the 

Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica) was derived from the Rock Pigeon.

The Rock pigeon is the world's
oldest domesticated bird.Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of
pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics.[2] Research suggests
that domestication of pigeons was as early as ten thousand years ago.[2] People who
keep domestic pigeons are generally called pigeon fanciers.[3]Domestic pigeons can
often be distinguished from feral pigeons because they usually have a metal or plastic
band around one (sometimes both) legs which shows, by a number on it, that they are
registered to an owner.[4]

Pigeons have made contributions of considerable importance to humanity, especially in

times of war.[3] In war the homing ability of pigeons has been put to use by making them
messengers. So-called war pigeons have carried many vital messages and some have
been decorated for their services. Medals such as the Croix de guerre, awarded to Cher
Ami, and the Dickin Medal awarded to the pigeons G.I. Joe and Paddy, amongst 32
others, have been awarded to pigeons for their services in saving human lives. Despite
this, many people consider pigeons to be pests. Domestic pigeons are sometimes
called "thoroughbreds of the air," while feral pigeons are sometimes called "rats with
wings."[5]

Contents
 [hide]

1 Reproduction
2 Homing pigeons
3 Other purposes of pigeon
breeding
o 3.1 For food
o 3.2 Exhibition breeds
o 3.3 Flying/Sporting
4 Experimentation
o 4.1 Cognitive science
5 Illegal predator killing by
enthusiasts
6 Pigeon Lung
7 Feral pigeons
 8 See also
9 References
10 External links

[edit]Reproduction

Domestic pigeons reproduce in a similar way to the wild Rock Pigeon. Generally

humans will select breeding partners. Crop milk produced by parent birds may
occasionally be replaced with artificial substitutes. Baby pigeons are called squeakers.
[6]
 See Also:-Gallery

[edit]Homing pigeons
Main articles: Homing pigeon and Racing Homer

Homing pigeon

Trained domestic pigeons are able to return to the home loft if released at a location
that they have never visited before and that may be up to 1000 km away. A special
breed, called homing pigeons has been developed through selective breeding to carry
messages and members of this variety of pigeon are still being used in the sport
of pigeon racing and the white release dove ceremony at weddings and funerals.

The ability a pigeon has to return home from a strange location necessitates two sorts
of information. The first, called "map sense" is their geographic location. The second,
"compass sense" is the bearing they need to fly from their new location in order to reach
their home. Both of these senses, however, responds to a number of different cues in
different situations. The most popular conception of how pigeons are able to do this is
that they are able to sense the Earth's magnetic field[7][8][9] with tiny magnetic tissues in
their head (magnetoception)[citation needed]. This is all the more surprising as they are not
a migratory species, which is a fact used by some ornithologists to dispute this
theory[citation needed]. Another theory is that pigeons have compass sense, which uses the
position of the sun, along with an internal clock, to work out direction. However, studies
how shown that if magnetic disruption or clock changes disrupt these senses, the
pigeon can still manage to get home. The variability in the effects of manipulations to
these sense of the pigeons indicates that there is more than one cue on which
navigation is based and that map sense appears to rely on a comparison of available
cues[10]

Other potential cues used include:

 The use of a sun compass[11]

 Nocturnal navigate by stars[12]
 Visual landmark map[13][14]
 Navigation by infrasound map[15]
 Polarised light compass[16]
 Olfactory stimuli[17]
see: Olfactory navigation
[edit]Other purposes of pigeon breeding
[edit]For food
Main article: Squab (food)

Pigeons are also bred for meat, generally called squab and harvested from young
birds. Pigeons grow to a very large size in the nest before they are fledged and
able to fly, and in this stage of their development (when they are called squabs)
they are prized as food. For commercial meat production a breed of large white
pigeon, named "King pigeon," has been developed by selective breeding. Breeds of
Pigeons developed for their meat are collectively known as Utility Pigeons.
[edit]Exhibition breeds
Main article: Fancy pigeon

Pigeon fanciers developed many exotic forms of pigeon. These are generally

classed as fancy pigeons. The Fanciers compete against each other at exhibitions
or shows and the different forms orbreeds are judged to a standard to decide who
has the best bird. Among those breeds are the English Carriers, a variety of pigeon
with wattles and a unique, almost vertical, stance (pictures). There are many
ornamental breeds of pigeons, including the "Duchess" breed, which has as a
prominent characteristic feet that are completely covered by a sort of fan of
feathers. The Fantails are also very ornamental with their fan-shaped tail feathers.
[edit]Flying/Sporting

Domestic pigeons in flight.

