Turkish takla pigeons: video, varieties, breeding

Takla pigeons are high-flying decorative pigeons, which are classified as fighting pigeons. The characteristic “slaughter” of many people who are not familiar with the intricacies of breeding pigeons can be misleading, but the name has nothing to do with raising birds for slaughter or participating in pigeon fights. “Fighting” – publishing a fight, flapping wings during the game. When going up, birds perform multiple somersaults over their heads and at the same time loudly flap their wings.

History of Turkish pigeons

Turkey is the main breeding center of the breed, at the same time acting as a supplier of birds to other countries. It was the Turks who bred the Takla pigeons a thousand years ago.

The progenitors of purebred representatives of the Takla breed came to the territory of modern Turkey from China, the lands on which Kazakhstan is now located, and the Mongolian steppes. It happened in the XI century, as a result of the migration of the Seljuk tribes. Somersaulting birds, which the nomads brought with them, attracted the attention of the Turkish Sultan. Soon, the palace of the ruler of Turkey, where curiosities were collected, was inhabited by these exotic birds with “fluffy” legs and forelocks, and following the Sultan, the tradition of keeping pigeons was picked up by subjects. Over time, the Takla breed standard was bred. Soon, the species broke up into varieties that differ from each other in the type of plumage (“forelocks”, “eyebrows”, “boots” on the legs) and color. However, white individuals are still considered to be the reference pigeons of the Turkish Takla breed.

fighting breeds of pigeons at different times descended from Turkish Takla. The first varieties began to appear after these birds were brought to Our Country by the Kuban Cossacks as foreign trophies.

Features of Turkish pigeons Takla

Turkish Takla pigeons are represented by a huge number of colors and varieties. They are distinguished by their flying abilities: endurance, game, uniqueness of the pattern and combat. They are trainable, intelligent birds with excellent memory and outstanding topographical skills. They do not get lost, and if this happens, then the pigeons easily find their way home.

The characteristics of the Takla breed include high care requirements and the need for regular training. If the birds are not dealt with, they begin to be lazy, gain weight and turn into ordinary domestic pigeons. Training of chicks begins from the first weeks of life – this is how you can discover and consolidate genetic abilities.

Flight characteristics

All colors of Takla pigeons have virtues that include a description of their flight with the game:

1. The height of the lift in the pole is 18-22 m.
2. The flight of Takla pigeons can last from morning until the end of daylight hours, about 8-10 hours. White doves demonstrate the longest flight.
3. During the game, the birds enter the pole not once, but several times in a row.
4. The cycles of battles are repeated with an interval of 2-5 hours.
5. During the fight, Turkish pigeons have the ability to return to their original position several times in a row.
6. The best representatives of the Takla breed are capable of landing play during the summer – pigeons at a certain moment hover in the air at an angle of 90 ° C and lower their heads, and their legs are extended forward, as if they want to land.
7. Birds perform somersaults after 60-90 cm, combining them with a pull-up, when the pigeons throw the body up.
8. Some representatives of the Turkish breed are able to carry out a screw fight, during which they rotate their bodies in a circle, soaring into the sky as if in a spiral.

The speed at which Takla pigeons go into battle differs among all varieties. In addition, birds show fighting skills in different ways – some reveal their potential in a month, while other pigeons train for several years.

Takla dove suits

There are various classifications of these birds. The suits of Takla pigeons and their varieties are classified depending on the name of the region where they were bred:

• Miro;
• Plato;
• Sivash;
• Again;
• Soap.

According to external characteristics, groups of Takla pigeons are distinguished:

• forelock;
• nosochubye;
• two-toed;
• mustachioed;
• smooth-headed.

There is no single reference standard for Takla pigeons by external signs, however, when choosing a bird, the color and type of plumage does not matter. The emphasis here is on the pattern of flight and endurance, and the best performance is observed in white Turkish pigeons. They are considered a model of the breed.

Common features include dense plumage on the legs. Turkish Taklas have noticeable “boots”, but if they are lush, then this affects their flying abilities. Turkish Taklas have a light physique: they have a slender, neat body, moderately developed chest and a small head.

The color of the birds is represented by a wide range of colors: there are white, black, red, bronze, bluish, gray and motley Takla pigeons. Separately, colorful birds and a color are distinguished, in which the head and tail are lighter than the main color of the feathers.

A brief description of the popular varieties of Takla with photos of typical colors for pigeons of these species is presented below.

Mardin

The Mardin is the largest low-flying subspecies of the Takla breed. Mardins have a gray color, but there are black and black-and-white doves. The game of birds is described as very picturesque. Professional breeders compare Mardin pigeons with English Tumblers.

