916birds
18 posts
Feb 08, 2007
6:35 PM
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hi every1,
i think im over feeding my pigeons. i currently have 14 rollers right now and im wondering how much should i feed them and how many times per day.....
thank you-
Vu
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nicksiders
1383 posts
Feb 08, 2007
6:39 PM
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If they are kit birds; go one cup for each 10 birds once a day. With 14 I would feed them less than 1 1/2 cups per day once a day.
Nick
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Snicker Rollers
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classicpony
98 posts
Feb 08, 2007
7:55 PM
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Nick,
What about the breeders???
Jim
@thebirdhouse
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
1152 posts
Feb 08, 2007
8:15 PM
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Nick, if your cup was the same as my cup and I fed that amount, my birds wouldn't trap and would fly pinned out all day long..lol. My cup is one cup for 20-ish birds.
Feed the breeders, when they are breeding as much as they want.
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nicksiders
1384 posts
Feb 08, 2007
9:00 PM
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1 cup = 8 ounces or 16 table spoons (flat measure no heaping). It is a measuring cup like you use in the kitchen.
Nick
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Snicker Rollers
Last Edited by on Feb 09, 2007 6:44 AM
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nicksiders
1385 posts
Feb 08, 2007
9:02 PM
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My breeders have food present 24/7 along with water(spiked with minerals and vitamins) and red grit.
Nick
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Snicker Rollers
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
1153 posts
Feb 08, 2007
9:24 PM
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Nick, my "cup" will hold 25 tablespoons of wheat.
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nicksiders
1386 posts
Feb 08, 2007
9:45 PM
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Brian,
I feed down beginning about 8 days out from competition day to where I am feeding a cup and a half for 20 birds. I also remove the water after feeding the day before competition. They seem to go to work quicker.
Nick
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Snicker Rollers
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2007 9:46 PM
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sac_spinners
54 posts
Feb 08, 2007
9:49 PM
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I feed one cup per 10 birds and go up and down from there depends on how long they fly
spin to win
Chor
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Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
1010 posts
Feb 09, 2007
2:20 AM
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I also use a kitchen measuring cup.One cup per 10 birds.Grit once a week.When cold weather hits and highs are in the teens and lower I double the amount of feed.Once a day.Breeders all they want 24/7. David
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Spud
75 posts
Feb 09, 2007
5:06 AM
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The problem here with feed out 24/7 is mice. Even when my breeders are feeding youngsters, I take the feed in at night.
Spud
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classicpony
99 posts
Feb 09, 2007
5:32 AM
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Feeding at night?? R they not on their perches or nest all night??
Jim
@thebirdhouse
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Santandercol
739 posts
Feb 09, 2007
6:03 AM
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1 cup=8oz=16 tblsp..2tblsp per oz. Brian,25 tblsp=1.5 cups + 1 tblsp.You keep yer birds hungry allright.Mine trap just fine on 2 cups for 20 birds.My breeders get all they can eat,but they sure waste alot.They don't seem to eat much wheat and just toss it aside.The trays under their breeder cages are always littered with wheat.Kinda like all the green peas that would float up to the surface of the wringer washer when I was a kid.
Spud,if you have mice good idea to pull the feed at night allright!----------
Kelly
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nicksiders
1387 posts
Feb 09, 2007
6:43 AM
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You don't have to have mice and yes the breeders do sleep at night, but the feed is there never-the-less.
You got to mouse proff the loft and kill the ones you got now.
Nick
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Snicker Rollers
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
1155 posts
Feb 09, 2007
10:33 AM
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Kelly, my cups are all the same and I've had them for years. I know what they hold in terms of tablespoons and that is all I need to know. My birds are managed off the tablespoon principal. 20 birds get 7/8ths of my cup, sometimes less like today they were enjoying the cool cloudy day and wouldn't come down when I wanted them to, so they don't eat today and will get a half ration tomorrow. The number one problem people have with their birds is overfeeding. Hunger is control. Know the tablespoon and the appetite and you will know control.
Last Edited by on Feb 09, 2007 10:33 AM
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Spud
77 posts
Feb 09, 2007
11:29 AM
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Actually, mice often aren't a problem unless there is a food source. That's why I was trying to point out the down side of feed for the breeders 24/7. Newbys might not consider that possibility, nor does everyone have a mouse proof loft.
Spud
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
1156 posts
Feb 09, 2007
11:52 AM
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Solution. Take a milk cartoon (one for each loft) cut a couple of small one inch diameter holes in them about two inches up from the bottom. Add some barbait and then sit back and pick up dead mice a few days later.
