Young pigeons — also known as squab — are prized by Asian consumers and many European chefs for their tender, mildly flavoured meat. Although the collapse of Pigeon King International’s multi-million-dollar pyramid scheme in 2008 left many would-be breeders with a bad taste in their mouths, legitimate markets for these birds do exist.
So what’s involved? For answers, we turned to Dave Thiessen, owner of Thiessen Specialty Poultry in B.C.’s Fraser Valley.
Market
Before you leap in, make sure you have buyers. Beyond Canada’s Asian communities and some high-end restaurants, there simply isn’t a huge demand for the niche delicacy in this country. And with a limited customer base, any new producers getting in on the action can quickly saturate the market.
That’s something Thiessen knows all about. Although his father raised pigeons for decades, Thiessen decided to get out of the squab business after a number of new players sent prices tumbling in the early 2000s. “It went down to the point where people were losing money,” he recalls. And while prices appear to be on an upswing today, Thiessen isn’t rushing to get back into the volatile market.
Processing
You also need to make sure you can process your squab. Many plants won’t handle these birds because they require specialized equipment. While there are three facilities near Thiessen that process squab, that may not be the case in your corner of Canada.
Facilities
Once you’ve lined up customers and a processor, you can focus on facilities. Traditional pigeon pens feature mesh on one side, facing away from the prevailing winter winds. They are typically 8 x 10 feet, according to the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, and hold 12 to 16 adult pairs in nest boxes.
Keeping your flock inside your barn is another option, says Thiessen. “We’ve done both, but we’ve found that in the barn, you’re able to control the lighting and the temperature and you can run it a lot more efficiently.”
Production
A good breeding pair produces about 15 young a year. Squab are fed and looked after by their parents until they are harvested at about four weeks. That said, don’t expect to kick back while Ma and Pa pigeon do all the work.
Because your birds will lay their eggs at different times, you’re dealing with a constant stream of young pigeons. Unlike chickens, there is no pause between one batch and the next. “Every week, you’re shipping,” Thiessen says.
Finally, a successful breeding program requires meticulous record keeping. Make sure you avoid inbreeding and identify which pairs produce the best squab. “You can’t just save young from any birds,” Thiessen explains. “You want to always collect from the best producers.”
- Julie Stauffer