Turkish takla pigeons: video, varieties, breeding

Takla pigeons are high-flying decorative pigeons, which are classified as fighting pigeons. The description “fighting” may be misleading for many people who are not familiar with the intricacies of pigeon breeding, but the name has nothing to do with raising birds for slaughter or participating in pigeon fighting. “Fighting” - making a fighting sound, clapping their wings during the game. Birds, when going up, perform repeated somersaults over their heads and at the same time loudly flapping their wings.

History of Turkish pigeons

Turkey is the main center for breeding the breed, while at the same time acting as a supplier of birds to other countries. It was the Turks who bred the Takla pigeons a thousand years ago.

The ancestors of purebred representatives of the Takla breed came to the territory of modern Turkey from China, the lands on which Kazakhstan is now located, and the Mongolian steppes. This happened in the 11th century, as a result of the migration of Seljuk tribes. The tumbling birds that the nomads brought with them attracted the attention of the Turkish Sultan.Soon the palace of the ruler of Turkey, where curiosities gathered, was inhabited by these exotic birds with “fluffy” legs and forelocks, and after the Sultan, the tradition of keeping pigeons was picked up by his subjects. Over time, the Takla breed standard was developed. Soon the species split into varieties that differed from each other in the type of plumage (“forelocks”, “eyebrows”, “boots” on the legs) and color. However, white individuals are still considered the standard pigeons of the Turkish Takla breed.

Russian fighting breeds of pigeons at different times originated from Turkish Taklas. The first varieties began to appear after these birds were brought to Russia by the Kuban Cossacks as foreign trophies.

Features of Turkish Takla pigeons

Turkish Takla pigeons are represented by a huge number of colors and varieties. They are distinguished by their flight abilities: endurance, game, unique design and combat. They are trainable, intelligent birds with excellent memories and outstanding topographical skills. They do not get lost, and if this happens, the pigeons easily find their way home.

The characteristics of the Takla breed include high care requirements and the need for regular training. If birds are not taken care of, they begin to become lazy, gain weight and turn into ordinary domestic pigeons. Training of chicks begins from the first weeks of life - this way genetic abilities can be revealed and strengthened.

Flight characteristics

All colors of Takla pigeons have advantages, which include a description of their flight with game:

1. The lifting height into the pole is 18-22 m.
2. The flight of Takla pigeons can last from morning until the end of daylight, about 8-10 hours. White pigeons demonstrate the longest possible flight.
3. During the game, the birds enter the post not just once, but several times in a row.
4. Cycles of battles are repeated at intervals of 2-5 hours.
5. During a fight, Turkish pigeons have the ability to return to their starting position several times in a row.
6. The best representatives of the Takla breed are capable of landing play during the summer - the pigeons at a certain moment hover in the air at an angle of 90 ° C and lower their heads, and their legs are extended forward, as if they want to land.
7. The birds perform somersaults every 60-90 cm, combining them with a pull-up when the pigeons throw their body up.
8. Some representatives of the Turkish breed are capable of performing screw combat, during which they rotate their body in a circle, soaring into the sky as if in a spiral.

The speed with which Takla pigeons go into battle differs among all varieties. In addition, birds display fighting skills in different ways - some reach their potential within a month, while other pigeons train for several years.

Takla pigeon suits

There are different classifications of these birds. The colors of Takla pigeons and their varieties are classified depending on the name of the region where they were bred:

• Miro;
• Eflaton;
• Sivash;
• Boz;
• Sabuni.

According to external characteristics, groups of Takla pigeons are distinguished:

• forelock;
• nasodentate;
• two-toothed;
• mustachioed;
• smooth-headed

There is no single reference standard for pigeons of the Takla breed based on external characteristics, however, when choosing a bird, the color and type of plumage does not matter. The emphasis here is on flight pattern and endurance, and the best performance is observed in white Turkish pigeons. They are considered the example of the breed.

Common features include thick feathering on the legs. Turkish Taklas have noticeable “boots”, but if they are fluffy, this affects their flying abilities. Turkish Taklas have a light build: they have a slender, neat body, a moderately developed chest and a small head.

The color of birds is represented by a wide range of colors: there are white, black, red, bronze, bluish, gray and motley Takla pigeons. Separately, there are variegated birds and a color in which the head and tail are lighter than the main color of the feathers.

A brief description of the popular varieties of Takla with photos of typical colors for pigeons of these species is presented below.

Mardin

Mardin is the largest subspecies of the low-flying Takla breed. Mardins have a gray color, but there are black and black and white pigeons. The game of birds is described as very picturesque. Professional breeders compare Mardi pigeons with English tumblers.

