toughrollers
96 posts
Apr 15, 2009
6:50 PM
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has any of you guys, have feed straight.pigeon pellets to your stock birds. ihave been giving the pellets for two days now but they dont seem to be eating it. how long does it take them to eat it or should i introduce the normal grains in with it. the vet said feed straight pellets. becouse they get all the benifts .from them, with the grains they dont
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
2854 posts
Apr 15, 2009
6:55 PM
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when they start feeling like they going to starve they will eat but if they feeding squabs not a good idea because the babies will pay the price I would think. ----------
Ralph.
The greatest use of your life is so you live your life so that the use of your life will outlive your life, In other words what you going to leave behind legacy or Dust....
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Indy
56 posts
Apr 15, 2009
7:53 PM
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Some birds take a while to adjust to pellets it is best to switch them over slowley maybe 1/4 pellets to 3/4 grain for 2-3 days then 1/2 pellets to 1/2 grain for a few days then 3/4 pellets to 1/4 grain for a few days before switching to all pellets. Take about a week to 10 days to switch them over. It would also help to back them off their regular grain a little bit before you start to make sure they are hungry.
I would not try to do it while they are breeding or feeding young. I switch my breeders over to pellets about two to three weeks before pairing them to boost their nutrition level and get them ready to breed.
If you are already breeding them then just add pellets to their grain and switch them over slowley to make sure they are eating enough to feed their young. Then when you wean the young you will need to do the reverse to switch the babies back to grain. Start them off with the pellets and slowly switch them over to the grain.
John
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
2855 posts
Apr 15, 2009
8:05 PM
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Good post John ,I didn't think about that slowly changing method knowing that I do that with my dogs when changing the food on them..I have never given pellets to my birds because I read that it give's them loose dropping watery..?.
and when toughrollers mention pigeon pellets does he mean chicken pellets or do they have pigeon pellets also?.
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Ralph.
The greatest use of your life is so you live your life so that the use of your life will outlive your life, In other words what you going to leave behind legacy or Dust....
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Indy
57 posts
Apr 15, 2009
8:26 PM
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I think he was talking about pigeon pellets but I am not sure. I started out feeding pigeon pellets but then took a close look at the feed tags on the pigeon pellets and chicken layer pellets and they were almost identical but the price of the pigeon pellets was about $3.00 more. Now I am feeding a multi-species game bird breeder pellet. You would just have to see what is available in your area.
John
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
2856 posts
Apr 15, 2009
8:38 PM
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John Thanks for the fast response ,tell me about the dropping what does it do to them with what you feeding them?..thx..
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Ralph.
The greatest use of your life is so you live your life so that the use of your life will outlive your life, In other words what you going to leave behind legacy or Dust....
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toughrollers
97 posts
Apr 15, 2009
9:32 PM
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hi guys i live in australia, it is autum here now. you guys call it fall.i am feeding them pigeon pellets not chicken pellets,maybe i should try what,indy sugested .gee i think they are starving at the moment
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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fontanabound
94 posts
Apr 15, 2009
10:11 PM
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i feed them chicken layer pellets, and they eat it all up. there even nursing babys with it. birds are looken good and happy.
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RodSD
218 posts
Apr 15, 2009
10:30 PM
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Research shows that 18% protein is the best protein concentration for growing babies. Higher than that may be a waste.
Feeding pellets does can cause loose droppings because birds drink more from the salt contained on those pellets. It is obvious then to get a brand that has low salt concentration or mix some grains.
It took my birds 3 months before they eat pellets. What I did is to mix the pellets with grains and slowly increase the pellet portion. So in the beginning I just added 10% pellets to the mix until I ended up with 50% pellets. I like my birds to eat grain as well so I just stopped there. It is a personal preference.
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toughrollers
98 posts
Apr 15, 2009
11:39 PM
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the vet says give nothing but pigeon pellets.all year around ,becouse all the nutrentes are in ther .and you dont have to give them any thing else just grit and water.and you dont have to give them any vit min supplements. and also ther is less chance of them getting canker if you feed pigeon pellets----------
Toughrollers..Lofts
Ralph
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Les B
41 posts
Apr 16, 2009
12:14 AM
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Ralph the Vet right, i give my breeders only pellets and no problem and the young are very heathy and fat, the only thing is the droppings is very loose and i have clean my breeder boxes more than with grain. when i wean the young i give them grain only no corn, they will take to it in a few days just keep it in front of they all day. with pellets keep clean water, they will drink a lot of it on pellets. Good Luck
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Lester Brown I.C.R.C. lob1223@yahoo.com
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Windjammer Loft
771 posts
Apr 16, 2009
4:31 AM
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I was told that if you feed pellets, you don't have to give them any grit either. I have been feeding my breeders pellets for about 4 years now. And you deffinately have to look at the sodium content. I have used several brands over the years and all with different percentages of sodium content. I live in Ohio and can't find chicken pellets here, so I am using turkey pellets this season.
