Content
Andijan pigeons are especially popular with breeders. And this is not surprising. Due to their flight characteristics and beautiful appearance, birds take pride of place in sports competitions and at exhibitions. However, the breed requires certain conditions of maintenance and care.
History of the Andijan pigeons
The history of the appearance of Andijan pigeons begins at the end of the 19th century. According to historical information, one of the residents of Iran moved to the city of Andijan, which is located on the territory of Uzbekistan. The Iranian brought pigeons along with his belongings. The birds amazed local poultry farmers with their ability to fly long. But they did not have exterior indicators. To combine these two qualities, the breeders decided to cross these individuals and the local Iskilian breed. This is how the Andijan pigeons appeared.
The breeders have successfully coped with the task. The breed has an attractive appearance and a long, beautiful flight. Therefore, Andijan pigeons quickly spread across Uzbekistan.
As a result of inter-ethnic events, from 1989 to 2010, Asian residents began to migrate to European countries. The settlers, along with the acquired property, took local pigeons with them. So the Andijan breed came to the CIS countries and to the territory of Europe.
Breed characteristics and standards
There is a breed standard for Andijan pigeons. It characterizes the main characteristics, constitution, conformation and behavioral qualities of birds. Deviations from the stated requirements of the world poultry organizations indicate the shortcomings and defects of the breed.
Description of appearance
The Andijan pigeons have a fairly strong body. The average weight of birds is 320 g. Although there have been cases when this value reached 400 g. The body length varies from 35 to 40 cm. The body circumference is 27 cm. The wingspan is 70 cm. The length of the feather is 10 cm.
External signs of the Andijan breed:
- body - long, muscular, slightly raised;
- chest - wide, well developed;
- tail - long, straight, with 12-14 tail feathers;
- wings - strong, with a snug fit to the body;
- neck - dense, with a smooth transition to the chest;
- head - oval, medium size;
- eyes - large, white or silvery, with a milky iris;
- the beak is neat, strong, its color is combined with the shade of the head;
- forelock - long, narrow, slightly sloping, located on the back of the head;
- legs - erect, with a small number of feathers in the lower limb;
- paws - with spurs and sharp nails.
In total, there are more than 60 species of Andijan pigeons. Therefore, individuals do not have strict color standards.
Andijan can be pure white or with brown or black patches in the neck area. Red, brown and gray-lilac feathers are also allowed.
Character
Andijan pigeons have a calm and peaceful nature. They do not establish hierarchy in the flock and do not conflict with other birds. But at the same time, pigeons are strong enough, hardy, mobile and energetic. They adapt to any situation, as well as anticipate the nearest course of events.
As for loyalty, the Andijan pigeons are tied to the owner. Even if the birds are tired or lost in flight, they will not sit on someone else's roof.
Parental instinct
Andijan pigeons have good parental instincts. They create the necessary conditions for the development of pigeons and rarely abandon them. Birds incubate, feed and protect their offspring without human intervention.
At the same time, birds have no separation between male and female. They perform all actions jointly.
Flight characteristics
Andijan pigeons are high-flying fighting birds. Their movement through the air is distinguished not only by its peculiar style, but also by its flying qualities.
Birds are able to overcome several hundred kilometers and rise more than 20 meters. Their flight time is from 4 to 6 hours. Some specimens manage to stay in the sky for over 10 hours.
Andijan individuals are well oriented in the air. During the rise in height, the birds are kept in flocks and carry out the "exit to the post". That is, they are stationary for several minutes.
During the flight, pigeons can make all kinds of somersaults for a long time. When they are executed, a characteristic click is emitted. In poultry circles, this sound is usually called - "fight". Where did the name come from - battle.
Keeping Andijan pigeons
According to the reviews of poultry farmers, Andijan is a whimsical breed. Without certain conditions of keeping, the aesthetic and flight qualities of birds deteriorate. Various diseases develop that negatively affect the offspring.
Place of choice for the poultry house
There are a number of specific requirements regarding the location of the pigeon house:
- The poultry house should not be installed near multi-storey buildings and tall trees. It will be difficult for Andijan residents to take off and land.