Main article: Flying/Sporting Pigeons

Pigeons are also kept by enthusiasts for the enjoyment

of Flying/Sporting competitions. Breeds such as Tipplers are flown in endurance
contests by their owners.

[edit]Experimentation

Domestic pigeons are also commonly used in laboratory experiments in biology,

medicine and cognitive science.
[edit]Cognitive science
Pigeons have been trained to distinguish
between cubist and impressionist paintings, for instance. In Project Sea Hunt, a US
coast guard search and rescue project in the 1970s/1980s, pigeons were shown to
be more effective than humans in spotting shipwreck victims at sea.[18] Research in
pigeons is widespread, encompassing shape and texture perception, exemplar and
prototype memory, category-based and associative concepts, and many more
unlisted here (see Pigeon intelligence anddiscrimination abilities of pigeons).

[edit]Illegal predator killing by enthusiasts

In the US, some pigeon keepers illegally trap and kill hawks and falcons to protect
their pigeons[19]. In American pigeon-related organizations, enthusiasts openly
shared their experiences of killing hawks and falcons, although this is frowned upon
by the majority of fanciers. None of the major clubs condone this practice. It is
estimated that almost 1000 birds of prey have been killed in Oregon and
Washington, and that 1 to 2 thousand are killed in southern California annually. In
June 2007, three Oregon men were indicted with misdemeanour violations of the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act for killing birds of prey. Seven Californians and a Texan
have also been charged in the case.

In the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom pigeon fanciers have been

blamed for a trap campaign to kill peregrine falcons. Eight illegal spring-loaded
traps were found close to peregrine nests and at least one of the protected birds
died. The steel traps are thought to have been set as part of a “concerted
campaign” to kill as many of the birds as possible in the West Midlands.[20]

[edit]Pigeon Lung
Pigeon breeders sometimes suffer from an ailment known as Pigeon Lung. A form
of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, Pigeon Lung is caused by the inhalation of the
avian proteins found in feathers and dung. It can sometimes be combated by
wearing a filtered mask.[21]

[edit]Feral pigeons
Main article: Feral Pigeon

Feral Rock Pigeons commonly show a very wide range of plumage variation.

Many domestic birds have escaped or been released over the years, and have
given rise to the feral pigeon. These show a variety of plumages, although some
look very like the pure Rock Pigeons. The scarcity of the pure wild species is partly
due to interbreeding with feral birds.

[edit]See also
 Feral Pigeon
 Doves as Symbols
 List of pigeon breeds
 Pigeon keeping
[edit]References

1. ^ "Columba livia Gmelin, 1789" (Web data). ITIS Report. Retrieved 2008-02-26.

