they eat all except the corn

[adamant]

my 45 day young birds eat all except the corn? u think i am feeding them to much or is the corn to big?

[Mindy]

I finding the same problem, I get my whole corn from a farmer and it is pretty big. Maybe I should try the popcorn corn? min

[Alamo]

Popcorn is better,but at this yound age,they like the small stuff and peas better..Don`t worry,they will eventually eat the corn...I use popcorn in my mix from Brown`s feeds,for racing etc..but the old birds will not feed the babies the popcorn..Because they know the peas,vetch & safflower are more important for the YB`s to grow up and be healthy..Mother nature knows best,I guess !!!....Alamo

[RodSD]

Sooner or later they will learn to eat it. It is spring right now and the weather is warmer so they don't need that much carbs to heat themselves up. Besides they are growing so they prefer proteins like those from peas, etc. Popcorn is indeed smaller and they are not going to be intimidated that much unlike the bigger yellow corn. From experience during colder weather and winter they go crazy with corn, but not much in spring or summer.

[adamant]

i pull my feeder out. i feed them 4:30-5pm. what to do with the corn left over? keep it in the loft till they eat all the corn?

[Keith C.]

Rod, is right. Corn is more of a cold weather food.
My pigeons' diets changes depending on the time of year.
This time of year my pigeons are still eating a fair amount of corn, but are also starting to eat a higher percentage of the 24% protein game bird pellets and 32 % protein fish pellet I give them. Pairs with young birds especially relish the higher protein feeds.
Later on when the temperature goes up into the 80s and 90s they will start to eat a lot of wheat and their corn intake will decrease to a small fraction of their total diet.
I put all of the feed in 1 bowl per loft, but constantly change the ratio of my mix based on what my pigeons are currently craving.
I believe if given a choice of healthy ingredients they will pick the diet that best suits them.
I also feed edible weeds like lambs quarter, dandelion, plantain, chick weed, clover and wood sorrel and give them grass clipping too.
Keith

[Tennman1]

Keith, my birds won't eat their peas. Are they just to young still and prefer the small seeds? I keep telling them they need their peas, but they don't listen and just eat what they want. on a difffernet note, they are going to be let out today, this evening before they get fed. They only got a little teaser meal this morning

[Keith C.]

I have never fed peas to any of my pigeons.
I have friends that do feed peas and their birds usually ignore them unless they do not have any other feed.
Good luck and have fun flying your pigeons today.
Keith

[learning]

Peas and corn are large grains. Pigeons are no different than any other animal including humans. They will do whatever is easiest. Some guys will only feed large grains until they learn to eat it, then go to a more variety mix. I have not gone that far, but by limiting their intake I have found that they will "clean their plates". I feed no more than about 1 to 1.25 ounces ber bird per day. There is nothing left after dinner and they are growing like weeds.

Dan

[Tennman1]

Yes, the peas are rather large. I have been scattering them out on the ground for other birds to feed on. Perhaps when they get a little older they will eat them. In the mean time, I am thinking about screening them out of their diet for now. So, back to the corn, are you saying use it more as a cold weather suppliment for energy or maybe break it up smaller? As warm weather gets here, diets will change? I'll have to watch their intake closely and learn how to adjust. Good info everyone. I am learning
As far as greens, how often do you put grass/weeds in for them to eat? Also, is white clover ok?

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by adamant

my 45 day young birds eat all except the corn? u think i am feeding them to much or is the corn to big?

Just let them eat what is easiest for them to pick up, eventually they will pick it up and eat it, but my birds tend to eat less during the warmer/hot months.

The large deep yellow to orange corn is best for them. it is loaded with beta-carotene which is the precurser to vitamin A, excellent for their nutritional intake, and good for their SIGHT, as well.

[della]

My pigeons have always eaten the corn first, so much so that when the weather is a little cooler (it doesn't get real cold here in Oz) I throw in an extra few corn grains to be nice. When I first got them, they always left the peas and like you, I threw them out on the grass for other birds to eat. Yesterday when I was weeding my rose garden I found quite a few budding pea plant seedlings - I swear I didn't throw them in the garden, but I guess they have been carried there! I found that during the moult they started eating the peas and left some of the corn, so they seem to know what they need when. Now they are leaving the little canary type seeds - I think they find the little ones harder to pick up in a hurry, so laziness varies between pigeon groups! Now I leave the uneaten seed in their feeder and just add a smaller amount of mix to it - if hungry enough, they eat it all!

[LUCKYT]

IF they are not eating the corn, or the Peas, it is most likely you are over Feeding your Birds. IF i use either one it is more to indicate to me when i am giving to much food. And i am coming of the Opinion, I will not, and have not used Corn in about two Years, I might use it if i was Racing, MAYBE, but i think there are Better Grains out there, even for Winter use. Dave

[RodSD]

My pigeons love milo. Babies learn to it that fast most likely because it is smaller. If they can't eat the whole peas, then I just get those split peas.

With respect to left over corn, I just throw it on our yard and let other wild birds eat it. Make sure they eat though else it will attract mouse/rat and you have a bigger problem.