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Santandercol
740 posts
Feb 09, 2007
6:20 PM
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Ya,
It's all about control for sure Brian.I've just gone off the winter lockdown feed program.Put em on straight wheat for 5 days,now gone to wheat milo 50/50.They are sure alot more ravenous without the peas.Some of the late hatches(Aug) are starting to show some promise.Darned Sharp-shinned got the Roman Candle up the hoop today.He just plays with them.Hope he doesn't get too serious.
Yits,----------
Kelly
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No-LimitR
31 posts
Feb 09, 2007
9:16 PM
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Is it okay to feed the flyers grit or are the grits only for breeders?
Thank-you
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nicksiders
1388 posts
Feb 09, 2007
9:21 PM
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You should feed grit to the kit birds as well. I just don't keep it in front of them all the time. About once a week I throw the kit birds a good hand full
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Snicker Rollers
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No-LimitR
32 posts
Feb 09, 2007
9:26 PM
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Thankyou nick!
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longarm
71 posts
Feb 09, 2007
11:09 PM
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I have to ask are you guys useing the feed to control fly time or the roll or both? My flying kits get 18% pellets all they can eat in 10 minutes after coming in and red grit is avalible in the kit box. I know that some use light feed to force the roll but I am not sure how commen this is. If they dont roll well feed then the dont eat here. c.j.
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kcfirl
61 posts
Feb 10, 2007
6:06 AM
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Longarm,
my kit birds never get any feed approaching 18%. and I would never feed them pellets, especially before flying.
Try feeding the birds a more reasonable mix and try feeding straight wheat and you'll see a big difference.
also, if you feed pellets, you probably are over salting them with grit too. Most pellets have grit materail already in them.
Ken Firl
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Santandercol
742 posts
Feb 10, 2007
6:08 AM
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cj,
10 minutes sounds like alot of feed to me.My kitbirds are done their ration in 5 mins or less usually.----------
Kelly
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longarm
72 posts
Feb 10, 2007
8:00 AM
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I am sure the birds can figure out what they need as far as the grit. Many birds and other animals for that matter are way over attended. Pigeons have been figureing out what they need long before humans begain to try and figure it for them. explain what is not reasonable about 18%. I know most pigeon feeds are 16% but I have lots of 18 here so they get it. I have felt the birds in a few kits that get straight wheat and I am not sure I would keep any of them. I have brought a couple home and feed them back up so they feel like birds not museum pieces and they couldnt spin for nought. IN 10 min most birds are on the perchs but it does allow any slow feeders to get full. c.j.
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Velo99
919 posts
Feb 10, 2007
12:03 PM
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Longarm,
Most feed 10-14 percent for kitbirds depending on the family.Too much protien will have a detrimental effect on how your kit performs.
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V99
Good spinners don`t always
make good breeders.
http://www.bluedotloft.50megs.com
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kcfirl
62 posts
Feb 10, 2007
12:54 PM
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Longarm,
I don't think the birds can figure out for themselves the optimum feed. They will eat too much and get fat if you let them. Just like some of us.
they will also gety too much salt if you provide grit and pellets and will drink a lot of water.
did you ever see the experiment where they took monkeys and offered them food or cocaine? they got so addicted that htey never ate and slowly starved to death while ingesting as much blw as they wanted.
You need to decide for them what thet shgould eat if you want top performance.
Ken Firl
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longarm
74 posts
Feb 10, 2007
9:45 PM
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fair enough I will clarify By sort out what they need I ment the salt issue with the grit. and the snow idea is interesting could lead to many roll downs though LOL. just wanted to get a take on what and why others feed. My current family will not resond well to cut feed and I like that and have breed nore tword that feature. I understand the majority of the familys will show their best performance as their ability to resist the roll is weakened via feed. I am getting a family that I will have toy with the feed again in a month or so and will have the fun of seeing how far I can manipultate them before they begin to break down. c.j.
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916birds
22 posts
Mar 13, 2007
12:01 PM
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Thanks every1 for the info.....
Vu-
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lil_jess
24 posts
Mar 13, 2007
4:57 PM
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vu, every1 has their own feeding thing, the way i feed my birds are some what similiar to ever1 else or another different way. For young birds i always want to make sure they are feed enough, because they need protein and etc, All these thing to help them strengthen to fly etc. Always make sure that at the end of the day the young will have a ball up crop.
For older birds i wan to make sure they get a total of 2 tablespoon by the end of the day. 1 tablespoon after first fly, and 2nd table spoon after last fly. Sometimes you made want to change the table spoon too because some birds eat faster and some eat slower. Check for the both slow/fast eater birds too see if you should give that birds more or leave it.. Hope this help, this is just my way of feeding, and sometime its also changes....
Last Edited by on Mar 13, 2007 5:00 PM
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