Urfa

Urfa - yellowish-ocher or brown with a bluish tint, which sometimes turns into black. There are pigeons with “belts”. Rare color – bluish-gray. The flight qualities of the Urfa subtype are no different from most other Takla varieties.

Sivash

Sivash is distinguished by its external features by a pronounced forelock on its head and a white tail. Flights are characterized by a shorter duration, but birds strike more often and harder during play.

Ankara

Ankara is one of the miniature Taklas.The color is different: silver, gray, yellow, white, black, brown and smoky. The game is standard.

Antalya

Antalya is another miniature variety of Turkish fighting pigeons, along with Ankara. They are distinguished by a preference for solitary flights, although fighting breeds are gregarious.

Diyarbakir

Diyarbakir is considered to be a decorative variety of Turkish pigeons. They are distinguished by their rounded shape and forelock. The coloring of pigeons is very different.

Malatya

Malatyas are mostly forelock pigeons with variegated colors. There are no individuals with uniform plumage among Malatya. The fighting qualities of pigeons are excellent; in the game, birds use their legs, in addition to their wings.

Konya

Konya's game is characterized by single somersaults; pole play is not typical for them. In terms of external characteristics, the variety is distinguished by its small beak size.

Trabzon

Gray-brown pigeons, usually with forelocks. Preference is given to individuals with a light spot on the chest. The flight of Turkish pigeons in Trabzon is circular.

Mavi

Takla Mavi pigeons are mainly of light colors: gray, ocher, white, gray. Mavi pigeons often have stripes on their wings.

Miro

In flight, Turkish Takla Miro pigeons do not stand out, but their color is quite remarkable. These are mostly birds of dark colors, but there are individuals whose back and wings are gray, their necks have a greenish tint, and their chests are buffy.

Keeping Takla pigeons

Turkish pigeons of the Takla breed are very gentle and whimsical creatures. It is important to remember this before purchasing birds, as caring for them takes a lot of effort and time.

Takla pigeons have high demands on cage structure, diet and sanitary standards.In addition, representatives of the breed must be trained regularly, if possible without missing a single lesson, otherwise the pigeons will quickly become lazy and lose their skills.

Primary requirements

In order for birds to have optimal conditions for development, you need to adhere to the following requirements:

1. Takla pigeons cannot be kept with other breeds. Moreover, these birds are not kept together with individuals of the same breed that have distinctive generic characteristics. In other words, forelocked Turkish pigeons and smooth-headed ones should be kept isolated from each other to avoid accidental crossing.
2. Turkish Takla are sickly pigeons. If at least one individual becomes infected with something, the disease can quickly become widespread and spread to other pigeons. To prevent this from happening, the sick bird is isolated at the first sign of illness.
3. The enclosure is kept clean and tidy. The perches are constantly polished, clearing of feces, the floor and sections are also regularly cleaned, 2 times a week. Once a month, the poultry house is completely disinfected using a solution of potassium permanganate and slaked lime.
4. Training is a prerequisite for the development of fighting breeds. Birds are not released in heavy rain or fog, but this is the only exception. There is no need to miss classes.
5. The enclosure should be light and spacious, equipment for working with pigeons should be clean.
6. In winter the dovecote should be warm, in summer it should be cool. The best materials for building a dovecote are wood or brick. The inside is lined with solid panels and puttied. There should be no knots or large cracks on the surfaces.

Place of detention

To breed the Takla breed, a spacious cage or aviary is built, which is placed outdoors or in a room if birds are bred in apartment conditions. Takl's Turkish pigeons are not kept on the balcony.

The dimensions of the aviary are calculated based on the size of the flock: for each bird there is at least 50 cm² of floor space and 1.5 m3 of air space. This will give the pigeons enough space to perform simple maneuvers. If you keep birds in crowded conditions, they begin to behave lethargically and become depressed. In addition, in crowded conditions the likelihood of disease outbreaks increases - birds quickly pollute a limited space.

Separate cells made of wooden boxes are placed in the enclosure. Their sizes are calculated so that the pigeons fit entirely inside. Additionally, a perch is attached to each section, otherwise it will be uncomfortable for the birds to sit in the cells.

Additionally, a notch is attached to the cage if it is located outside. It is a rectangular frame covered with mesh on top. The entrance is attached with the open side to the bars of the enclosure, and the other to the window for departure. There are two types of tapholes: single-section and two-section.

Feeding Takla pigeons

The diet of Turkish pigeons depends on how large the beak of a particular Takla variety is:

• short – up to 15 mm in length;
• medium – from 15 to 25 mm;
• long – 25 mm or more.

This is important because it limits the physiological ability of birds to consume different feeds. Short-beaked breeds have difficulty handling large grains or crops such as peas without additional grinding of the food.On the contrary, it is difficult for long-billed Takla pigeons to peck small grains. Birds with a medium beak size are in the best position - they have virtually no difficulties when eating different foods.

