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Peacock pigeons have long earned respect among pigeon breeders. Peacocks got their name from their gorgeous tail feathers, which the pigeon holds vertically, like a peacock. The tips of the feathers resemble a fan decorating a dove.
History of peacock pigeons
Today, few people remember that peacock pigeons have a different name - fantail. This name did not catch on, since the name “peacocks” fully reflects the features of the pigeon’s appearance.
This pigeon comes from India. Peacock pigeons were first mentioned in the 16th century. During this period of time, more attention was paid to the tail of the bird than to the physique. Modern breeders are concerned about the posture and head position of peacock pigeons.
In Europe, peacock pigeons first appeared in England, since India was an English colony at that time. Accordingly, the breed was finally formed in England. At first, peacocks were divided into 2 types: Scottish and English. English peacocks had a wide tail and a somewhat rough build, since breeders prioritized the tail feathers. In addition to a rich tail, Scottish peacocks had a royal posture and grace.
Domestic pigeons and peacocks have not lost their popularity and fascinate the beauty of numerous fans of the breed.
Characteristics of peacock pigeons
Peacock pigeons are valued by breeders for their ease of keeping and care. Even a novice amateur can handle keeping birds. In addition, peacocks get along well with other breeds of pigeons.
The peacock pigeon is a breed with certain standards that have not changed for more than a century. Main characteristics of the breed:
- head thrown back almost to the rump, small in size, without forelock or crest;
- the curved shape of the dove's neck;
- the body of the peacock is rounded;
- thin beak with a narrow wax, of medium length;
- The shade of the beak and eyelids of peacocks is the same;
- the color of the pupil depends on the color of the pigeon’s plumage, the rings around the eyes are thin;
- the peacock's breast is in the shape of a ball, directed upward;
- the back is short;
- the legs are devoid of feathers, widely spaced, the paws are bright red;
- the plumage of peacocks is dense, hard;
- the wings are well pressed to the body, the flight feathers touch the tips;
- the size of peacocks varies (miniature individuals are more valued);
- the tail of a pigeon with dense plumage, located vertically, the lower feathers touching the ground, rounded in shape;
- developed rump.
Representatives of the peacock pigeon breed have up to 50 feathers in the tail.The quantity depends on their thickness and width. The breed standard is the white peacock pigeon, but a number of other colors are also allowed.
Peacocks with thick or long necks, large heads, and undeveloped bodies are subject to culling.
Do pigeons and peacocks fly?
Like most decorative breeds of pigeons, peacocks fly poorly and are extremely reluctant. Today it is an aviary bird. But experienced pigeon breeders know that pigeons must fly every day. This helps keep them in shape. The flight of the peacock pigeon is uneven and does not have the grace that flying breeds of pigeons are endowed with. When they gain altitude, they flap their wings noisily and can do several somersaults over their heads, just like their ancestors, the tumblers.
It happens that peacocks are blown away by air flow. This is due to the windage of the tail and flaps, as well as the small weight of the pigeon. The height to which peacocks are capable of rising is 100 m. The flight duration reaches 90 minutes, and the maximum flight distance is 100 km.
Thus, peacock pigeons can circle over the dovecote, although very clumsily. They fly long distances only when necessary.
Varieties of peacock pigeons
There are several subspecies of peacock pigeons. All of them differ from each other only in the color of their plumage; other characteristics of the breed are similar. The most common are snow-white peacocks.
The color of peacocks is quite varied: from pure white to caramel color. There are individuals of a bluish or gray hue, and there are representatives of the breed with several colors in their plumage. Black peacock pigeons look very solemn.There are several types of peacock pigeons: American, European, Indian, Russian. Their main difference is the suit.
The plumage colors of pigeons and peacocks are varied. The most common:
- white – without impurities, brown eyes, beak, beige claws;
- black – with a greenish tint, orange eyes, eye rings, claws, and beak black;
- blue – juicy, gray-blue color, rainbow tint on the neck and chest, black stripes on the wings and tail, the tail part should coincide with the scutes, the eye rings, beak, claws are black;
- silver – has light shades, a neck and throat of an iridescent, silvery tint, stripes on the wings and tail of a brown color, orange or pearl eyes;
- red – peacock pigeons are usually red in color, without any impurities, the neck and throat have a metallic tint, pearl eyes, beak, claws, and eye rings are sand-colored;
- yellow – the peacock dove is golden-yellow in color, with a silvery sheen on the neck and throat, orange eyes, beak, and beige claws;
- almond – shimmers in gold, there are brown spots along the plumage, the flight feathers and tail are spotted with white and black;
- brown – peacocks are chocolate-colored, orange eyes, pink beak, claws;
- in the box – the plumage pattern consists of light and dark tones, the letter “t” is visible on the wing, the color of the eyes, rings, claws depends on the plumage.