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Fly High and Roll On
Paul
Last Edited by on Apr 16, 2009 4:32 AM
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toughrollers
99 posts
Apr 16, 2009
4:37 AM
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hi paul the vet said you dont have to give them any thing else but grit is good for ther digesting system. do you feed pellets all year around or just on breeding seoson Toughrollers..Lofts
Ralph
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Pumpkin Man
86 posts
Apr 16, 2009
5:22 AM
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If they already have babies I guess the gradual change is ok but I would have switched them before the babies hatched and not gradually because they will pick out the grains and not eat the pellets as long as you give the grain. They also won't need grit with the pellets I tried offering the grit with pellets and mine left the grit. Pellets are cheaper and I have had no negative affects been feeding my breeders pellets for years. I get an all purpose flock pellet or a chicken layer pellet. I never look at the bag for all the other things mentioned above.
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glenn
244 posts
Apr 16, 2009
5:45 AM
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Hello:
I have used Laying Mash pelletts for about the 5 years or so...better than pigeon pelletts and cheaper. They are 16% protein, more calucim and a little less salt. I still leave grit out for breeders....babies are healthly and easy to wean....Glenn
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0221
174 posts
Apr 16, 2009
6:23 AM
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I also use LAYEN pellets, Best thing I ever did. I know in the beginning its like taking yours kids off of candy and putting them on cabage, but its a good move. I left the oyster shell and red grit in the loft. But they don't even look at it anymore.I also think babys or no babys, just switch. Like pumpkin man said, they will go after the grain as long as its in there.
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Windjammer Loft
772 posts
Apr 16, 2009
6:27 PM
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Ralph........I just feed my breeders pellets. My flyers get peas,wheat and milo 1/3 cup of each per 10 birds. During lockdown they get a straight 16% pigeon mix
Glenn and 0221....what brand of pellets do you guys use??
Fly High and Roll On
Paul
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toughrollers
102 posts
Apr 17, 2009
2:41 AM
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hi fellas went to the loft today, to check on the birds and all the pellets were gone,i cant belive it took three days for them to eat.1 cup of pellets, i gave another cup to see whats going to happen and bang they all came down and finished evrey bit of it so obviously. it takes a while for them to get use to it. the vet was rite just be patent he said. and dont give in to them they are like litle children
Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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Roll Down
59 posts
Apr 17, 2009
2:03 PM
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I have tried the "Chicken Laying Pellets" but now I use only "Megagrow Chicken Grower/Finisher Pellets" for my fliers and breeders and they all do great on them.
I have grit in front of them at all times but they rarely touch it.
The pellets are about 16% protein and the birds digest it very quickly so are hungry when I let them out the following day.
Pigeon pellets contain way more salt and are more expensive. ( also a little high in protein -- 21% )
Because they do tend to drink more water using pellets, the droppings are a little moister than if using grains.
Easier to clean up though.
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Norm_Knox
308 posts
Apr 17, 2009
2:30 PM
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Purina Nutra Blend Gold is probbably the best pellets I have ever used. I still use them as I mix them with regular grains and make a MIX feed for my breeders. You should try it.
Norm
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N/A Loft
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RodSD
229 posts
Apr 17, 2009
9:00 PM
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I think there was a research done as well that shows squabs fed with pellets actually gained their expected weights faster than non-pelleted fed birds.
Now I must warn people as well that feeding protein say 16% all the time can damage pigeons' liver. Apparently pigeons must not have too much protein and calcium all the time unless they are breeding. So If I have it my way I will probably only feed my flying birds 12-14% protein and 16-18% for my breeders.
