radusopo
10 posts
Aug 05, 2006
1:21 AM
|
i would be gratefull if some of the experienced pigeon breeders could help me and the other novices reading this topic with some good pigeon feeding recipes,
thanks in advance,
Radu,Romania
|
Santandercol
232 posts
Aug 05, 2006
6:50 AM
|
Hi there Radu!
I feed my young birds a good rich mix of wheat,milo,maple peas or austrian peas,safflower and a little flax seed until they come into the roll or 6 months of age more or less,then switch them to 3 parts wheat,2parts milo,1 part peas.Some guys feed their kitbirds straight wheat.Always have grit or oyster shell available for them to eat to grind their food and give them the calcium they need.Youngbirds I give a little more than 1 1/2 tablespoons a day.the really young ones I feed twice a day and feed them up good,separately from the more mature birds.Mature kitbirds get just over 1 tablespoon a day after flytime.I fly mine every second day maximum,young birds every day.The adult breeders always have a good rich mix in front of them and during the moult if you are still letting them breed,add some more safflower to give them more oils to help them through the moult period.Many guys feed their breeders 16% layer pellets in the mix.A good mix recipe for the moult period is 3 parts wheat,1 part peas,1 part 16% layer pellets and 1 part milo or safflower.I also put garlic and natural apple cider vinegar in their water once a week.Twice a month they get electrovites in their water.Everybody likes a bath in this hot weather and I always put 2 tblspoons epsom salt per gallon in the bath water.Once in awhile I add 1 tblsp bleach per gal water to the bath and this helps to make their feathers shine.Good luck with your birds Radu.I hope this helps you.
Yours in the hobby,
Kelly.
Last Edited by Santandercol on Aug 05, 2006 6:51 AM
|
nicksiders
753 posts
Aug 05, 2006
7:33 AM
|
Austrian peas, safflour, wheat, and milo is the basic that would maintain healthy pigeons. I also suppliment my feedings with a little millet(it is much higher in protien and fat then milo) and flax(it is extremely high in fat). I use flax and millet to give them a little energy boost during molt or high temperatures.
I never use corn. It tends to cause canker and other health problems.
Grit is available and I suppliment the water with minerals and vitamins.
----------
Snicker Rollers
Last Edited by nicksiders on Aug 05, 2006 7:37 AM
|
radusopo
11 posts
Aug 05, 2006
8:08 AM
|
thanks guys this really helps me ,trying to get the seeds!!!
|
brian430
30 posts
Aug 09, 2006
7:34 AM
|
hello guys,
quick question, i bought some great quality food, just wondering if the contents are ok for rollers.
pigeon popcorn,
hard red wheat
safflower seed
red milo
white milo
canadian white peas
maple peas
oat groats
green peas
malt barley
red millet
white millet. what do you think.
---------
Brian in Ludlow, MA
|
brian430
31 posts
Aug 09, 2006
1:00 PM
|
Kelly, how about if i take the corn out?
---------
Brian in Ludlow, MA
|
nicksiders
764 posts
Aug 09, 2006
2:32 PM
|
There is no need for corn. There are other grain that do just as well even in the winter. Corn brings with it other concerns.
----------
Snicker Rollers
|
bman
29 posts
Aug 09, 2006
5:08 PM
|
Hey Nick,
Could you elaborate? I don't know where your located but here in Ohio I have always fed corn in the winter,never encountered any problems,YET! Just curious if I'm missing something.
----------
Ron
|
chachi
10 posts
Aug 09, 2006
6:19 PM
|
What other concerns does corn bring?
|
nicksiders
766 posts
Aug 09, 2006
7:16 PM
|
Corn enhances the chance of canker. Corn is extremely high in starches and promotes the growth of fungi infections. The protein value is about 11% and there are othe alternatives that give you higher value. The fat value is about 3.5% and there are other alternatives to give you a less value otr more value depending on what you want to achieve. It is so high in starches(sugars) that it is the choice grain to make alcohol(sp?) from. Moonshine and gasoline substitute or additives(LOL). Corn and popcorn are larger grains than I like to feed. My birds are on the small side of the spectrum. That is the reason I choose Austrian Peas for my peas because they are smaller(just a side comment).
If you have never had problems with corn (I have) then you should continue with it if it gives you the results you desire. I feel there are other grains that will give you better results.