2. ^ a b Blechman, Andrew (2007). Pigeons-The fascinating saga of the world's most
revered and reviled bird.. St Lucia, Queensland: University of Queensland
Press. ISBN 9780702236419.
3. ^ a b Levi, Wendell (1977). The Pigeon. Sumter, S.C.: Levi Publishing Co,
Inc. ISBN 0853900132.
4. ^ Porter, Cynthya. "Goodview man finds racing pigeon". Winona Post. Retrieved
2008-07-15.
5. ^ Allmendinger, Lisa. "Pigeons gain in popularity as pets". The Ann Arbor News.
Retrieved 2008-06-21.
6. ^ Gorman, Kate. "Bird lady of Haslet helps to elevate occasions". Star Telegram
(Jun 15, 2008). Retrieved 2008-06-25.
7. ^ Von Middendorff, A. (1859). "Die Isepiptesen Rußlands". Mem. Acad. Sci. St
Petersbourg VI, Ser. Tome 8: 1–143.
8. ^ VIGUIER, C. (1882). "Le sens de l’orientation et ses organes chez les animaux et
chez l’homme". Rev. phil. France Etranger 14: 1–36.
9. ^ Wiltschko, W. and Wiltschko, R. (1996). Magnetic Orientation in Birds.
J.Exp.Biology, 199, 29-38.
10. ^ Wiltschko, W. and Wiltschko, R. (2003) Avian navigation: from historical to
modern concepts. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. 65, 257–272.
11. ^ Wallraff, HG et al. (1999). The roles of the sun and the landscape in pigeon
homing. Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 202, Issue 16 2121-2126.
12. ^ Kramer, G. (1952). Experiments in bird orientation. Ibis, 94: 265–285.
13. ^ Baker, R. R. (1984). Bird Navigation: The Solution of a Mystery?London: Hodder
& Stoughton.
14. ^ Kamil, A. C. & Cheng, K. (2001). Way-finding and landmarks: the multiple-
bearing hypothesis. Journal of Experimental Biology, 204, 103–113.
 15. ^ Hagstrum, J. T. (2001). Infrasound and the avian navigational map. In:
Orientation and Navigation: Birds, Humans and other Animals. Paper 43. Oxford:
Royal Institute of Navigation.
16. ^ Able, K. P. & Able, M. A. (1993). Daytime calibration of magnetic orientation in a
migratory bird requires a view of skylight polarization. Nature, 364, 523–525.
17. ^ Papi, F. (1986). Pigeon navigation: solved problems and open questions.
Monitore Zoologico Italiano, 20, 471–517.
18. ^ "Pigeon Search and Rescue Project (PROJECT SEA HUNT)". United States
Coast Guard. 28 May 2009 (last modified). Retrieved 12 January 2010.
19. ^ Milstein, Michael (2007-06-09). "Fight pits pigeon, hawk lovers". The Oregonian.
Retrieved 2007-06-11.
20. ^ Smith, Lewis (2008-05-30). "Pigeon fanciers blamed for trap campaign to kill
peregrine falcons" (Online news). London: Times Online. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
21. ^ Boyd, Gavin; Din Ismail, Philip Lynch, Charles McSharry. "Process Of Pigeon
Fancier�s Allergic Alveolitis.Current research activity into Pigeon Lung in
Scotland: Epidemiological Studies." (Web article). British Pigeon Fanciers Medical
Research. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
Retrived from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_Pigeon

Squab :

Squab (food)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Squab.

Squab breast served at a French restaurant

In culinary terminology, squab (probably of Scandinavian descent; skvabb, meaning

"loose, fat flesh")[1] is the meat from a young domestic pigeon. The word squab was
formerly used to describe young birds from several species, but has since come to
mean young pigeons and their meat.[2][3] Squabs are raised to the age of roughly a
month before being killed for eating;[3][4][5] they have reached adult size but have not yet
flown.[3] The practice of domesticating pigeon aslivestock may have come from
the Middle East;[6] historically, squab or pigeons have been consumed in many
civilizations, including Ancient Egypt, Rome andMedieval Europe.[3] There is more
information about recipes including squab eaten by rich people than those that poor
people used.[4] Although squab has been consumed throughout much of recorded
history, squab is not usually a staple food in modern times, and may be considered
peculiar or exotic.[3] The modern squab industry uses utility pigeons and may use two-
nest methods or selective breeding to improve yield.[5][7][8]

Contents
 [hide]

1 History
2 In
cuisine
3 See also
4 Referen
ces

[edit]History
A white Carneau/King Hubbard squab at the age of two weeks. Note the large breast muscles
common in utility pigeons.

