Feeding Pigeons

[pigeonmania]

How many times per day should you really feed your pigeons to keep them in perfect show condition?
thanks,
pigeonmania

[suleiman]

Originally Posted by pigeonmania

How many times per day should you really feed your pigeons to keep them in perfect show condition?
thanks,
pigeonmania

2 times pigeons should be feeded to keep them healthy

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by pigeonmania

How many times per day should you really feed your pigeons to keep them in perfect show condition?
thanks,
pigeonmania

I would agree that feeding twice per day is ideal, as long as you don't end up feeding more. Most pigeon guys overfeed. Learning how to feed can be a real art form.
Warren

[Lovebirds]

I don't think it matters how many times a day you feed. It's whatever your birds get used to. For breeders: I feed once a day until about a month before we are going to pair them. Once I start them on thier preventative meds, I feed twice a day, 1/2 in the AM an 1/2 in the PM, just so that I know they are taking at least two good drinks of the medicated water every day. Newly weaned babies: food in front of them for about a week, 24/7, then I feed twice a day because of the cold weather. When the weather warms up a bit, they go to once a day. Once they learn that one meal is all they are getting, they will eat when you feed them.

[chris purvis]

what should you feed them to put some weight on them. i tryed switching from the food with seed and giving them 22% protien chicken pellets. some of my birds are a little light and i want to put some weight on them for the breeding season.

[TAWhatley]

You might want to try some "treat" foods like safflower, hemp, soaked dog/cat kibble, raw peanuts, shelled sunflower seeds, thawed peas and corn as additives to their diet. You shouldn't just totally change the diet all at one time however .. birds that have always eaten seed may not readily take to pelleted foods or other foods that they are not familiar with, and you could end up worse than when you started. Also take care about medicated chicken feed. It's not likely that doves or pigeons would gorge on it like ducks, but if they did, the "overload" of medication intended for chickens may be harmful. If your chicken pellets are not medicated, then that's not a worry.

Terry

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by Lovebirds

I don't think it matters how many times a day you feed. It's whatever your birds get used to. For breeders: I feed once a day until about a month before we are going to pair them. Once I start them on thier preventative meds, I feed twice a day, 1/2 in the AM an 1/2 in the PM, just so that I know they are taking at least two good drinks of the medicated water every day. Newly weaned babies: food in front of them for about a week, 24/7, then I feed twice a day because of the cold weather. When the weather warms up a bit, they go to once a day. Once they learn that one meal is all they are getting, they will eat when you feed them.

Dear Lovebird,
I am just curious what type of medication you are giving as a preventative ?

[Lovebirds]

I only treat for cocci, worms and canker before the breeding season. We also PMV our birds. I have only used anti-biotics once in the 4 years that we've had our birds. To make a long story short, the first year of racing, our YB's started going light, throwing up etc.............we had brought new birds into the loft and did not quarantine. BIG MISTAKE!!! I put the YB's on amoxicillin for 10 days, handfed a couple and we didn't loose a single bird and had our best YB season. To this day I believe they had Adeno Virus. All of the symptoms were there. Of course all of this happened on a Friday afternoon and if a local fancier had not had the meds I needed, there is no doubt that we would have had a couple of dead birds on our hands by Monday morning. I even called John Sampson and the guy that runs Foys, (forget his name) to see what I should do. I do not medicate on a any regular basis and NEVER use anti-biotics unless it's the last resort. I also use ACV, and the birds get vitamins once a week.

[Lovebirds]

SmithFamilyLoft........I just realized you have a web site. I'll have to check it out later, no time right now.

[Nasal_Tufts]

When breeding you don't want your birds heavy because some breeds wont breed if they are fat, also they can become too heavy and break the eggs they are sitting on. For the winter you can feed them whole corn which will put the weight on them. I suggest putting it in a gallon milk container with a hole because some birds wont eat corn and will only throw it on the floor which will grow mold and if other birds eat it they can get sick. Also I know guys who feed only once a day and they do well at the shows. I personally feed twice a day and I've won every national I've been to since 2001(with Italian Owls and/or Archangles)

Also safflower is used for it's oil to bring out the sheen in the pigeons, not for putting on weight.

[kooper]

hi. i think you can feed your pigeons two to three times a day it's up to your decision. i just leave a bowl of food and water in the loft and they can eat whenever they want to. there's not really a certain amount of time you feed your birds.

kooper

[re lee]

On non breeding pairs you can figure Let them eat all they can in ten minutes. That is plenty. this 2 times a day is good. You will be able to figure the feed amount by how much was ate in the 10 minutes. On breeding pairs I lkie to keep extra out because they are feeding young plus there self. You could just add in the extra young to the total. But its a little easyer to to just put out a little extra feed. AND more water for the breeders. As they drink more when the have young birds.

[TaylorGS]

I usually feed them twice a day somtimes three times a day.