Prevention/Nutrition Regime for Pigeons

[Skyeking]

(Originally in response to a query for homers)


For preventive maintenance here is my regimen:

ONCE A WEEK:

1. Garlic is an incredible natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungul & anti-inflammatory. It is the allicin that is the key ingredient to purify the bloodstream and build up the immune system,maintains beautiful feathering & white wattel. (They will not fuss about the taste of the garlic if you use no more then 1 organic clove of garlic per gallon of fresh water).

please see thread http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=12553 for more indepth information about the "goodness of garlic."

2. Once a week, 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a gallon water for good gut PH at a level that bacteria, like E Coli and Salmonella, doesn't like. I recommend the organic ACV from the health food store as it has the "mother" in it. You can also add pro-biotics to re-populate the good gut bacteria at that time. Start with the 1 tablespoon of ACV and if your birds drink it readily you can try to increase a little up to 2 tablespoons per gallon. If they are not drinking it readily then it is not going to do them any good so start with 1 teaspoon. I would also not put any pools out for bathing that day, as they will drink anything to try to avoid it.

ACV can also be used in heavier doses for medicinal purposes: See the following thread:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=15856


THE FOLLOWING CAN BE MIXED TOGETHER ONCE A WEEK WITH THE SEED:

3. PROBIOTICS I recommend a human grade pro-biotic from the health food store. You can buy it in powder and mix with seeds. Use 1 teaspoon per lb. of seed. You can also buy it in capsule and just pull the capsule apart. I have also mixed it in the water, and if you stir it well it does mix in the water. I use Solaray Multi-dophilus powder. You can purchase it at most health food stores. It has L. Acidophilus, B. Bifidum, and L. Bulgaricus strains in it. I am also using the Solaray 12, which contains more strains of beneficial bacteria.

http://www.affordablesolaray.com/dig...robiotics.html

For raising youngsters and rehabbing pigeons that need formula I use Total Flora. This one also worked extremelly well for raising baby pigeons. it contains:
L. Acidophilus, B. bifidum, L. bulgaricus, L. plantarium, L. reuteri, L. salvarius, E. faecium, S. thermophilus, fructooligosacharrides, calcium ascorbate, & enzymes.
You can purchase it from:

http://www.infinity2.com/flags.asp

click on United states, then products, then nutritionals


4. A MULTI-VITAMIN MINERAL PREPARATION with amino acids, and micro minerals once a week. You should get one designed for pigeons. I alternate with another brand every other week, so the birds get best all around nutrients from different sources. Please use dosages strictly as per instructions PER LB. OF SEED, too much can overdose them, and their minerals and nutrients will be out of balance. Some preparations can be used with water and/or mixed with seed. Make sure to use in water only, if directions specify it cannot be used in seed, but only in water..

5. BREWERS YEAST Once a week a teaspoon to a lb. of pigeon seed,for energy and stamina. HOWEVER, I DON'T recommend using it when birds are feeding youngsters or when they are on antibiotics, as there can be a problem with fungus.

You can purchase the multi-vitamins and brewers yeast at any pigeon supply house like Globals, Siegels, jedds, and Foys. I like the ones made in Holland and Belgium.


MIX 3, 4, & 5 TOGETHER with A LITTLE wheat germ oil, just enough to get the MIX to stick to the seed. Shake it up WELL in a clean plastic bag and serve.

IT IS BETTER TO MIX THESE THINGS WITH THE SEED AS THEY WILL NOT QUIBBLE OVER SOME STUFF OVER THEIR FOOD, BUT THEY WON'T DRINK FULLY OF THEIR WATER IF THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE TASTE.



FOR RACING PIGEONS

For added performance you can add a little dash of "Concentrace" in the water daily for trace minerals. This product comes from bodybuilding.com. Birdy uses this for his YB's.

7.PREVENTIVE MEDICATION

I recommend these products before breeding and if your birds are in contact with other pigeons. I do use a medication for the prevention of canker, coccidiosis, and worms, called Globals Multi-Mix. This is also used by those who race pigeons. Another product used by some is a preventive medication, called Dacoxine, which is a 4 in 1 treatment. This one is for the prevention of canker, E-coli, Paratyphoid, and Coccidiosis. You need only use either Globals multi-mix or Dacoxine, do not use them at the same time. Please read & follow instructions carefully. The products are excellent and work extremely well in pigeons because it was designed for them. Please only use seasonally and always on birds 6 months or older, as it is best to initiate a good nutrition program first and let your birds build up a natural immunity.

Please follow up the above medications upon completion with several days of probiotics.

8. PREVENTIVE VACCINATIONS

All domestic birds that go out to fly or are show birds, in contact with other birds should be vaccinated for Pox, Paratyphoid, and PMV. I also recommend that, if you do fly your birds, all other birds be vaccinated that are home bound (non-flying) as well. PMV must be done annually, and Paratyphoid every 6 months. Pox needs to be done only once when the bird is a youngster. Youngsters should be given these innoculations per instructions on label. Some, like the PMV innoculations, require a booster 4 to 8 weeks later, and then once a year with the older birds.

Please check this thread for more information on the Paratyphiod and other innoculations:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=12461


Global vaccinations: http://www.globalpigeon.com/gps.php?...showprod&id=74



9.FOOD AND GRIT AND CALCIUM

.Besides giving pigeons a good pigeon mix of seed, they need grit, AND pickstone. I found that the females go for the pickstone during breeding season. It seems to have the necessary calcium then the red grit. Pigeons pick up grit when they need it, it grinds the seed in their crop and prepares it for digestion.
to read about the importance of calcium see:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=7769

If you are looking for a good pigeon seed mix check out:
http://purgrain.com/products.htm

This company carries different mixes for the breeding season, for the young, and also racing pigeons. You may want to try a different mix for racing season designed for extra energy and reserves.

You can also design your own mix, Birdy has used a mix with 50% Barley during the racing season, as it is an excellent nutritious food, but not eaten readily in a mix because it has a prickly extension at the end of the husk.



DRINKING WATER

Pigeons should have access to clean fresh water everyday in a container with top, so it does not get soiled( on the days they don't have garlic or ACV in the water). You can use a clean plastic gallon water jug. Cut a big hole in the side, just big enough for them to put their head thru and drink. This plastic container should be thoroughly washed and sanitized daily. I replace with new plastic containers every month.


10.SNACKS For snacks my pigeons love raw Spanish peanuts, that I break up in smaller pieces for them (go easy). They also get spinach or Kale once a week only, and I am experimenting with other vegetables that are on the pigeon friendly list. Kale is one of the best vegies you can offer them, as it is the most nutritious.

Cilantro can also be juiced and added to drinking water once in a while as it is good preventative for Salmonellas. You can also shred it in a small size and serve it on wet spinach. (per Snowbird)

see: http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=5152 Cilantro revisited
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=5133 Salmonella

BATHING
Pigeons love taking baths, especially the young. I offer mine at least a couple clean cat litter tubs of water a few days a week. Add a little bath salts to the water, that you can purchase from the above pigeon supply houses. It cleans their feathering, and keeps bug out. (Two cat litter size bath tubs per 30 birds)

Another important component of keeping pigeons healthy is cleaning the coop on a regular basis, here is a step by step instruction for doing so:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=13220
THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ACTIVE (LEAN MEAN FLYING MACHINES) PIGEONS, AND CAN BE CHANGED AS NEEDED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PREVENTIVE MEDICATIONS AND INNOCULATIONS.