Also popular among breeders are the following colors: blue with powder, silver with powder, dark blue and marbled peacock pigeons.
All colors of peacock pigeons can be seen in the photo.
American peacock pigeons
“Americans” have a ball-shaped breast and a small head. From the outside it may seem that they have no back and neck.The head is located between the chest and tail. The plumage is one color: brown, yellow, white.
Indian pigeons peacocks
The smallest species of all peacocks. This is its main difference from other standards. The breast doesn't stand out too much. The color is monochromatic. The most impressive color of the bird is with beige plumage.
European type peacock pigeons
"Europeans" are not so bloated, more elegant than American peacocks. The neck is clearly visible, has a strong bend, and a small back. The color of the plumage is most often dark and motley.
Russian pigeons peacocks
As for Russian peacocks, they differ from other standards in their larger build. They have a well-defined neck and a massive chest. The color of the plumage is varied.
Ribbon pigeons peacocks
They are characterized by a border of a contrasting shade at the end of the tail or in the middle. The color of the body and wings is monochromatic.
Shaggy-legged pigeons peacocks
The “highlight” of these peacocks is the thick feathers on their rather short limbs. The length of the feathers can be more than 10 cm. Sometimes spurs (up to 5 cm) are present on the legs of birds.
Chubby pigeons peacocks
On the backs of the heads of forelock peacocks there are small raised feathers. The most valuable birds are those with large, fluffy forelocks.
Red-tailed pigeons peacocks
Beautiful birds with a uniform color of the body and wings. The color of the tail is always red, cherry or brick.
Black-tailed doves peacocks
The color of the body and wings is often white and shiny. The color of the tail is black, rich in color.
Breeding peacock pigeons
True connoisseurs of the breed are well aware that breeding peacock pigeons at home is quite a troublesome job. The peacock dove is a prolific bird.Parents carefully incubate and feed all their offspring. At the beginning of the mating season, the breeder needs to slightly trim off 5 feathers on each side of the female’s tail. Otherwise, this will become an obstacle to successful mating.
Typically, sexual maturity occurs at 5 months of age. If you want to get a pigeon with certain data, pairs need to be formed. The selection work involves individuals with the correct characteristics of the body and tail, as well as strong immunity. The physique of a female peacock should be of average fatness. Overfed individuals most often produce unfertilized eggs. Thin female pigeons are not conscientious hens. They prefer to leave the nest in search of food. You should pay attention to the color of the plumage. It is better to choose peacock pigeons of the same color. If this is not possible, then you should choose a white pigeon. Eventually the dark color will dominate. In the process of work, constantly selecting pairs, it will be possible to get a white peacock pigeon with a gray or black wing. Thus, when forming pairs, you need to understand what result you need to achieve.
Next, the selected individuals are placed in spacious, pre-disinfected cages. The desired cage length is 70 cm, height and depth 50*50 cm. Inside each cage, hay is placed, from which the parent pair of pigeons will build a nest. A few days after mating, the female peacock pigeon begins to lay eggs. Typically the clutch consists of 2-3 eggs. Egg maturation takes 19-20 days.
Recommendations for purchasing breeding pigeons
When purchasing producers, you need to study and check the pedigree of peacock pigeons. Selection should be made in the spring-autumn period, when the bird has an exhibition appearance. It is imperative to check the health of the pigeon: pay attention to the plumage and eyes of the bird. You can lightly knock on the cage - a healthy pigeon will immediately react. A video of peacock pigeons can be seen below.
Incubation period
After the eggs appear in the nest, the incubation process begins. A young female peacock pigeon may have only one egg in her clutch. This is considered the norm. The main task of the pigeon breeder at this time is not to disturb the pair in the nest once again. However, on days 10-12, you need to check the eggs in the clutch for fertilization. To do this, each egg is carefully examined under the light. The embryo will be formed by this time and will be clearly visible. The procedure can also be carried out using a special device - an ovoscope.
Feeding chicks
Peacock pigeons are considered impeccable, caring parents, but the breeder needs to be prepared for anything. Therefore, the parent couple needs to be put under control, because a peacock pigeon chick can only live for a few hours without food. Initially, the female pigeon feeds the chicks with crop milk, and if she does not do this within 2 hours, then the chicks will have to be fed artificially. To prepare the mixture, you need to mix warm milk with mashed boiled yolk.You can feed them using a pipette. More complex feeds begin to be given from the age of one month.
