Is moulting the most important time of the year?

The older breeders claimed that the early moulting period was the most important time in the pigeon year, but they didn't know how to deal with it properly. Today we can no longer compare our time with the post-war period. There was poverty and hunger. Buying pigeon food from a feed store was not a priority. Hunger was the issue and took priority. The grains were needed for baking bread. Today the situation certainly looks different, because pigeon food is very important. An entire industry has emerged. Quality plays the most important role in the pigeon food industry today. However, problems can arise during the moulting period. Occasionally there are feathers that are not fully grown. The prerequisite for a good moult is the health of the pigeons. Moulting influences the formation of feathers when the pigeons are sick. Paratyphoid, paramyxovirus, strepotocci, worms or strong trichomonas infections or even coccidiosis significantly influence plumage formation. Paratyphoid fever in particular can also be a sneaky killer. Breeders underestimate this disease. Common causes include bleeding feather tips or less pigmentation in the feathers. Many breeders are aware of the problems and often use their home remedies against this disease, but medical advice is recommended. Without a doubt, well-fed pigeons are less susceptible than sick pigeons.

What is a good diet?
What can go wrong during the moulting period, at the diet of pigeons?
Formerly one of the most common mistakes a few methionine was gifts. This was due to many pea shares in pigeon feed mixes.
A deficiency of the amino acid arginine, lysine and zinc leading to poor discoloration of the fields, we call it in the Nice jargon depigmentation of the springs. Unfortunately, there are still moulting mixtures that are not sufficient for a perfect Mauser. Here, the portion weighs corn, peas and wheat. These blends are not alone suitable for the Mauser.
The moulting process is very stressful for the pigeons. The radical new development of the plumage deprives the pigeons of valuable energy. Now we come to our first point high-energy mixtures! So what is important? If we look at the composition of feathers, we see that they are made up of 90% protein (protein), 1.5% fat and the rest water. The adequate supply of protein (protein) is absolutely necessary! In addition, research has shown that omega 3 also plays an important role in moulting.

This is how a summary diet should be:
Sufficiently contained energy, protein and omega-3. Dari, for example, has a lower protein content than flaxseed. So we come to the next point: Oily seeds, let's take flaxseed. This has a high proportion of fat and a good omega ratio of 2:5. That is, omega 6 has 2 parts and omega 3 has 5 parts, arginine also plays an important role in moulting. Hemp seed is increasingly becoming an important source of raw materials, because it also contains a high fat content and a high usable protein like no other component. A perfect moulting mix consists of many available individual seeds, such as canary seed, wild seed, millet, sunflower seeds, hemp seed, etc., which have a positive effect on the moulting process. Pigeons know their needs and therefore instinctively take the right components.

Feed additives in the Mauser?
As we mentioned above, good health during the moult is absolutely essential! With healthy pigeons and a balanced diet you are on the right track. You can administer as many preparations as you want, only a precise diagnosis can help the sick pigeons in a targeted manner. As already described, proteins (proteins) and their components such as amino acids as well as zinc and omega 3 promote a perfect moult.

What can go otherwise still wrong?
Pigeon fanciers, which artificially illuminate your birds during molting, negatively affect the Mauser. This, it is important that the pigeons may no longer be lit from mid-September. To thick pigeons in the Mauser often have metabolic problems and little stamina, because fat negatively affects liver function. Pigeons may be not too thick for sufficient energy. To give no feed the pigeons weekly achieved a positive effect here. Regular baths, especially in the Mauser are an absolute must! It stimulates the formation of the egg and promotes the formation of plumage. Use a conventional bath salts or a tablespoon each of vinegar and salt, this reduces parasites and other vermin. The additions immediately show in the bath water effect, but eliminates parasites, because these energy and affect the metabolism.

At the end of a note:
Do not let your pigeons outside the bathing dovecote, wet springs slow down the pigeons and therefore they are easy prey for birds of prey. Bathe your pigeons exclusively in the pigeon house or in a mobile aviary. It is cheap and it saves you a lot of trouble!

Best of luck,

Your Vanrobaeys Team!

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Florian Pitz reach you at:

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