The practice of domesticating pigeon as livestock may have come from the Middle East;
[6]
 historically, squab or pigeons have been consumed in many civilizations,
including Ancient Egypt, Rome and Medieval Europe.[3] Texts about methods of raising
pigeons for their meat have been dated back to AD 60 in Spain.[4] The term "squab"
formerly included the meat of all dove and pigeon species, such as the Wood Pigeon,
the Mourning Dove, and the now-extinctPassenger Pigeon.[3] Such birds were hunted
for their meat because it was a cheap and readily available source of protein.[3]

In the Tierra de Campos, a north-western region of Spain, the agricultural practices of

keeping cattle, sheep, crop rotation and brush burning changed the land from forests
into plains. Grain crops were the major agricultural activity, followed by squab meat.
[4]
 From the Middle Ages a dovecote (French pigeonnier) was a common outbuilding on
an estate that aimed to be self-sufficient.[3] The dovecote was considered a "living
pantry",[4] a source of meat for unexpected guests, and was important as a
supplementary source of income from selling the surplus birds.[9] In medieval England,
squab meat was "highly valued", although its availability depended on the seasons - in
one dovecote in the 1320s, nearly half the squabs produced were in the summer
months, and none were in the winter months.[10] Caelius Aurelianus, a Roman physician,
regarded the meat as a cure for headaches, but by the 16th century, squab was
believed to cause headaches. In the 14th century humorism book Health Regime,
squab was regarded as a "hot and moist" food, whereas the meat of old pigeons were
regarded as hot, dry and "barely edible".[4]

More recently, squab is almost entirely from domestic pigeons. The meat of dove and
pigeon gamebirds hunted primarily for sport is rarely called squab.[3]Utility pigeons have
been artificially selected for weight gain, quick growth, health when kept in large
numbers, and health of their infants.[11] Industrially raised pigeons have young which
weigh 1.3 pounds (0.59 kg) when of age, as opposed to traditionally raised pigeons,
which weigh 0.5 pounds (0.23 kg).[4] Ten pairs of pigeons can produce eight squabs
each month without being fed by the pigeon keepers,[5] pigeons which are accustomed
to their dovecote may forage and return there to rest and breed.[4] For a greater yield,
commercially raised squab may be produced in a two-nest system, where the mother
lays two new eggs in a second nest while the squabs are still growing in the first nest,
[5]
 fed by their father.[7] Establishing two breeding lines has been suggested as another
strategy for greater yield, where one breeding line is selected for prolificacy and the
other is selected for "parental performance".[8]

[edit]In cuisine

A large volume of squab is served at Chinese-Americanrestaurants.

Squab is dark meat, and the skin is fatty, like that of duck.[3] The meat is very lean,
easily digestible, and "is rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins".[4] Squab has been
described as having a "silky" texture, as it is very tender and fine-grained.[4][12] Squab
has a milder taste than other game,[13] and has been described as having a mild berry
flavor.[4]

The Roman cookbook Apicius recommended sauces with a combined sweet and sour

flavor to accompany roasted or braised squab. In 1607 a recipe book from a monastery
suggested cooking squab with pork fat or bitter limes. There is less information about
traditional recipes incorporating squab or pigeon used by commoners, but there is
evidence recipes involving squab were "handed down from generation to generation".
[4]
 In the 15th century, the Italian friar Luca Pacioli wrote a book of "culinary secrets"
which included "How to Kill a Squab by Hitting with a Feather on the Head".[14] In 18th
century France, pigeons à la crapaudine ("Toadlike Squab") was a popular "dish of skill"
for both rich and poor, in which the squab was arranged so that it appeared froglike,
with the breast forming the frog's "face".Religious dietary laws once prohibited meat on
fast days, but allowed frog's meat, as it was a water dweller. Pigeons à la
crapaudine played with that convention, and is still part of French traditional cuisine.[15]
Commercially raised birds "take only half as long to cook" as traditionally raised birds,
and are suitable for roasting, grilling, or searing, whereas the traditionally raised birds
are better suited to casseroles and slow-cooked stews.[4] The meat from older and wild
pigeons is tougher than squab, and requires a long period of stewing orroasting to
tenderize.[3] The use of squabs probably stems from the relative ease of catching birds
which have not yet fledged,[3] or that unfledged birds have more tender meat.[16] Despite
the relative ease of raising pigeons, squab is "not usually considered" in terms of its
potential to assist in food security efforts.[5] Usually considered a delicacy, squab is
tender, moist and richer in taste than many commonly-consumed poultry meats, but
there is relatively little meat per bird, the meat being concentrated in the breast.[3][17]