Urfa

Urfa – yellowish-ocher or brown with a bluish tint, which sometimes turns into black. There are pigeons with “belts”. Rare color – bluish-gray. The flight qualities of the Urfa subtype are no different from most other varieties of Takla.

Sivash

Sivash differs in appearance by a pronounced forelock on the head and a white tail. The flight is characterized by a shorter duration, but the birds strike more often and more strongly during the game.

Ankara

Ankara is one of the miniature Takla. The color is different: silver, gray, yellow, white, black, brown and smoky. The game is standard.

Antalya

Antalya is another miniature variety of Turkish fighting pigeons, along with Ankara. They are distinguished by a preference for solitary flights, although fighting breeds are gregarious.

Diyarbakir

Diyarbakir is considered to be a decorative variety of Turkish pigeons. They are distinguished by rounded shapes and forelock. Pigeons have different colors.

Malatya

Malatya is mostly mottled pigeons. There are no individuals with monophonic plumage among Malatya. The fighting qualities of pigeons are excellent, in the game the birds use their legs, in addition to wings.

Konya

The game of Konya is characterized by single somersaults, the post game is not typical for them. According to external signs, the species is distinguished by the small size of the beak.

Trabzon

Gray-brown pigeons, usually forelock. Preference is given to individuals with a light spot on the chest. The flight of the Turkish pigeons of Trabzon is circular.

Blue

Pigeons Takla Mavi in ​​the main light colors: gray, ocher, white, gray. Mavi pigeons often have stripes on their wings.

Chrism

In flight, Turkish pigeons of Takla Miro do not stand out, but their color is quite remarkable. These are mainly birds of dark colors, but there are individuals whose back and wings are gray, the neck is with a greenish tint, and the chest is buffy.

Keeping Takla pigeons

Turkish pigeons of the Takla breed are very gentle and whimsical creatures. It is important to remember this before buying birds, as caring for them takes a lot of time and effort.

Takla pigeons make high demands on the structure of the cage, diet and sanitary standards. In addition, representatives of the breed must be trained regularly, if possible without missing a single lesson, otherwise the pigeons will quickly become lazy and lose their skills.

Basic requirements

In order for birds to have optimal conditions for development, you must adhere to the requirements:

1. Takla pigeons should not be kept with other breeds. Moreover, these birds are not kept together with single-breed individuals that have distinctive generic characteristics. In other words, Turkish pigeons and smooth-headed pigeons should be kept isolated from each other, in order to avoid accidental crossing.
2. Turkish Takla – sickly pigeons. If at least one individual becomes infected with something, the disease can quickly become widespread and pass to other pigeons. To prevent this from happening, a sick bird is isolated at the first sign of malaise.
3. The enclosure is kept clean and tidy. Perches are constantly polished, clearing of excrement, the floor and sections are also regularly cleaned, 2 times a week. Once a month, the house is completely disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate and slaked lime.
4. Training is a prerequisite for the development of fighting breeds. In heavy rain or fog, birds are not released, but this is the only exception. Classes should not be skipped.
5. The aviary should be bright and spacious, equipment for working with pigeons should be clean.
6. In winter, the dovecote should be warm, in summer it should be cool. The best materials for building a dovecote are wood or brick. From the inside, it is lined with solid shields and puttied. There should be no knots or large cracks on the surfaces.

Place of detention

To breed the Takla breed, a spacious cage or aviary is built, which is placed on the street or in a room if birds are bred in apartment conditions. Takla Turkish pigeons are not kept on the balcony.

The dimensions of the aviary are calculated based on the size of the flock: each bird has at least 50 cm² of floor space and 1,5 m3 of air. So the pigeons will have enough space to perform the simplest maneuvers. If you keep the birds in close quarters, they begin to behave sluggishly and become oppressed. In addition, in close quarters, the likelihood of an outbreak of diseases increases – birds quickly pollute a limited space.

Separate cells from wooden boxes are placed in the aviary. Their dimensions are calculated so that the pigeons fit entirely inside. Additionally, a perch is attached to each section, otherwise it will be inconvenient for the birds to sit in the cells.

Additionally, a notch is attached to the cage if it is located on the street. It is a rectangular frame upholstered with mesh on top. The letok is attached with the open side to the bars of the aviary, and the other to the window for departure. There are two types of notch: one-section and two-section.

Takla pigeon feeding

The diet of Turkish pigeons depends on how large the beak of a particular variety of Takla is:

• short – up to 15 mm in length;
• medium – from 15 to 25 mm;
• long – 25 mm or more.

This is important because it limits the physiological ability of birds to consume different feeds. Short-beaked breeds are not comfortable handling large grains or crops such as peas without additional food chopping. Long-billed Takla pigeons, on the contrary, find it difficult to peck at small grains. Birds with an average beak size are in the best position – they practically do not experience difficulties while eating different feeds.

