Pigeon-Talk banner

No Corn was recommended WHY

Tags
feed up
4K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  Skyeking 
#1 ·
I was talking to some of the guys in the GHC today an they said NO CORN while in breeding WHY?? I know corn is a cause of canker because it scratches the throat but is this why? So they lead me to the ROCK mix from Browns feed.
 
#2 ·
Corn can't cause canker. Canker is something that most Pigeons have in their system and have an outbreak if they are stressed.
Cracked corn can scratch their throat but not whole corn. I don't know about the breeding thing but that doesn't make any sense to me. If it's true, I'm sure we will be enlightened by one of the other members about... no corn during breeding.
 
#3 ·
well lets see/corn,..i know cracked corn will get caught in the throat and cause choking/death,..i recommend popcorn/it is smaller and round and they like it,with peas,millet,with grit and other wild bird seeds,/..breeding i do-not believe there is a donot feed food list,..hope this helps!!,..sincerely james waller
 
#4 ·
Haven't heard about cracked corn choking, though I've heard of it scratching
the throat and encouraging the growth of canker. I've heard of a don't feed
list so pigeons don't have babies. Not heard of
anything that was not good to eat during breeding season per se.

fp
 
#5 ·
I think Whole corn can still scratch the throat kennels more than always have that little edge on the white side of it. I always heard it scratches the throat an causes canker. There was a time were I could only feed my birds corn an I got the biggest outbreak of canker ...
 
#8 ·
Some of the biggest breeders around here give their birds 15 1/2% which has
popcorn in it. Perhaps the corn that you were giviing the birds was those really
big kernels which isn't really recommended from what I've heard. Medium to small corn kernels, imo, wouldn't bring on canker for a pigeon.

BTW, do you treat your birds for canker a few times a year especially before
breeding season?

fp
 
#6 ·
G
#9 ·
i have to say that I have never heard of a case where corn actually was giving a birds canker , I feed my birds whole corn all the time and have yet to have a problem so dont know exactly how a piece of cracked corn would cause a problem when its even smaller then a whole peice of corn , that mixed with the fact that grit and oyster shell is much sharper then corn and that doesnt seem to cause the birds any problem so Im not sure where this information comes from :confused: now molds on cracked corn I think that would tend to be more a problem then the fact that its cracked alone ..
 
#11 · (Edited)
That's a good point, LL...I've definitely read not to give cracked corn because
it can cause outbreaks of Canker, i.e., by scratching the throat, a localized
protozoa can get into the blood stream and be like 'Charlie on the MTA' going
where ever in the body and setting up shop elsewhere in regions otherwise
not available without the aid of entering the bloodstream.

That said, yes, some of the grit is big and....:eek:...sharp, so why not withold that as well. And for that matter, make these bad birds leave all their sharp
implements at the door when they show up....that's what I say :eek:

fp
 
#10 ·
G
#12 · (Edited)
not sure what your trying to say by your links ? but I used to feed my birds cracked corn for years and have yet to have an out break of canker by doing so .. I do treat my birds for it maybe twice a year but if cracked corn was a sole cause I would think I would have lost more pigeons to it as a whole which I have yet to have happen ??
 
#13 ·
not sure what your trying to say by your links ?
Info on demand about the organism....cracked corn or other sharp objects don't
cause a Canker outbreak per se. The organism is already present. But they
are good links and Chalmers makes a case regarding stress and the onset of
diseases especially ones that are otherwise dormant.

fp
 
G
#14 ·
kk information is always a good thing so I say you can never get enuf of it ,was just asking cuz its late and didnt want to read thru all the links right now to see if you were saying corn led to canker outbreaks lol will read more of them tomorrow for sure thou thanks :p
 
#15 ·
I guess if you live long enough, you will hear ideas on just about everything. The idea of NOT feeding corn to breeders is a new one to me. I guess all these years I have been doing it wrong ? :p

When it gets very cold around these parts, I even give them a little extra corn....was something told to me, by my orginal mentor who had pigeons for 75 years. In fact when it is cold, like below freezing, the birds seem to gobble the corn down first, maybe they know something I don't ? If there is a feed to avoid while the parents are feeding babies, I would think it would be barley.
 