Today, squab is eaten in many countries, including France, the United States, Italy,

the Maghreb, and several Asian countries.[18] Typical dishes include breast of squab
(sometimes as the Frenchsalmis), Egyptian mahshi (stuffed with rice and herbs), and
the Moroccan dish pastilla.[19] In Spain and France, squab is also preserved as a confit.
[4]
 Demand for squab is increasing in Nigeria, despite being more expensive than beef,
pork or chicken, as pigeons are quick to raise to table weight and are easy to keep,
providing diseases are controlled, as young pigeons are especially susceptible to
disease.[20]

In parts of the developed world, squab meat is thought of as exotic or distasteful

by consumers, because the feral pigeon is considered an unsanitary urban pest.[18] In
England pigeon meat was eaten when other food was rationed during the war and
remains associated with wartime shortages and poverty. This was parodied in an
episode of the sitcom Dad's Army.[21][22] Nevertheless many people still eat it, especially
the older generation. Squab meat is regarded as safer than some other poultry products
as it harbors fewer pathogens,[23][24] and may be served between medium and well done.
[23]
 Squab's flavor lends itself to complex red or white wines.[13] In the United States of
America, squab is "increasingly a specialty item", as the larger and
cheaper chicken displaced it.[25]However, squab produced from specially-raised utility
pigeons continues to be a part of the menus at American haute cuisine restaurants such
as Le Cirque and The French Laundry,[17][26] and has enjoyed endorsements from
some celebrity chefs.[3] Accordingly, squab is often sold for much higher prices than
other poultry, sometimes as high as eight USD per pound.[3] In Chinese cuisine, squab
is a part of celebratory banquets for holidays such as Chinese New Year, usually served
deep-fried.[3] Squabs are sold live in Chinese marketplaces to assure freshness,[27] but
they can also bedressed in two styles. "Chinese-style" (Buddhist slaughter) birds retain
their head and feet, whereas "New York-dressed" (Confucian slaughter) birds retain
their entrails, head and feet.[12] The greatest volume of U.S. squab is currently sold
within Chinatowns.[3]
[edit]See also

Look up squab in Wiktionary,
the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has

media related to: Squab

 American Giant Runt

 Carneau
 French Mondain
 King Pigeon
 Strasser
[edit]References

1. ^ "squab". Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.). p. 1210. ISBN 9780877798095. Retrieved 27

August 2009.

2. ^ OED gives earliest usage 1640 as a young bird, 1694 as a young pigeon.

3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Andrew D., Blechman (2006). Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most
Revered and Reviled Bird. Open City Books. ISBN 0802118348.

4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Canova, Jane (Spring 2005). "Monuments to the Birds: Dovecotes and Pigeon Eating in
the Land of Fields". Gastronomica 5 (2): 50–59. doi:10.1525/gfc.2005.5.2.50.

5. ^ a b c d e Schiere, Hans; van der Hoek, Rein (2001). Livestock keeping in urban areas: a review of traditional
technologies based on literature and field experiences. FAO animal production and health paper. 151. Food

and Agriculture Organization. pp. 29. ISBN 9789251045756.

6. ^ a b Hansell, Jean (2001). Dovecotes. A Shire album Shire Library. 213. Osprey Publishing.

pp. 4. ISBN 9780747805045. Retrieved 2009-09-02.

7. ^ a b Bolla, Gerry (2007). "Squab raising". New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved
2009-09-03.