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toughrollers
104 posts
Apr 17, 2009
11:33 PM
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Hi RodSD, in regards to the above I have spoken to the vet who wrote this article that I have posted. What you are saying im sure it applies to chicken layer pallets. They can cause damage to pigeons that is why I am using pigeons pallets specifically designed for pigeons. If you read the post it does explain the damage that other pallets can cause on pigeons. The vet said CHICKEN LAYER PELLETS does and will, cause damage to pigeons as they are designed for chickens to lay eggs daily and they also have growth hormones in them. Our pigeons require different pallets and have different needs.
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
Last Edited by on Apr 18, 2009 2:27 AM
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Indy
58 posts
Apr 18, 2009
2:07 PM
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Paul
Where are you at in Ohio? You might try Hubbard Feed in Botkins, OH., that is where my pellets are manufactured so you might check with them and see if they have any dealers in your area.
John
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LittleJohn
82 posts
Apr 18, 2009
3:44 PM
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Wouldn't a maintenance pellet at 11-12% be just about right for the flyers? I have layer pellets that I mix in a little bit for my breeders, but I think it may be a little hot for the flyers?
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toughrollers
105 posts
Apr 18, 2009
3:56 PM
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Little John once you start feeding under 12% they start to loose muscle and you dont want that to happen to our rollers. Rollers need muscle to perform. Thats probably why lots of rollers are getting culled due to lack of performance we are not feeding them correctly. I have started feeding my pigeons pallets not chicken pallets and within a week I have noticed my birds performing much better. Who knows what they will be doing in a months time.
Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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ARTFUL OWL
11 posts
Apr 18, 2009
4:46 PM
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HI REGARDS to the use of chicken pellets,i have been useing them for many years now and never once had any problems.For breeding i use the growers at the rate of 25% and 25%wheat and 50% tic beans or peas.I feed this mix to every type of pigeons i keep,the young ones leave the nest nice and strong.Now when i fly my birds they always have 25% pellets but these will then be the chicken layers mix these with what ever you wish.this is a tried and proven over many years with no side effects.WON many competitions with Tipplers Rollers and also with Racers,i am not trying to tell anyone how to feed there birds just telling you how i feed my own.VETS DO NOW A LOT BUT NOT EVERYTHING.
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
953 posts
Apr 18, 2009
4:54 PM
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Hey All, I have been feeding Purina, Pigeon Chow Checkers for about five years now. During breeding season that is all I feed with the exception of grit.My squabs grow fast and healthy. When they go to the kit box, I feed 50% pellets and 50% mix. The stats. on the bag says 15% crude protein, 2.5% crude fat, and 5.5% crude fiber. The droppings are solid with a little white dollop on top. I stop with the pellets when I'm conditioning the kit for performance. This year I'm going to try the old bird kit on straight pellets for awhile and the switch them to 50%WHEAT&50%MILO for a comparison.
Thom
Last Edited by on Apr 18, 2009 4:55 PM
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RodSD
231 posts
Apr 19, 2009
1:05 AM
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Ralph,
Yes, I agree about chicken layer pellets stuff that you mentioned. The pellets I use don't have hormones. If it did, it should list that on the ingredients by law I think.
Artful owl,
Congrats on your wins! What is the concentration of that grower pellets are you using? I myself mix pellets with grains because I want my birds to have variety of foods. I have never feed straight pellets although I am tempted just to see the result in my flying breed.
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toronto15
161 posts
Apr 19, 2009
4:45 AM
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Pigeons eat grain,pellets are for rabbits and goats.Glen.
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Windjammer Loft
774 posts
Apr 20, 2009
4:18 AM
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toronto15....you must be kidding, or your a newbie. Feeding pellets has be done for many mnay years now. Better do some more reading on this issue.
Fly High and Roll On
Paul
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toughrollers
112 posts
Apr 20, 2009
6:14 AM
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windjammer loft.. hi paul what do you think of the articale on pegeon pellets. and how is your breeding going.
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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toughrollers
113 posts
Apr 20, 2009
4:25 PM
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Hi Windjammer, in Australia we are paying $27.50 for 20kilo bag (45lb) for pigeon pallets and the laying pallets for chickens range from $15-$18 for the same amount of weight. Have a good day/night.
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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toronto15
165 posts
Apr 20, 2009
7:12 PM
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Hey Windjammer, I,m newbie to rollers, not pigeons! I find pellats make for a smelly loft, not good for city dwellers.Just my opinion.
By the by,Thanks for the advice,reading and learning is always good.Glen.
