See Dr. Walker's site for his pre-breeding recommendations.
http://www.auspigeonco.com.au/
Prebreeding Health Program
Principal aim: To start the breeding season with healthy stock birds.
Health control in the stock loft is very different from in the racing loft. This is because there is not the continuous potential exposure to disease through strays and returning race birds in the stock loft as there is in the race loft. It should be possible to eradicate many problems, in particular parasites, from the stock loft and then by treating any new birds before introduction to maintain the stock loft as a miniquarantine station. This is not possible, however, if there is exposure to the droppings of wild birds and so, for this reason, any flights should have suspended or grid floors.
Worms
The level of worms in the stock loft should be absolutely zero. Hairworms and roundworms are cleared by giving a 24-hour course of Moxidectin. It is vital that the loft is thoroughly cleaned afterwards to ensure that the birds are not reinfected from droppings containing worm eggs passed before medication. If in doubt, it is best to repeat the worming 3 weeks later and again thoroughly clean the loft. The eggs of these parasites can survive for up to 6 months in the environment, If there are aviaries with dirt floors that cannot be thoroughly cleaned, then to achieve control, Moxidectin can be given for 1 day every 3 - 4 weeks spanning this time. The longer-term answer, however, is to insert a suspended or grid floor or a floor that Can be thoroughly cleaned.
Tapeworms are treated with Prazivet for 24 hours and reinfection prevented by spraying simultaneously with Permethrin Solution.
Coccidia
In lofts with a Coccidia problem, the Coccidia level can be decreased by giving a 2 day course of Toltrazuril Coccidiocide Solution in the 2 weeks before pairing. Repeat 2-day courses in these lofts would need to be given approximately every 4 weeks once the birds are paired to ensure on-going control of this problem. However, on-going coccidial problems are usually associated with environmental or management flaws and often the longer-term answer to controlling this disease is to review these loft factors.
External Parasites
Moxidectin will kill all mites on the birds and most lice. To eliminate all lice completely, the birds are dipped in Permethrin Solution. This is a good idea anyway as it has a 4-month residual effect and provides good-long term protection against the insects causing problems during breeding. It is also a good idea to spray out the nest boxes with Permethrin before pairing. Mosquitoes carry pigeon pox, pigeon flies cause irritation, anaemia and are associated with wet nests, mites breed in the warm conditions of the nest box and all other insects, particularly slaters, carry tapeworm. Therefore, before pairing I always spray with Permethrin.
Respiratory Infections
Various Chlamydia strains are carried latently in some lofts. This means that they are found within the birds' system and flare up, causing problems when the birds come under stress. The outbreaks usually occur during breeding (when the stock birds are under stress) and during racing (when the race birds are under stress). In the stock loft, signs range from infertility, weakened youngsters that die during incubation, during hatching or in the nest, poor babies and excessively run-down parents. In the race loft, we see variable signs of respiratory infection (eg eye colds, dirty ceres), poor performance, occasional sneezing, mushy green droppings and failure to come into condition. In lofts that have experienced problems with Chlamydia in previous breeding seasons, the birds are treated with doxycycline 12%, not to clear the Chlamydia, but rather to reduce it to a level at which it is less likely to cause problems. The usual treatment course is 7 - 30 days. The actual length of treatment for a loft is dependent on problems experienced in earlier years. In lofts without these problems, it is best not to treat. Because of the long treatment required in some lofts, ensure that preventative programs are started in sufficient time. Doxycycline does interfere with calcium and vitamin metabolism and does disrupt the normal beneficial population of bowel bacteria. For this reason, treatment courses should cease at least 2 - 3 weeks before pairing and courses should always be followed with multivitamins, calcium and probiotic supplements. If you are unsure about the need for medication, please seek veterinary advice before breeding as the problem is difficult to control once the birds are paired. Once the birds are paired, the best we can do is 'band aid' the problem, i.e. patch up the problem after it has arisen through strategic short courses of medication to minimize the effect of the disease.
Canker
Control of this problem before breeding has been dealt with extensively in the chapter Canker. In lofts with a canker problem in last year's breeding season, it is usual to decrease the trichomonad burden of the stock birds by giving a 5 - 7-day course of Turbosole 4 weeks before pairing. This means that it will take more stress before the birds shed sufficient numbers of the organism to give their nestlings the disease. In lofts without a canker problem, it is best to give no medication.
Special Note on Calcium Supplementation
Feeding stock birds have high requirements for calcium. It is therefore vital that they are supplemented with calcium once paired. No matter how much they take in (particularly the hens) once paired, they cannot assimilate as much as they are losing from their system in the production of crop milk and egg shells. The difference is made up by mobilizing calcium stored in the skeleton before pairing. It is important that stock birds have access to calcium all year and particularly once mated. Low levels of calcium lead to soft-shelled eggs, egg binding, postlaying paralysis in hens, poor-quality crop milk, slow-growing babies and babies with undermineralized soft bones (the best way to assess this is by gently pushing the lower beak to the side). I recommend that stock birds have pink minerals, shell grit and a mineral block in front of them all year and that, once paired, in addition have calcium solution in the water 1 - 2 days per week.
Summary
• Hairworm and round worm: Moxidectin 24 hours
• Tape worm: Prazivet 24 hours
• Coccidia: Toltrazuril Coccidiocide Solution 48 hours
• Dip all birds and spray loft (in particular nest boxes) with Permethrin Solution
• Doxycycline 12% for 7 - 30 days in lofts with Chlamydia problem
• Turbosole for 5 - 7 days in lofts that had canker last breeding season
• Finish program 1 - 2 weeks before pairing
• Upgrade calcium intake once paired.
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Stock hen with her
recently hatched youngsters
Breeding Season Program
Principal aim: To produce healthy, robust young ready for weaning at 28 days and to maintain the health and condition of the stock birds
During breeding it is best to focus on good management (no overcrowding and good hygiene), good feeding and providing the correct supplements. If health problems appear during breeding, it usually reflects a flaw in the prebreeding management of the stock birds. Water-based medications are hard to administer accurately during breeding because of the variable water intake of stock birds feeding youngsters of different ages. Drugs, in particular antibiotics, should be avoided now as many have adverse affects on the youngsters or parents. For example, Baytril has been associated with embryonic deaths and abnormal joints in growing babies.
Most health problems in breeding relate to canker. In lofts where this is a problem it is managed as discussed in the chapter Canker. In summary, decrease the number of babies that develop canker by decreasing the number of trichomonads shed by the parents with periodic 2-day courses of Turbosole given every 1 - 3 weeks as the need dictates. Monitor the youngsters daily and treat those with canker with a daily dose of Spartrix until well. Feeding stock birds that suddenly become unwell and lose weight almost invariably have an internal canker nodule. Separate these and give 4 drops Baytril, twice daily and ¹ Flagyl or 1 Spartrix daily. Disappointingly, many of these, by the time we realize they are unwell, have passed the stage where they will respond to treatment.
Stock birds that desert nests and pale slow-growing youngsters are often associated with red mite. These move on to the birds during the night to drink blood. Look for the tell-tale crusty 'pin pricks' under the babies' wings where the mites were attached and feeding during the night. This problem can be avoided by dipping the birds and spraying the boxes with Permethrin Solution before breeding. These measures can still be implemented, although not as easily, if mites appear after the birds are paired. Further problems are discussed in the chapter Problems of the Breeding Season.
Once stock birds are feeding, the physical and nutritional demands drastically increase. Supplementing with seed oils and yeasts will help them maintain their condition and help them produce robust babies. Pink minerals, grits and pick stones should always be available.