8. ^ a b Aggrey, S.E.; Cheng, K.M. (1993). "Genetic and Posthatch Parental Influences on Growth in Pigeon
Squabs". Journal of Heredity 84 (3): 184–187. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
9. ^ Hansell, Jean (2001). Dovecotes. A Shire album Shire Library. 213. Osprey Publishing.
pp. 6. ISBN 9780747805045. Retrieved 2009-09-02.

10. ^ Woolgar, C.M.; Serjeantson, Dale, Waldron, Tony (2006). Food in medieval England: diet and nutrition.
Medieval history and archaeology. Oxford University Press. pp. 151. ISBN 9780199273492.

11. ^ Skinner, B.F. (March 1986). "Some Thoughts About The Future". Journal of the Experimental Analysis of
Behavior 45 (2): 229–245. doi:10.1901/jeab.1986.45-229. PMID 3958668. PMC 1348231. Retrieved 2009-

09-01.

12. ^ a b Green, Aliza (2005). Field Guide to Meat: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Meat,
Poultry, and Game Cut. Quirk Books. pp. 221–223. ISBN 9781594740176.

13. ^ a b Cornish, Richard (July 25, 2006). "Pigeon fanciers". The Age. Retrieved 2009-09-02.
14. ^ Parzen, Jeremy (Fall 2004). "Please Play with Your Food: An Incomplete Survey of Culinary Wonders in
Italian Renaissance Cookery". Gastronomica 4 (4): 25–33. doi:10.1525/gfc.2004.4.4.25.

15. ^ Davis, Jennifer J. (February 2009). "Masters of Disguise: French Cooks Between Art and Nature, 1651–
1793". Gastronomica 9 (1): 36–49. doi:10.1525/gfc.2009.9.1.36.

16. ^ Hansell, Jean (2001). Dovecotes. A Shire album Shire Library. 213. Osprey Publishing.
pp. 7. ISBN 9780747805045. Retrieved 2009-09-02.

17. ^ a b Thomas, Keller (1999). The French Laundry Cookbook. Artisan. ISBN 1579651267.

18. ^ a b Blechman, Andrew D. (April 9, 2006). "March of the Pigeons". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-
24.

19. ^ Morgan, James L. (2006). Culinary creation: an introduction to foodservice and world cuisine. Butterworth-
Heinemann hospitality management series. Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 10.ISBN 9780750679367.

20. ^ Natala, A.J.; Asemadahun, N.D., Okubanjo, O.O., Ulayi, B.M., Owolabi, Y.H., Jato, I.D., Yusuf, K.H.
(2009). "A Survey of Parasites of Domesticated Pigeon (Columba livia domestic) in Zaria,
Nigeria".International Journal of Soft Computing 4 (4): 148–150. Retrieved 2009-09-01.

21. ^ Squab (food) at the Internet Movie Database

22. ^ [# Croft, David; Perry, Jimmy; Webber, Richard (2000). The Complete A-Z of Dad’s Army. Orion. ISBN 0-
75284-637-X. ]

23. ^ a b Morgan, James L. (2006). Culinary creation: an introduction to foodservice and world cuisine.
Butterworth-Heinemann hospitality management series. Butterworth-Heinemann.

pp. 220.ISBN 9780750679367.

24. ^ Jeffrey, J.S.; Atwill, E.R., Hunter, A. (2001). "Farm and management variables linked to fecal shedding of
Campylobacter and Salmonella in commercial squab production". Poultry Science 80 (1): 66–

70.PMID 11214338.
 25. ^ Jerolmack, Colin (April 2007). "Animal archeology: Domestic pigeons and the nature-culture
dialectic". Qualitative Sociology Review 3 (1): 74–95.

26. ^ Bruni, Frank (February 6, 2008). "In Defense of Decadence". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
27. ^ Hsiung, Deih-Ta; Simonds, Nina, Lowe, Jason (2005). The food of China: a journey for food lovers.
Murdoch Books. pp. 125. ISBN 9781740454636. Retrieved 2009-09-02.

