What is pigeon molting???
Molting is a natural process of pigeons. A healthy pigeon has this cycle every nine months. Molting is very important for pigeons, during molting pigeons shed their old feathers and grow new ones.
When does molting start?
This pigeon molting starts in the middle of July and ends at the beginning of November. Compared to other times of the year, the importance of proper pigeon care is immense at this time.
Process of malting.
A good sign of good pigeon health is that old feathers are shed at molting and new ones are growing well. Incomplete molting also indicates a health problem in the pigeon.
For those of us who regularly race, molting is very important because good molting of your pigeon plays an important role in determining the overall health of your pigeon as well as the results of the race.
A pigeon may take two to three months to complete moulting and during this time certain important aspects of pigeon care must be maintained.
Molting is more important for racing pigeons than any other pigeon. In this case, pigeons need a lot of oxygen during molting, so in addition to creating enough space for air movement in the loft, it is necessary to ensure cleanliness. Moreover, providing minerals, protein, and a little fat in pigeon food gives good results
A healthy pigeon can be diagnosed by its good molting. The better the molting of the pigeon, the more healthy and vigorous the pigeon will be.
Remember that a sick pigeon cannot produce healthy feathers. During the molting of the pigeon, the shape, length, condition, etc. of each feather should be observed as soon as the feather shedding starts.
Because, for the next molting, you have to wait for nine months again. As a result, if you make any mistake, you cannot correct it during this period.
In pigeon molting i.e. removing feathers, the good feathers should be freed from their enemies i.e. (lice, mites, worms) and parasites quickly.
Because, as new feathers are formed, their activity resumes. So they should be eradicated before the start of molting. During the molting season, this type of eradication course is not recommended! And it is better not to do them during this time.
Molting of older pigeons takes 3-4 months and zero young pigeons take 6-7 months to fully feather. Although it varies depending on its nutrients, vitamin minerals, and farm environment.
All the things that should not be done during pigeon molting i.e. feather change are:
1) Do not use any kind of antibiotic or medicine.
2) Do not apply for cream medicine.
3) Do not incubate eggs. Because good babies are not available at this time i.e. weak or low-quality babies.
4) Not pulling or raising feathers.
5) Do not apply any medicine to the body.
6) Do not touch the pigeon repeatedly or disturb it during this time.
Pigeon molting i.e. feather change time should be done:
- Bathing the pigeons regularly. It is good to bathe the pigeons with a little salt/potash at least once a week.
Moreover, at this time, zinc plays a very important role in the formation of new good fans. So (Zis vet/Zink care other zinc) 2/3 ml (as per recommendation) in 1 liter of water can be given at least 3 days a week, or till the end of molting. - It is very important to keep pigeons free of insects. If your pigeon’s body is not free of insects, then molting may not be complete due to a lack of nutrition. You can add garlic juice or neem leaf juice to the bath water to keep it free from insects. Or you can give the medicines that are available for this problem in the water or spray them on the body.
- Proper arrangement of light and air i.e. oxygen in the pigeon house and keeping it clean and tidy.
- It is very important to give balanced food to pigeons during molting. At this time, all other oil-based foods except mustard, especially linseed, if given a little more, molting is quick and done well.
- Balanced food:-Flax, safflower seeds, almonds, canary, millet, and barley can be given separately.
*It is very important to provide good quality food during this time.
Care should be taken during this time that there should be more carbohydrates, oil seeds, and fatty types of food. For example, corn, lentils, kidney beans, red wheat, red millet, white millet, rice, red peas, green peas, white peas, and chickpeas. It is better to give boots, Chinese, Kaun, etc.
- It is better to give worm medicine before the start of molting.
If deworming is not given before the start of molting, do not give it again during molting. Deworming during molting can cause feather damage.
Add black cumin seeds in food and garlic juice in food water 4 days a week, it will reduce worm infestation a little. It is better if you make pills with neem leaves and give it continuously for 7 days. - Due to any physical deficiency, your pigeon may not have complete molting, so 2 days a week during molting, vitamin E and multivitamins should be given to pigeons.
*If the pigeon’s digestive power is not good during molting, then youNo matter if you give vitamins or improved food, there will be no benefit.
Therefore, pigeons need to be regularly given good-quality grit. Besides, pigeons also get essential minerals from grit, which is very necessary for pigeons throughout the year.
- Bathe the pigeon regularly at least 2 days a week to keep its feathers always good and free from lice or insects. You can also give lice-killer shampoo. But remember not to bathe the pigeon after 12 noon, it may cause cold problems.
Bath:
Molting is when pigeons tend to bathe more often than at other times of the year. Bathing should be done at least once a week during this time.
In this case, you can boil neem leaves and mix them with water or add fitter or mix them with potash water or apple cider vinegar.