What to feed pigeons and peacocks
Peacock pigeons should be fed based on their functional needs, time of year and age. Since pigeons have a weak digestive system, and they also have a small beak, it is quite difficult for them to eat large foods (corn, legumes). Therefore, it is recommended to feed grain mixtures in crushed form.
In winter, pigeons should receive food enriched with high-calorie foods. It is not recommended to add large amounts of protein feed. Legumes are completely excluded from the diet during this period. The best proportions are 60% barley and 40% wheat. Quickly digestible food poses a threat to the health and life of pigeons, since peacocks that are sedentary in the cold season can die, especially in unheated rooms. Therefore, in winter it is necessary to feed the birds to their fullest.
The summer feeding ration should consist of easily digestible foods at the rate of 30-40 g per bird. Be sure to include green succulent food.
From mid-February, the mating period of peacocks begins. It is necessary to enrich the diet of pigeons with protein feed. They should be no more than 20% of the entire diet. At the same time, it is important to introduce up to 10% of oilseeds (flax, sunflower, hemp seed). This will ensure good masonry.
The breeding diet begins in March. Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are added to feeding mixtures. Such a feeding diet will ensure good reproductive properties and successful feeding of the chicks. Feed mixtures should consist of wheat, flax seeds, sunflower, yeast, millet and oats.Experienced breeders add vitamin E and potassium iodide.
For those amateurs who train peacocks for circular flights, it is necessary to think over the feeding diet. Starting in April, when pigeon breeders release their birds to fly, carbohydrates are added to the feed mixture for energy. But at the same time, the components should not make the flight heavier. Typically, during the rutting period, pigeons are fed legumes, wheat, millet and oats.
The molting period in peacock pigeons is a complex biochemical process, and not just a change of feathers. It occurs at the end of summer - beginning of autumn and requires the addition of protein components to the diet. Otherwise, the quality of the plumage deteriorates significantly, the bird’s immunity decreases, and feather replacement will take until winter.
Rules for feeding pigeons and peacocks
Recommendations for proper feeding from experienced pigeon breeders:
- feed should be given in such quantity that the bird eats it completely, without any residue;
- if you need to understand whether a pigeon is eating, you can touch its crop - it should be full of food, but not stuffed;
- pigeons are usually fed 3 times a day in small doses in the summer, twice a day in the winter;
- when food appears, pigeons and peacocks fly up, opening their wings - this indicates that they are not overfed;
- Every day, without fail, all drinking bowls, feeders, and bathing basins are cleared of food and washed.
It should be remembered that peacock pigeons are birds with weak muscles and a digestive system. The feed rate should be no more than 45%.
How to care for pigeons and peacocks
The main care for peacock pigeons at home consists of daily cleaning of the enclosure: it is necessary to remove droppings, clean the feeders from food debris, and thoroughly wash the drinking bowls. Complete disinfection of the enclosure is usually carried out once a year before mating.To do this, remove the birds from the enclosure during cleaning, and treat the walls and floor with a cleaning agent containing chlorine. After cleaning, it is necessary to ventilate the room.
Requirements for the aviary and dovecote
It is better to keep peacock pigeons in a spacious enclosure, fenced with a net, with a sufficient number of perches, free access to water, and a bathing container. When arranging a room for birds, you need to proceed from the number of individuals: there should be at least 1 square meter per pair of pigeons. m. It is desirable that the enclosure be collapsible. This will allow for quick and timely cleaning and disinfection.
The location for installing the enclosure is chosen in the open air. You can install it in a barn, especially in winter. But peacock pigeons feel much better in the open air and sun. In unfavorable weather conditions, the enclosure is covered with slate or other material. For the winter, peacocks are moved to warmer conditions. A spacious barn may be suitable. To build cages in a barn, you can use plywood or thin boards.
The basic requirements for keeping peacocks relate to humidity in the enclosure and temperature conditions. In winter, the temperature should not be lower than +10 degrees, in the warm season no higher than +25 degrees. In the autumn-winter period, IR lamps should be installed. They warm the room well without drying out the air. In addition, warm red color has a positive effect on the nervous system of birds. As for the humidity level, it should not be higher than 70%. Otherwise, fungal diseases begin to actively develop in pigeons.
Conclusion
Peacock pigeons are unique, beautiful birds with an interesting history.This is one of the very first breeds of pigeons tamed by humans. It is this breed that shares the most important moments in people's lives: they participate in wedding ceremonies and are a wonderful personification of peace.