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Scott
2092 posts
Apr 20, 2009
7:16 PM
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Glen , there are some low in sodium which keeps the water intake down, you just have to find them in your area
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Just my Opinion
Scott
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spanky
814 posts
Apr 20, 2009
7:22 PM
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THE BEST THING I DONE IS FEED MY BREEDERS PELLETS THE YOUNGSTERS COME OUT HELTY.
SPANKY
SGVS
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toronto15
166 posts
Apr 20, 2009
7:45 PM
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Thanks for the advice Scott and Spanky. I never really had a "breeders loft". My flyers were my breeders.P.S. Good Luck on your Flys,they must be coming up soon. Glen.
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Windjammer Loft
776 posts
Apr 21, 2009
9:57 AM
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toronto15..... I agree with Scott on this one(which is possible the first time that I agree with him
....LOL) Just kidden..... Anyway,you do have to do some homework. The sodium content is a big factor in how your loft smells. I guess it's a matter of process of elimination....Good luck
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Fly High and Roll On
Paul
Last Edited by on Apr 21, 2009 9:58 AM
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Indy
62 posts
Apr 21, 2009
6:40 PM
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With all of the discussion on sodium (salt) levels I was just wondering what the sodium levels are on some of the pellets you are feeding? I will look at a feed tag and let you know tommorrow what mine says.
JohnL
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toughrollers
114 posts
Apr 21, 2009
8:00 PM
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the pigeon pellet that im using has 0.3% salt and the poops are ok
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
Last Edited by on Apr 21, 2009 8:01 PM
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Windjammer Loft
777 posts
Apr 22, 2009
4:36 AM
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This season Iam using Turkey pellets and the sodium content is 0.3%
Fly High and Roll On
Paul
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toughrollers
115 posts
Apr 22, 2009
5:09 AM
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i have found more info on pellets. the pigeons, require only. 1% calcium which the pigeon pellet has , the chicken layer pellet has, 3.5 TO 4% calcium and thats becouse they have to lay eggs daily,NOTE to much calcium is not good for pigeons they do not lay eggs daily.
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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Windjammer Loft
778 posts
Apr 22, 2009
2:56 PM
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toughrollers....as far as the calcium is concerned. Thats why you don't need to feed grit or oyster shells when you feed the pellets. The pellets have everything that the birds need.
Fly High and Roll On
Paul
Last Edited by on Apr 22, 2009 5:25 PM
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toughrollers
116 posts
Apr 22, 2009
3:22 PM
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you are rite paul they dont seem to be eating it
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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toughrollers
117 posts
Apr 22, 2009
4:10 PM
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Hi O221, sounds like you have a major problem if you can feel an egg pushing out your back door. Thats why you should convert to pigeon pellets so you don't have the "egg pushing out your back door" everyday. LOL.
These pellets may work miracles, you might have 2 or 3 eggs per day if you continue to take what you are on.
Have a good day 0221.
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Toughrollers--Lofts
Ralph
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Indy
65 posts
Apr 22, 2009
5:03 PM
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My game bird breeder pellets list 0.2 min and 0.7 max. for salt.
John
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fransrollers
22 posts
Apr 23, 2009
5:35 PM
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hi evrey one i have bought a bag of pigeon pellets and like to mix it with my grain mix that i got from nick siders .at what percent do i mix this pellet, to the grain mix. fran
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0221
225 posts
Apr 23, 2009
5:40 PM
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I wouldn't mix it, If You mix it the birds will go after the grain. If your trying to switch just switch. They will eat it sooner or later, You'll be fine.
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fransrollers
23 posts
Apr 25, 2009
10:52 PM
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hey guys i have been feeding my pigeons on pigeon pellets for a few days now, and so far they like them, i hope they improve with ther performance as well fran
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toronto15
170 posts
Apr 26, 2009
4:47 AM
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Ya don,t feed it to your flyers, why would you feed it to your sloppy breeders, and make them lazy. Don,t forget a handful of flax and lind seed. Grit,oyster shell, blue salt lick, and fresh grain. Pigeons are not turkeys.Add a bit of water, and your good.Glen.
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fransrollers
24 posts
Apr 26, 2009
2:37 PM
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toronto 15 idont think you know what your talking about.please read the posts, and learn for yourself as well. YOU SOUND LIKE A TROUBLE MAKER. on your 165 post you say im a newbie so learn before you try and advise people on what they should do. fran
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