#16 ·
canker

I have only had one case of canker in three years, at that time I was not feeding any corn at all. It was early spring and mom was still feeding the squab, I noticed it looking a bit tipsy so I checked and sure enough canker. None of the others had it and by reading this thread the only thing I could figure was stress, It got out of it's nest and was chased around a bit untill I checked on the commotion and put it back. It is now a healthy hen bird.>Kevin
 
#18 · (Edited)
#1 The Guys From The GHC is the part of this I think some of you missed. In Florida with the heat and humidity you may not want to use "as much" corn as we do here Up North! Corn will generate heat while being digested. This may be the reason why they say not to use corn THERE.

#2 As for corn or cracked corn causing Canker by scratching the throat. We went around and around about this in a post last year. I have a question for you. Do you feed grit and or crushed oyster shell to your birds. They should have this every day of their lives. But I'm sure these dry sharp objects wouldn't scratch their throats, right?!

#3 If you medicate and care for your birds the way you should Canker should not be a big problem in your loft. There are natural thing I put in my water almost every day that would keep this from being a problem even if or when their throats are scratched. In other words if you are caring for your birds the way you should be this should not be a problem at all.

Ace
 
#19 ·
I think I'm not getting it out right. Corn itself doesn't cause the canker buts scratches the throat and can help induce the PLEGE. No I've never treated for canker before this year. I've had the same birds for over 8 years and they seemed to be healthy as horses. Since I got out of tipplers and into homers I been up to date on doing it the way the Homing guys been telling me

As far as the GHC guys telling me no corn. I will follow. Its a pretty big club and the guys who told me this theory of no corn during breeding are top 10% racers so ill follow it lol.. Hey its Florida maybe we don't need to much of the feed that keeps them warm? Hell I don't own jeans/pants or a sweatshirt I don't even have tube socks lol. If I'm OK in t shirts and shorts all year birds can do without corn lol
 
#21 ·
One possible cause of canker...

From this website:

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/7995/health.html

I read this: 4th from thelast sentence of the page...

"Moldy and old grain can cause canker, thrush, sour crop, and other illnesses."

Not sure about corn causing canker or what...
 
#22 ·
I remember as a kid, growing up in the Northern United States, I was told to CUT BACK on my corn during the breeding season. Too much corn causes the birds to become over-weight and breeding could become a problem.
In the winter, I was told to increase the corn, because the birds need the extra carbs to keep them warm. (I was a poor kid and did not have electricity or heat in my lofts.)
I tend to think this is why they told you to not use corn.
I also remember being told that cracked corn had to be used quickly to prevent it from going bad.
 
#23 ·
I use corn during breeding season. No problems with it. My mix has about 25% corn. I like corn best because I can get it for about $10 a 50lb bag. It helps reduce the price of feed. I get breeding mix without corn, then mix in corn and safflower and another 50lb bag or regular mix that has popcorn in it. I supplement with pellets while there are babies in the nest and the birds are good to go. The only thing I am missing in this mix in the off season is a good source of barley. My birds get a bit fat in the winter time.

Randy
 
#24 ·
Whoever says that cracked corn causes canker should be killed! I hate that kind of pseudoscience! Cracked corn can get moldy of course. But the corn is not your problem. You have storage problem! (Ok. I feel better now!)
 
#25 ·
Well for all the CRACK POTS that think crack corn causes canker.Let me tell you what Crack Corn can realy cause, ASPERGILLOSIS :eek:an acute fungus infection which predominantly affects the respiratory system of pigeons. If the crack corn gets damp a fungus will grow on the starchy inner part of the corn that has been exposed by cracking of the corn.So here is a bit of advice for you race people NEVER USE CRACK CORN on your race birds.RACERS need a good clean respiratory system in order to win,of course they also must be good birdsGEORGE
 
#27 · (Edited)
I NEVER (except with new birds...and always isolate any new birds) have issues of canker, and my birds get corn in the summer and I live in Florida. They don't eat much of it in the summer, but do eat a whole lot in the winter.

Be strict on hygiene, it is extremely important. Make sure to use preventatives to keep them from getting it. This can get real bad in the warm and wet climate, keep the coop clean and dry, always clean and dissinfect waterers and feeders daily, and keep the stress down. Be sure to use preventatives, like garlic and ACV in the water. Some people might even recommend administring an anti-canker drug on regular basis.

Corn is extremely important as it has pro vitamin A in the form of beta carotene and is needed for eyesight. Orange to deep yellow color in corn is best.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top