This is my opinion and I should have clarified that in the beginning. High starchy foods are difficult to handle because they breakdown very rapidly and promote growth of fungus because what starches breakdown fast to is sugars. If you crack (crack corn) it it tends to break apart in little sharp hard slivers that can create little cuts and sore in the craw of the bird.
I am not a scientist. These are some of my observations and may not be an absolute fact by any means. I know that many and even most of my bird illness problems went away when I stopped using corn of any kind.
Remember this is just my experience. I always advise anybody who asks not to use corn as a feed for birds(roller pigeons).
----------
Snicker Rollers
|
Santandercol
241 posts
Aug 09, 2006
9:54 PM
|
Nick,
Really curious about this one now.I read somewhere that corn in the winter is good to give the birds more BTU's to warm them up.I'm talking whole corn popcorn size of course.What other grains would you suggest to give the same effect or better?I like mixing my own feed so am curious to hear all the info I can about different grains.
Brian,
I had purchased some racer mix ealier in the season and it had big chunks of maize in it.Birds weren't eating it so it was screwing up my measures.Picked every one of them corns out 'n' fed it to the chooks!!---------
Kelly
Last Edited by Santandercol on Aug 09, 2006 10:00 PM
|
nicksiders
768 posts
Aug 09, 2006
10:52 PM
|
Kelly,
They feed in the winter because of corn being extremely high in carbohydrates. Milo is also very high in carbohydrates as is millet and barley. Milo has less protein than corn with the fat content about the same. Millet has about the same protien and fat as corn. Barly has slightly more protein, but only half as much fat. So you have to weigh what you want your feed to do for you.
It is still all of that starch found in corn that is worrisome(sp) to me. Again, just my opinion about the effects of corn. I only have what I have observed in my case.
----------
Snicker Rollers
|
nicksiders
769 posts
Aug 09, 2006
11:16 PM
|
Kelly,
There is a good site that will describe each single grain. Go to - purgrain.com....when it comes up look at the upper left side, put your cursur on "ingrediance". You can also print that page to keep as a referrence when you are mixing your own. It allows you to kinda add up your protien and fat percentages to give you a good idea what you're feeding and a good guidline.
Most good feed stores can order any single grain you want or need.
Nick
----------
Snicker Rollers
Last Edited by nicksiders on Aug 11, 2006 6:47 AM
|
J_Star
562 posts
Aug 10, 2006
8:24 AM
|
All,
Nothing better than experience my friends. I live in Northeast Ohio where the weather in the winter gets below zero degrees and at night, you will become a frozen ice sickle. I have always given my birds about 15% of corn in their feed starting when the nights get cold (late November) all the way thru March. I also give them cracked corn when I have it. I never ever had canker in my lofts or any kind of sickness. Not with my fliers, breeders nor squeakers. Corn does not cause the things you guys claim. I believe I read in some the past posts that Stan Arnold (Starfire) in Canada feeds his birds’ only corn in the winter and have no health issues with the birds.
Some fanciers claim that when feeding corn, feed only the small size corn. I feed them Ohio grown corn which is big and have never had a problem. As the matter of fact, the birds will consume the yellow corn first before Wheat or Milo or the safflower. Corn will keep them worm and contented in the cold winter nights.
Jay
|
bman
30 posts
Aug 10, 2006
8:38 AM
|
Hello Jay,
That has been my experience also that why I was curious about the previous comments.I guess to each his own,"if it ain't broke don't fix it".By the way I could hear the ice breaking by the end of your post!!LOL.How goes the roller recruitment program you started? I think alot of problems with corn is if it gets even a little mold on it.I seen major problems because of it.
Another Buckeye
----------
Ron
|
bman
32 posts
Aug 11, 2006
6:31 AM
|
CHECK IT OUT
Go to www,racingbirds.com click on handy tools,then on grain composition calculator, it is a free download for those of you that mix your own feed.Tells you exactly what you get fat content,protein etc.
I think you will really like it.
----------
Ron
Last Edited by bman on Aug 11, 2006 6:32 AM
|
nicksiders
774 posts
Aug 11, 2006
6:50 AM
|
Kelly,
I gave you the wrong spelling it should be: purgrain.com. not "puregrain". Sorry about that
----------
Snicker Rollers
|