- Keep the pigeon house away from electrical wires and telephone lines. Otherwise, individuals will increase the risk of injury.
- The premises are not recommended to be placed near cesspools or landfills. The fact is that the immunity of Andijan pigeons is poorly resistant to pathogenic microorganisms.
Requirements for the premises
Pigeons of the Andijan breed cannot be kept in cages. To breed them, it is rational to build a free aviary.
The main criteria for the premises:
- House sizes. For 1 Andijan bird, the air area of the dovecote is 1.5 sq. M. Floor area - 0.5 sq. M.
- Dimensions and arrangement of windows. The optimal size of the stained-glass window is 20x20 cm. The windows should be placed in front of 1 m above the floor level.
- The size of the doors. The width of the entrance opening is 0.6 m, the height is 1 m.
- Construction material. When choosing raw materials for walls, it is recommended to give preference to wood.
Andijan pigeons do not tolerate drafts and noise poorly. Therefore, the walls of the room will need to be sheathed with plywood, and the cracks must be carefully putty.
Poultry house arrangement
In order for the Andijan pigeons to feel comfortable, it will be necessary to create optimal living conditions in the poultry house.
The internal arrangement of the dovecote includes:
- Lighting. It will increase the length of daylight hours and serve as an additional source of heat. LED lamps are used as additional lighting.
- Feeders. Andijan pigeons should not be allowed to interfere with each other while eating. Therefore, bird feeding devices are equipped with several sections.
- Drinking bowls. The best option for decorative pigeons is industrial drinking bowls. So the birds will always have clean and fresh water.
- Perches. It is recommended to choose wooden beams as crossbars for resting Andijan individuals. Their thickness should correspond to the size of the pigeons paws.
- Nests. Laying and rearing facilities should have multiple compartments. This approach will help to keep different-sex birds and juveniles separately in winter.
Conducting sanitary and hygienic procedures
Andijan lacks cleanliness. Therefore, without cleaning done on time, the dovecote quickly becomes dirty, and the birds have an unsightly appearance.
Conducting sanitary and hygienic procedures includes the following actions:
- daily change of litter;
- complete disinfection of the premises once every six months;
- airing the house 2-3 times a week;
- cleaning feeders and drinking bowls 1 time in 2 days.
In addition, you will need to regularly monitor the health of Andijan birds. At the first signs of illness, you need to immediately proceed with the appropriate treatment measures. Otherwise, the pathology will quickly spread throughout the flock of pigeons.
Diet
The general characteristics of the Andijan pigeons are directly dependent on nutrition. The main ingredient in feeding is grass. In summer, birds eat it fresh. In winter, pigeons are fed hay of herbaceous plants.
The diet should also include the following grains of agricultural crops:
- millet;
- oats;
- rye;
- corn;
- barley.
Andijan birds should receive from vegetables:
- boiled potatoes;
- chopped carrots.
Shell rock, fish oil, eggshells are used as natural additives.
Andijan pigeons are fed 2 times a day. They are given small portions before the flight. Upon returning to the dovecote, the birds are pampered with rich food.
Crossbreeding
To prevent the production of non-viable offspring or chicks with various abnormal defects, natural mating of pigeons should not be allowed. To preserve breed standards, Andijan birds are crossed according to their appearance. To do this, the breeder forcibly closes the selected pair for 12 hours in a separate cage. After this time, he releases them into the wild.
Increased productivity
The adult Andijan individuals lay two eggs. And young females are one. Laying takes place, 8-9 days after mating, with a frequency of 2 days.
Before the next egg appears, it is recommended to replace the first with blende. This is done so that the dove does not immediately start heating it. Otherwise, the embryo will slow down in development and die.
The incubation period is 18-20 days. After which the chicks hatch from the eggs.
Conclusion
On average, Andijan pigeons live 15-20 years. During this period, they do not lose their characteristic features. But the breeding of decorative individuals is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Throughout the life cycle, they will need to organize optimal conditions for housing, care and care.