Squab Production
Domesticated pigeons (Columbia livia domesticia) are raised for racing and
ornamental purposes and for meat production mainly as young birds (squabs). The
ancient Egyptians were one of the first to produce squabs for the table. This practice
spread to Rome and Medieval Europe. Today, Egyptian farmers raise more than 70% of
the squabs on a global basis.

They grow at a rapid rate and have a prodigious appetite, depending on their parents to
provide nourishment in the form of ‘crop milk’ stimulated by the hormone prolactin, as is
also done by some other avian species such as some flamingos and penguins.
Composition of the milk changes as the squabs age. Initially it is high in fat and protein
with high levels of the essential amino acids. Production of crop milk declines and
ceases in the female earlier than in the male. This allows her to lay two more eggs and
to incubate them, assisted by the male.

Eggs will hatch at 17 days. In a breeding season, September to January, one pair of
pigeons will produce 12 to 15 squabs, each weighing about 500 g at 24 to 28 days of
age when lactation has already ceased and they have full cover of feathers. Dressing
out is about 350 g, although this will vary with the breed. The meat is dark in colour and
similar to that of duck meat.
Squab Production in Australia
Egyptian farmers raise more than 70% of the squabs on a global basis. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Commons

The industry has grown from about $6.2 million in 2002 to close to $11 million today.
Queensland Squab Processors Pty Ltd claim to have 65% of the domestic market and
process 5000 squabs per week. There is now the Australian Poultry Squab Producers
Federation with squab farmers in most of the states. These family-run farms typically
have 500 to 1500 breeding pairs, producing 6,000 to 12,000 squabs per year. Some
rely on outside processing plants to process their squabs; others rely on other game
bird producers to market their already processed squabs. Pigeons are monogamous.
They are held in breeding pens or lofts with wire mesh or solid floors with wood
shavings and holding 20 to 30 pairs. The pen is either closed or with an open flight area
depending on the climate. They are best suited to dry, temperate conditions. There are
two raised nest boxes per pair to accommodate the two squabs still being fed and
allowing the hen to incubate her eggs for the next hatch.
Pigeons are housed according to age. Young birds of similar age are kept together, as
are first time breeders.

There are several different breeds, or more often cross breeds used for squab farming
but the White King (750 to 850 g) crosses from the United States are the most favoured.
The Red Carneaux from France is also used in breeding programs; this is a slightly
smaller bird. Breeding pigeons are left to their own devices when it comes to nest
building and pine needles, straw or wood shavings are left in a pile in a rack. Pigeons
are sexually mature at about seven to eight months. The female will breed for
approximately eight years and the male for five years. Pigeons are usually given a
choice of grains, legume seeds such as peas and whole or oil-extracted oil seeds with
access to grit and minerals and vitamins. As their nutrient needs will vary with stage of
lactation and when incubating eggs, the birds will alter their selection of feed
ingredients. Some producers feed their pigeons a formulated, pelleted diet with whole
grain available separately.

It takes about 3 kg of feed for parents to grow one squab to 500 g. Because crop milk is
initially very high in water, pigeons need about one litre per day for five birds and there
should also be water separately for bathing. Some producers maintain that crop milk is
produced by the lactating pair for no more than 10 days; the parents then regurgitate
grain to feed the squabs. The squabs are sent to the processing plant at about 28 to 32
days. They dress out at 200 to 500 g and fetch approximately $7.50 per squab. The
current retail price is about $20/500g. The price of grains has risen to the extent that few
are now entering the business, which is only marginally profitable, although there is no
shortage of consumer demand, mainly from the Asian population. Chinese and French
restaurants are the main customers and squabs can be bought in some farmers’
markets.

Provided the pens are kept dry and clean and management is of a high standard, bird
health should not be a problem. Weak and unhealthy birds should be removed
immediately. However, the round worm, Ascaridia Galli, is a common internal parasite,
and lice and red mites are external parasites in pigeons. Chronic respiratory disease,
pigeon pox and coccidiosis are sometimes seen in birds. Silkiness of feathers is an
external indicator of peak bird health.