Mary Allen
Even when it’s hot outside, youngsters are still susceptible to the cold. When it cools down for a moment, the animals are happy to have a pad that keeps them comfortably warm.
Now, in early June, temperatures are typically very high and remain so for a while. At most, short thunderstorm fronts interrupt this period of fine weather. Since pigeons love warm, even hot weather, it’s no wonder that breeding is at an all-time high. It’s almost a sure-fire success. The hens lay, the eggs are fertilized, the chicks hatch without any problems and grow evenly. That’s what you really want.
Nevertheless, the attentive breeder notices that the youngsters in particular show a different behavior during these storm fronts and short temperature fluctuations. If they are still in their nests, then they behave very quietly. Especially when the old pigeons are no longer diligently warming them up, the youngsters need a lot of energy to keep their organism running. But many parents notice this intuitively and go to the nest more often when the weather is cool.
Young pigeons that have been weaned once have it harder because they are completely on their own. As a breeder, you should therefore offer them help. Of course, this includes high-quality feed and an optimal climate. Another important point here is heat. Young pigeons that have just been weaned often come together in small groups. This is probably due to the fact that they still need some time before they are completely independent. They prefer to sit in a batting corner.
Breeders have been preparing a so-called straw corner for their youngsters for years now. To do this, fresh straw is simply placed in a corner. The youngsters like to lie in it and love the cozy warmth. This can be observed especially in breeds with a longer development time.
Warmth and Employment
A magpie pouter breeder has opted for a different solution. He has laid out a styrofoam plate in his youngsters’ corner. Although it is only two centimeters thick, it has the property of immediately releasing the heat it has absorbed. Everyone knows this phenomenon when they put their hand on a piece of Sex.
In order to take full advantage of this, the youngsters should be able to lie down directly on the plate. If Styrofoam is too vulnerable, you can also use a so-called hard foam mat. You will quickly notice that the youngsters not only like to lie on it and warm themselves but also peck at it. Over time, a styrofoam plate suffers so badly from the pigeon beaks that it has to be replaced.
Especially the pecking of the young pigeons is the second advantage of Styrofoam plates in the loft in addition to the heat: they keep the animals busy. Parallels can be seen in chicken husbandry. Young animals in particular are given Styrofoam in the bedding there so that they don’t peck at each other. Even if you don’t know about feather eating in pigeons, for example, employment is still an important aspect. It strengthens the general constitution of the animals and is, therefore, support for active health care. So you should give it a try – it doesn’t require a lot of effort.