What is the best food for my pigeon?

[shamus46]

I’m adopting a four year old Damascene pigeon. I made it a loft and feeding it whole, cracked corn, turkey pellets water and gritt. I know there’s got to be a better food mixture for it. Can somebody please advise me what is the best mix?
Thanks,
Jim http://shamus.mystarband.net/jim/pigeon.html

[maryco]

Hello Jim,

If you can find a feed supply store near you they might sell a good "pigeon mix" or get in contact with a pigeon club in your area and see where the members buy their feed from.

There are many different pigeon mixes, these are some of the seeds that are in the mixes:
Whole corn, white peas, green peas, maple peas, wheat, barley, milo, flax seed, millet, buckwheat, unpopped popcorn, black oil sunflower seeds, safflower, and many other types.
Some fanciers also feed their pigeon just pellets that are specific for pigeons. They are balanced nutritionally and contain vitamins and minerals as well as calcium and other good things.

Red cross grit or oyster shell grit is good in a seperate container.
Try adding some ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) to the water once a week or so (the dose is about 3 tbsp per gallon of water or afew drops in the water dish)

Hope that helps!

Mary



[This message has been edited by maryco (edited June 14, 2004).]

[maryco]

http://www.purgrain.com/ingredients.htm

[Trees Gray]

Hi Jim,

Thank you for adopting this bird. I think your little pigeon is beautiful.

The little coop, looks very cozy, it needs to be secured to the stand, if it isn't already. Make sure the stand is very stable and won't fall over from a predator attack, cat, racoon, or weather conditions. The wire looks pretty strong, It should be 16 gage and no bigger than 1/2" wide.

If you are going to house the bird permanently in this little coop, make sure it is rain proof, draft proof and predator proof. You might consider adding a flight also, for this bird to excercise.

Pigeons don't require anything fancy, just strong and stable and withold any weather conditions and predators.

Treesa

[This message has been edited by Trees Gray (edited June 14, 2004).]

[shamus46]

Thanks, I’ll give it a try.

[shamus46]

Thanks Treesa,
I’ve done all you’ve suggested. What do you mean by adding a flight?

[This message has been edited by shamus46 (edited June 14, 2004).]

[shamus46]

Had to let everybody know, just one week to the day and Buddy ate out of my hand for the first time.
Thanks again,
Jim http://shamus.mystarband.net/jim/pigeon.html

[Trees Gray]

Hi

So Glad to hear about Buddy, he likes you.

By a flight, I mean build him a nice aviary where he can spread his wings and fly.

It is a fun project, as we are building a bigger one ourselves, it is mostly a frame and predator proof wire! It has a floor too!

Treesa

[shamus46]

Thanks Treesa, sounds like a good idea. Could you email some pics of your‘s to give me an idea where to start.
Thanks,
Jim http://shamus.mystarband.net/jim/pigeon.html


[This message has been edited by shamus46 (edited June 17, 2004).]

[Trees Gray]

I would love to send you pictures of my "old" aviaries, the new one is not done yet, so I don't have pictures of it.

What is your e-mail address.

Treesa

[shamus46]

shamus@starband.net

[shamus46]

I have added two new pics to my home page of Buddy eating out of my hand for the first time. http://shamus.mystarband.net/jim/pigeon.html

[TAWhatley]

Great pictures .. thanks for sharing with us! It sure looks like you've got a friend for life there!

Terry

[maryco]

Thanks for sharing the pics!

Mary

[shamus46]

I‘m very sad to announce that Beauty is gone. Late yesterday afternoon she had finished her bath and had some supper. It was about an hour or so before dark and she was trying harder then usual to get out so I thought, with it being so close to dark it would be a safe time to let her take a quick flight. She had been pent up for about 10 days. I figured she had gotten attached enough to me that she wouldn’t go far and come right back to roost. But, to my horror she headed for the woods where she was roosting before and after flying for about 5 -10 minutes disappeared into the trees. I thought she would probably roost in the same tree she did before I caught her and come for something to eat today. It‘s well after dark now and we haven’t seen hide nor hare of her.
I haven’t had the hart to shut down her home page, I’ probably do it tomorrow.