Feedin individual seed types

[Pogohawk]

I was curious as to you guys' beliefs on feeding. Do you feed mixed seed or seperated. I know that many of the top flyers swear that seperate feed is the way to go but there are equal nembers claiming th opposite. Normally I give the birds mixed seed but wait until it is all eaten before feeding again. I do this to insure that they are recieving all of their minerals and protien. I know that if givin mixed seed most birds will pic their favorite type and stick with that, but I would like to know what you guys think.

[Pigeonpal2002]

I myself feed my birds their seed rations mixed. Although I do not race birds or even have racing pigeons, I find this way best. Pigeons can be REALLY fussy and only eat what they like. This way, it makes them eat all of their seeds and get a balanced diet.

[Pogohawk]

But although I feed mixed seed the birds still pick out what they like and leave the seeds that don't catch their fancy.

[re lee]

Try just letting them eat what they can in 10 min, then pull the rest. Use this amount. as your feeding 2 times a day. They will be healthy not fat. And will eat all the grain. As birds not to hungry will pick and choose. This way they do not.

[birdy]

I feed my YBs from weaning until about 2 weeks before the first race a high protein mix with barley and a bit of safflower. Then I go to a low protein mix and remove the peas but add more safflower with brown rice (less than 200 miles) or corn (over 200 miles). Then its a lot of barley, then a build up with the low protein mix with rice/corn and barley, then high fat & high protein with peanuts, hemp, rape and safflower. Peanuts & safflower when returning from the race then back to barley.

I like to use trays and hand feed like you Pogo. Once a day for about 15 minutes or until about 10% go to drink. Then I pull the trays and wash in a bleach solution.

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Good question Pogo Hawk,

I am sure that from an academic point of view, there must be an "Ideal" way to feed your birds. One thing is certain, incorrect feed, or feeding, will have a real negative impact on performance.

From a practicle stand point, I don't have handy access to all the individual seed types which I use. I never stopped to count them, but I think it is around 15 different types.

So, I use a well known commercial brand and add various items. Some I do feed seperately, such as pellets, because otherwise, they would leave them for last. I keep my birds hungry and lean, so there is not much time for picking.

[re lee]

Feeding is important. And averageing what the birds should be able to eat .And not waste over eat and get fat. Takes a little testing. But hungry birds will eat the main stay of feed put down for them not waste it. It stay in better health. But at breeding season. The breeders need that little extra to stay in good shape.

[SmallTeamFlyer]

During the breeding season it always pays to have peas onhand. Most varieties like Maple, Canadian or Australian Winter Peas are readily eaten by your birds. Often if you've provided everything you can for the birds in the ways of grit, vitamins and minerals and the birds still look at you funny when you walk into the loft. Generally it is that they want more peas.

Pigeons are also very fond of high quality Safflower. If you have a mix with Safflower in it and the birds gobble it up and leave the rest of the mix, you might consider putting a small gallipot of Safflower in the loft.

A general homemade mixture consists of 30% Corn, 30% Peas, 15% Safflower, 15% Kafir (White Milo) or Red Milo if Kafir isn't available in your locale, and 10% wheat. If memory serves me correct that mixture will come out to about 15% Protein and 62% Carbs and Fat around 5%. I mix it by volume rather than by weight. Another words 30 scoops Corn, 30 scoops Peas, 15 scoops Safflower, 15 scoops Kafir and 10 scoops of Wheat.

Most peas have protein of about the same content from 22-25% so you can use Maples, Canadian or Australian Winter Peas. Whatever is easiest.

With all the above said. It is a pain in the butt to mix large quantities if you don't have an automated mixer. However, sometimes we love to tinker with odds and ends. If its makes you happy give it a whirl.

For a diet mixture. I mix 50% Barley, 25% Safflower, 15% Kafir (or Milo) and 10% Wheat. Try it, you'll like it.

My birds regardless of the feed being mixed by myself or purchased pre-made will always have available to them the European Pickstones, Vitamineral (Natural DeScheemacher Bros), Grit (Natural Co.) Mixture and Plain Redstone. I also buy Calcium Cakes by the Australian Pigeon Supply Company through Siegels Pigeon Supply. I crumble the cakes by hand and the birds love em.

I said the birds always have available to them. This is not actually the case, I actually take a large round clay tray like the one you put potted plants on and I will fill it with the contents. Think of a piece of apple pie but divided. On the clay tray is : crumbled calcium cake, vitamineral, mixed grit, redstone grit. Then I take the tray from section to section allowing the birds to get their fill and replenishing that which is necessary. It cuts down on waste as you know how pigeons feel about things especially grit in the loft.

Liquid vitamins are given one or two days per week. Its mainly for my satisfaction verses the pigeons. If you have youngsters in the nest and the dropping appear less solid than normal, try adding in some electrolytes into the water. It could be that there is an salt imbalance.

You have to remember that if you purchase commercialized feed, like say Purina, the quality might vary by geographical region. I've been told that they put in the grains that are available in their area. Anotherwords the Corn in California mixtures might be varied from those on the East Coast.

I use to be against the Purina product. I had a single bad experience with them. I later found out it wasn't really the feed itself but the feed had degraded since there were not many pigeon fanciers purchasing the feed. I now have Purina suppliers who sell tons of feed so my problem is solved.

There are also other wonderful feed companies around the USA. The problem being that some are not fully distributed across the USA.

Again, breeding period more peas (very minimal or zero corn). For youngster just weaned for 10 days following (breeding mixture or better yet just the BIG GRAINS, like Peas). Following the 10 day weaning process you can put the YB's on a 15% Conditioner Mix for the next month. After that month, you can cut the feed with some Barley, maybe 1 can of barley to 3 cans of Conditioner Mix. Never overfeed the YB's.

For racing. If you believe in a diet mixture then use it. If not, then add additional Safflower to the mix, maybe 25%, again the 1 to 3 can ration.

Find what works for you and stick with it.

Cheers!

[Grizzled]

I feed my breeders individual grains in a hopper setup. This is before them at all times and consists of whole corn, trapper peas, hard canadian wheat, red milo and pigeon pellets. Each grain is housed in an individual hopper, which is gravity fed.
Young birds are fed a custom mix, once daily, which consists initially of a 50/50 mix of whole corn and pigeon pellets. I find that with this mix, the young birds do not waste a lot of time searching for little pieces or particles of small seeds and as a result they all seem to fill their crops more or less equally.
1 month after weaning, I add peas, wheat and milo to the mix and adjust the ratios accordingly.
All birds receive safflower and flax during the moult.