High income from pigeon farming.

Requiring minimal investment and little care, the pigeon farming model of veteran Le Van Dan (born in 1963), residing in Cam Vu 1 village, Cam Thuy commune, Cam Lo district, has achieved high efficiency. This model not only provides a considerable income for the family but also opens up new production opportunities for local people.

Mr. Le Van Dan inspects the young pigeons - Photo: TP

According to the introduction by the Chairman of the Veterans Association of Cam Thuy commune, Tran Le Hien, Mr. Dan is a brave veteran during wartime and diligent and creative in peacetime. His pigeon farming model not only helps develop his family's economy but also serves as a place for many people to visit and learn from, especially veterans who wish to rise out of poverty and become wealthy in their homeland.

In 1987, after three years of fighting to defend the country in the Vi Xuyen battlefield (formerly Ha Tuyen province, now Ha Giang ), Mr. Dan returned to his hometown with almost nothing to start his business. The only things he had at that time were his youth and determination to start a business and get rich on the land inherited from his ancestors. Therefore, from growing rice and potatoes to raising chickens and pigs, he didn't shy away from any job.

Recalling those years, Mr. Dan shared: “Having spent my whole life working in the fields, although we weren't starving, my family's life wasn't prosperous. I pondered what else I could do to develop our family's economy. In 2017, by chance, my wife and I learned about pigeon farming through a friend, so we tried it out and have been involved with this livestock ever since.”

In the beginning, with limited capital and lack of experience, to avoid failure, Mr. Dan built a small coop and bought 10 pairs of native pigeons to raise.

Speaking with reporters, the veteran said that compared to French pigeons, the breed he raises, although smaller in size, has better reproductive capabilities and is less susceptible to disease. He believes that selecting the right breed largely determines the success of his model, so instead of buying in bulk, he seeks out healthy birds to use as breeding stock. During the trial period, Mr. Dan found that pigeons are easy to raise, grow quickly, require simple food (mainly rice and cornmeal), and don't demand much care, while market demand is high.

Based on their accumulated experience, the couple decided to expand their operation. “The advantage of native pigeons is that they don't require large cages, and their reproductive lifespan is 4-5 years, so the return on investment is quick. Although they are less susceptible to disease, my wife and I designed and built clean, dry cages. Every day, in addition to feeding them three times at fixed times, I clean the cages and give the birds vitamins, digestive enzymes, and liver detoxification medication… to boost their immunity,” Mr. Dan shared.

Currently, his family owns a total of 3 pigeon farms. From an initial 10 breeding pairs, he now has nearly 400 pairs of pigeons. Notably, all of these pigeons were bred by him and his wife themselves. On average, each pair of pigeons breeds once every month and a half, and the meat can be sold 20 days later. He does not use industrial feed in raising the pigeons, so the meat is flavorful and delicious, favored by consumers. The selling price of pigeons is about 100,000 VND per pair.

With 7 years of experience raising pigeons, he is fully capable of mastering the techniques of raising and caring for them, yet he continues to learn and absorb experience to always succeed. Not only has he successfully developed his pigeon farming model, but Mr. Dan also raises 4 breeding cows, 2 sows, cultivates 1 acre of rice, and has dozens of green pomelo and guava trees of various kinds... On average, the total income from this economic model brings his family over 250 million VND per year, with over 150 million VND coming from pigeon farming alone.

Despite being busy with work, Mr. Dan actively helps and shares his production experience with members and people in the area; he is enthusiastic in activities implemented by the Veterans Association at all levels and the local authorities.

Truc Phuong

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