The recommended diet for short-billed Takla is as follows:

• millet in shell;
• crushed wheat;
• Vika;
• small lentils;
• crushed barley;
• small varieties of peas;
• hemp seeds;
• flax seeds.

The composition of the feed mixture for long-billed Takla includes:

• barley;
• wheat;
• beans;
• peas;
• beans;
• corn;
• flax seeds;
• hemp seeds.

In addition, the birds are fed with succulent feed and the water in the drinking bowl is regularly updated.

Birds are fed according to one of the following schemes:

1. The feeder is filled gradually, adding supplements as they are eaten. If they do not feed a feed mixture, but separate crops are poured into the feeder, they start with oats, barley and wheat with millet, then peas, beans or corn, and finish with feeding with oilseed seeds. The advantage of this food supply scheme is that it saves food: the birds do not carry leftovers around the cage, and nothing is left in the bowl.
2. A pre-weighed amount of feed is poured into the feeder in accordance with all standards. The remains after feeding are thrown away. This method saves the breeder’s time, since he does not need to monitor how the bird eats and add new portions, but it affects the costs of unused feed. In addition, it is so difficult to notice if an individual refuses food, which can serve as the first sign of illness.It is with this food supply algorithm that you can see the onset of the disease.

Automatic feeders should never be used to feed Turkish Taklas. The breed is prone to overeating; they have a poorly developed sense of satiety. The automatic feeder is always filled with food. As a result, pigeons quickly gain weight, become lazy and soon lose their flying qualities. This feed supply is more suitable for keeping meat breeds that must quickly gain weight.

When breeding slaughter breeds, feeding is strictly according to a schedule, and the frequency of feeding depends on the time of year.

In summer and spring, Takla pigeons are fed 3 times a day:

• at 6 am;
• at noon;
• at 8 pm.

In winter and autumn, the number of meals is reduced to 2 times:

• at 8 am;
• at 5 pm.

The daily food intake for Turkish Taklas is 30-40 g in winter and 50 g in summer.

Reproduction of Turkish Takla pigeons

Before starting Takla breeding, a nesting site and a steam box are arranged. Dimensions of the box: 80 x 50 x 40 cm. After mating, it is turned into a nesting box - for this, 2 nests with a diameter of 25 cm and sides 8 cm high are placed inside.

1.5-2 months before the start of the breeding season, the flock is separated by gender - this is done so that the birds gain strength before mating.

Reproduction of domestic breeds occurs in two directions:

1. Natural (random), in which pigeons choose their own mate - the male chooses the female, and she responds or ignores his advances.With this method of reproduction, laying begins earlier, and the hatchability percentage is higher when compared with artificial breeding.
2. Artificial (forced) – breeding based on the breeder’s selection of a pair based on external characteristics or flight ability. The disadvantages of this method are that the doves begin to lay eggs later, the fertility rate is lower, and the males behave aggressively. The advantage of forced reproduction is the better quality of the offspring.

During the breeding season, the male and female are placed in a steam box. Whether mating has occurred can be determined by the behavior of the birds after they are released into the wild. If the male has covered the dove, they become inseparable and follow each other. In this case, material for building a nest is laid out around the enclosure: dry leaves, straw, small twigs, woolen threads. The male will begin collecting material, the female will begin building a nest.

2 weeks after mating, the dove lays the first egg, and this usually happens in the early morning or before 12 noon. There are never more than two eggs in a clutch; young pigeons have one. Egg weight 20 g.

A pigeon couple incubates the eggs in turns, with the male doing this mainly in the morning, the rest of the time the female sits in the nest.

The incubation period lasts on average 19-20 days, but if the weather is warm, this time is reduced to 17 days. The chick is born 10 hours after the blunt end of the egg cracks.If after this time the chick cannot get out of the shell, it needs help.

The weight of the chick is 8-12 g. While it dries, the parents warm it with the heat of their bodies. After 2-3 hours the pigeon is able to eat.

Takla pigeons in Russia

In Russia there are few specialized breeding centers for Turkish pigeons of the Takla breed. Of course, there are still amateur breeders, but in this case there is a risk of facing fraud. The Takla breed is mainly bred by breeders from the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions.

Conclusion

Takla pigeons are a popular breed of Turkish fighting pigeons and one of the very first. All Russian varieties of fighting birds originated from it. There is no single description of the exterior for this breed, since the appearance of the birds differs greatly depending on the subspecies: there are “chubby” Takla pigeons, “browed”, “mustached” pigeons. They are also varied in color. The main difference between the Takla and other species is its unique flight pattern and endurance.

You can learn more about Turkish fighting pigeons of the Takla breed from the video:

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