyelid. Feathers on the wings and tail are shortened. The wings are tightly pressed to the body. The suit of pigeons can be any color.
English dragons
Another ancient breed with excellent speed and spatial orientation. The body of the birds is compact and dense. The head is large, expands at the base of the short neck. The eyes are very large, red-orange. The beak is densely closed, elongated, with growths at the base. The breast is rounded and slightly raised, the wings are long, the tips reach the edge of the tail. The colors are diverse, white, black, variegated, gray. The breed is very unpretentious in keeping, birds at any age remain highly active.
Pigeons Czechs
The Czech pigeon is a representative of the breed of modern carrier pigeons, it is perfectly trainable. Czechs have a well-built body, an elongated neck, a small head. The eyes of the birds are huge and very beautiful. The beak is long, with pronounced growths at the base. Wings with a large scale, the tail is shortened, the plumage is smooth and snugly fits to the body. The colors are different, but more often the pigeons are white. The disadvantage of the Czech breed is its low endurance, they are often used for short-distance flights.