The recommended diet for the short-beaked Takla looks like this:

• millet in the shell;
• crushed wheat;
• Vika;
• small lentils;
• crushed barley;
• small varieties of peas;
• hemp seeds;
• flax seeds.

The composition of the feed mixture for the long-billed Takla includes:

• barley;
• wheat;
• beans;
• peas;
• beans;
• corn;
• flax seeds;
• hemp seeds.

In addition, the birds are fed with juicy feed and the water in the drinker is regularly updated.

Birds are fed according to one of the schemes:

1. The feeder is filled gradually, pouring the additive as it is eaten. If they do not give a feed mixture, but separate crops are poured into the feeder, they start with oats, barley and wheat with millet, then peas, beans or corn come, and feeding with oilseeds ends. The advantage of such a feeding scheme is that it saves food: the birds do not carry leftovers around the cage, and nothing remains in the bowl.
2. A pre-weighed amount of feed is poured into the feeder in accordance with all norms. Throw away leftovers after feeding. This method saves the breeder time, as he does not need to monitor how the bird eats and add new portions, but it affects the cost of unused feed. In addition, it is so difficult to notice if an individual refuses food, which can be the first sign of illness. It is with this algorithm of food supply that you can see the onset of the disease.

Automatic feeders for feeding Turkish Taklas should not be used under any circumstances. The breed is prone to overeating, they have a poorly developed sense of satiety. The feeder is always full of feed. As a result, pigeons quickly gain weight, become lazy and soon lose their flying qualities. This feed supply is more suitable for keeping meat breeds that need to gain weight quickly.

When breeding slaughter breeds, food is strictly on schedule, and the frequency of feeding depends on the time of year.

In summer and spring, Takla pigeons are fed 3 times a day:

• at 6 am;
• on midday;
• at 8 pm.

In winter and autumn, the number of meals is reduced to 2 times:

• at 8 am;
• at 5 pm.

The daily feed rate for Turkish Taklas is 30-40 g in winter and 50 g in summer.

Reproduction of pigeons of breed Turkish Takla

Before proceeding with the breeding of Takla, they equip a nesting place and a steam box. Box dimensions: 80 x 50 x 40 cm. After mating, it is turned into a nest box – for this, 2 nests with a diameter of 25 cm and sides 8 cm high are placed inside.

For 1,5-2 months of the beginning of the breeding season, the flock is seated according to gender – this is done so that the birds gain strength before mating.

Reproduction of domestic breeds occurs in two directions:

1. Natural (random), in which the pigeons themselves choose a mate for themselves – the male chooses the female, and she answers or ignores his courtship. Laying with this method of reproduction begins earlier, the percentage of hatchability is higher when compared with artificial breeding.
2. Artificial (forced) – breeding based on the selection by the breeder of a pair according to external signs or abilities to fly. The disadvantages of this method are that doves start laying eggs later, fertility is lower, and males behave aggressively. The advantage of forced breeding is the best quality of the offspring.

During the breeding season, the male and female are placed in a steam box. Whether mating has occurred can be determined by the behavior of the birds after they are released into the wild. If the male has covered the dove, they become inseparable and follow each other. In this case, material for building a nest is laid out around the aviary: dry leaves, straw, small twigs, woolen threads. The male will collect material, the female will start building the nest.

2 weeks after mating, the dove lays the first egg, and this usually happens in the early morning or before 12 noon. There are no more than two eggs in a clutch, young pigeons have one. Egg weight 20 g.

The pigeon pair incubates the eggs in turn, and the male does this mainly in the morning, the rest of the time the female sits in the nest.

The incubation period lasts an average of 19-20 days, but if the weather is warm, then this time is reduced to 17 days. A chick is born 10 hours after the blunt end of the egg cracks. If after this time the chick cannot get out of the shell, he needs help.

The weight of the chick is 8-12 g. While it dries, the parents heat it with the heat of their bodies. After 2-3 hours, the dove is able to eat.

Takla pigeons in Our Country

In Our Country, there are few specialized breeding centers for Turkish pigeons of the Takla breed. Of course, there are still amateur breeders, but in this case there is a risk of facing fraud. Basically, breeders of the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories are engaged in breeding the Takla breed.

Conclusion

Takla pigeons are a popular breed of Turkish fighting pigeons and one of the very first. All varieties of fighting birds originated from it. There is no single description of the exterior for this breed, since the appearance of birds is very different depending on the subspecies: there are Takla pigeons, “browed”, “whiskered”. They also vary in color. The main difference between Takla and other species is the unique flight pattern and endurance.

You can learn more about Turkish war pigeons of the Takla breed from the video: