# Pigeon Feeding



## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Please can someone help me come up with a feed mixture or combination for pigeons that meets their needs, is cost efficient, and easy to procure. I have several pigeons, each pair eats about half a cup of feed a day (they spill some, but the geese clean it up), so I'm using about 4 cups of feed. "Pigeon chow" runs around $30+ for a 50 lb bag, which is WAY too high. Looking online isn't helpful since apparently long ago folk used to keep pigeons and feed them all kinds of things. Please help me come up with something.

Currently I'm feeding a combination of layer feed and bird seed. They love the bird seed, but I don't fool myself into thinking it's in any way complete for their nutrition. After all, it's meant to be fed to wild birds, who have natural access to bugs and other food items. They aren't crazy about the layer feed, but they eat it. I want to offer them other things to help cut down feed costs. They don't seem to know what bread is for yet, but I keep trying with it. What about fresh grass? I was thinking of creating a mix of scratch, layer pellets, and bird seed. Would that work with an addition of fresh foods too (like the grass)?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I doubt they would eat grass.
They mainly eat seeds

I feed mine "Flock Raiser" and bird seed.
The high dollar blends have lots of peas for extra protien, but they aren't cheap at all.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

How did they keep pigeons before the invention of expensive pigeon feeds?

Okay, a bit more delving and research and I think I have it. Thanks!!


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

WildBird seed is really all they need, Wheat/Milo/millit/BlackOil Sunflower seed, they will eat any whole grain thats available though, some people feed whole corn and some layer crumble, originally pigeons were allowed to fly free and forage for their own food, picking through the pasture and harvested grain fields, you dont have to buy feed with a picture of a pigeon on it as long as its whole grain,


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## DayBird (Jul 26, 2004)

If you're feeding grains, whole or cracked, they MUST have grit. 

I feed mine the 22% layer pellets for chickens. The baby pigeons don't get up and walk around like chickens do. They don't eat by themselves. They must be fed by the parents. The parents need the higher protein to feed to the babies. 

Mine do occasionally get scratch grains and/or wild bird seed but this is only considered a treat and only given with a small handfull of grit. Remember, they don't scratch around like chickens do looking for grit and other things. If it's not lying right on top, readily seen, they won't find it to eat.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Pigeons are grain eaters but they will eat what ever they find. They do not look for bugs like chickens.
No need for any high priced feed for pigeons.
Just get a good quality bird seed. You can add some chick starter or even laying mash if it makes you feel better. The scratch grain, laying crumbles, and bird seed will do good, just add 1 part scratch, 1 part laying crumbles, and 3 parts bird seed.

Pigeons do not need grit. Their gizzard will handle any seed without grit.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

i had Pouters and with their swollen crops/globes especially the spanish types they will get sour crop if fed wrong, whole grain helps prevent that, but yes grit and oyster shell is needed,


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

KSALguy said:


> i had Pouters and with their swollen crops/globes especially the spanish types they will get sour crop if fed wrong, whole grain helps prevent that, but yes grit and oyster shell is needed,


There have been experiments done on pigeons and doves.
Many live 15-18 years without any grit at all. These are fed grains only.
The gizzard is the strongest muscle in a birds body.
Oyster shell is fed for calcium only. Pigeons do not lay a large amount of eggs so will get the calcium they need from the feed.
If it makes you feel better you can add grit and oyster shell, it won't hurt them but it also will not help them.
Most of the time bird feed is produced with the person in mind rather than the bird. Many people think they know what is good for the bird much better than the bird. They are wrong.


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

If you feed your pigeons straight bird seed its not going be good for them in the long run and they DO need grit, especially if they are eating whole grains. They do not need a lot of grit to survive and if they have access to the ground they will probably survive by what the find. I want my birds to thrive, not just survive. Besides aiding in digestion they also get calcium, salt, and other minerals from grit. Every person who competes with pigeons feeds high quality grit for a reason! 

As for feeding, I use either layer pellets or flock raiser pellets and a seed mixture as a treat.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I already offer grit, it's good to know though that I'm doing fine feeding them the layer pellets, I was concerned that wouldn't be sufficient for them.


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## hugh (Apr 22, 2009)

I use tube feeders. One with layer pellets, one with whole corn, and one with black sunflower seeds.They breed like people on welfare and seem happy.


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## tnokie (Jan 30, 2007)

I am able to get whole milo here. I feed it and a crumble chick starter. They love the milo over any grain! I have been told that it gives them no nutriiton at all but I feel it does because I have actually fed it and nothing else and they did fine. If you give them scratch they will pick out the milo and grain and leave the corn chops. You can feed that to the chickens then. 
What kind of pigeons do you have? I have Performing Rollers.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

tnokie said:


> I am able to get whole milo here. I feed it and a crumble chick starter. They love the milo over any grain! I have been told that it gives them no nutriiton at all but I feel it does because I have actually fed it and nothing else and they did fine. If you give them scratch they will pick out the milo and grain and leave the corn chops. You can feed that to the chickens then.
> What kind of pigeons do you have? I have Performing Rollers.


Milo is a filler grain. Just about worthless as a feed but it is cheap. That is why the cheap feeds have more of it and the higher priced feed has less or none.
Your pigeons are living on the crumbles. You could forget the milo and wouldn't see and difference.


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