toughrollers
281 posts
Oct 09, 2009
5:19 PM
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I have been feeding straight pellets since march this year and previously to that I have feed my pigeons grains and I never had a problem. We are in breeding season here in Australia and I have noticed that their "poop" smells is unbearable and the amount of "poop" is equal to that of elephant droppings.
I have thought of changing to straight grain mix or is it to late now that they have babies. I will accept any ideas as the smell is to much to put up with.
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1473 posts
Oct 09, 2009
5:54 PM
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Hey Ralph, What pellet are you feeding?
Thom
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toughrollers
282 posts
Oct 09, 2009
6:05 PM
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Hi there Thom my friend
The Pellets that I am using are called "Maintenance Pigeons Pellets" they are from a vet called Colin Walker he manufactures them here in Australia. This vet swears by them as he also feeds them to his racing pigeons. The birds look healthy, feeding well but with one down fall the smell and the amount of "shit", sometimes making me clean up twice a day.
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cv rollers
486 posts
Oct 09, 2009
6:23 PM
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i do not like pellets for that reason,i use grain
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Rick Flores
coachellavalleyrollers.net
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1474 posts
Oct 09, 2009
6:27 PM
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Hey Ralph, Before you give up on the pellets, would it be possible to try another brand? I feed Purnia Pigeon Chow Checkers. The poop is small hard dollops with a white top, just like with grains. EXCEPT, when they first come off the nest and that smells no matter what I feed. I don't know if you can get a bag but give them a try if you can.
Take care, my friend.
Thom
Last Edited by on Oct 09, 2009 6:28 PM
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Bill from NJ
83 posts
Oct 09, 2009
6:40 PM
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toughrollers,
Try mixing 50/50 or even a 75/25 mix of grain & pellets.
I use the 50/50 mix for all of my breeders.
Seems to work fine for me through the years, this is all I use, a mixture to make sure the pigeons get the proper nutritional diet.
Using a grain only feeding will not give your pigeons a proper diet with all of the needed vitamins and minerals.
I wish you well with your birds,
Bill
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
3410 posts
Oct 09, 2009
8:23 PM
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Ralph all I can offer is spray white vinegar when cleaning so the smell won't be as bad.
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Ralph.
Pigeons are not our whole life, but they damn sure make our lives whole!" ~
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JDA
GOLD MEMBER
521 posts
Oct 09, 2009
8:46 PM
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Make sure they can,t get any grit or oyster shell,That will make the cage smell.You don,t need it with pellets.JDA
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toughrollers
283 posts
Oct 09, 2009
9:41 PM
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Thom, that is the only pigeon pellets that we can get here, the rest of the pellets are for laying chickens. I will have to come up with a solution soon otherwise I will stop breeding them at the end of this month.
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TT
GOLD MEMBER
483 posts
Oct 09, 2009
9:53 PM
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Nothing wrong with layer crumble or chicken starter, those can be used, I use them, and they work very well.
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Tony...
"Color is not an option"
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toughrollers
284 posts
Oct 10, 2009
12:32 AM
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Tony,i might have to convert to chicken layer pellets. and see what happens.
JDA,i have removed the grit and oyster shells, thanks
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1475 posts
Oct 10, 2009
5:22 AM
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Hey Ralph, See if you can find "Nutrina Nature Wise layer pellets" I have not tried them but rollerpigeon1963 swears by them and I have a lot of respect for his thoughts.
Your friend
Thom
Last Edited by on Oct 10, 2009 5:23 AM
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fhtfire
2138 posts
Oct 10, 2009
5:51 AM
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I mix my pellets with one part wheat...one part milo and one part sauflour...that is for my breeders....Never had any problems....my breeders get standard mix during the winter.
My kit birds have been flying on nothing but pellets for the last 3 years...and been doing fine..that mix is 5 parts 50/50 wheat and milo to 1 part pellet and 1 part milo....I get better performance from my birds with the pellets....
rock and ROLL
Paul
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RUDY..ZUPPPPP
GOLD MEMBER
2852 posts
Oct 10, 2009
6:40 AM
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I dont like pellets....
Too much POO-POO...........LOL
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RUDY PAYEN
PANCHO VILLA LOFT
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Velo99
2169 posts
Oct 10, 2009
10:17 AM
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Tough
I have heard that if you use probios it`ll harden up the pellet droppings. I use pellets in my mix for the breeders and I hit the kitbirds once a week to satisfy their mineral needs.They do get a little smelly but not terrible.
1/3 wheat,1/3 WBS with popcorn and lentils added and 1/3 18% purina gold pigeon pellets for my breeders.
Works for me quite well.
yits
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V99
blue sky single beat
in cadance performing now
earth beckons the winged
drawn breath is let quickly forth
orchestral movement follows
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\__\_/-|_| \__\____
/()_)__14___()_)\__\
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rtwilliams
GOLD MEMBER
452 posts
Oct 10, 2009
12:06 PM
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I would sugest mixing the pellets. Easy in a pigeon mix over a couple weeks and see if it helps. I do not believe that your young birds will suffer.
I feed my breeders 50/50 mix and pellets. I like knowing that my young birds have had grain when I wean them. I think it easy the transition. At weaning I slowoly remove the pellets from them over a couple weeks.
good luck.
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RT Williams
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wannaroll
72 posts
Oct 10, 2009
9:34 PM
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I use the 22% pellets for all my breeders when they're feeding babies. 50/50 with grain the rest of the time and keep the squeekers eating this until they're flying then switch to grain/wheat 70/30 or 80/20 and play with that ratio.
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Dave - Hesperia, CA.
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rollerpigeon1963
289 posts
Oct 10, 2009
10:15 PM
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Ralph,
I have talked about pellets now for 4 years now. What you have to look for is the salt and sodium content of the pellets. My chicken layer pellets are 15% protien and .20 percent salt and the sodium is just as low. The dropping looks like they been eating grain and very little smell. I feed it to the breeders and the flying birds with good success. So look at the tags on the pellets either pigeon or chicken and check what the % is.
Best of luck
Brian Middaugh
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toughrollers
285 posts
Oct 11, 2009
3:42 PM
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OK guys yesterday I put 50/50 grain and pellet mix together and as I was putting the feed cup through the door they were attacking the grain even those that were sitting on eggs or babies. They were eating as though they were starving but all left the pellets not one even touching the them.
These birds (my stock birds) have been on straight pellets since March this year so it makes me wonder whether they are starving. But I can't understand because the pellets aren't new to them.
This morning I decided to try something different and put grain and pellets in separate cups and they again attacked the grain.
So what I am thinking is that the following breeding season I will be converting to grain mix only.
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Last Edited by on Oct 11, 2009 3:45 PM
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rtwilliams
GOLD MEMBER
454 posts
Oct 11, 2009
5:19 PM
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toughrollers
Mine do the same, the grainis always first to be eaten. When I have the time I feed the pellets, and then come back 30 minutes later and feed the grain. This way the babies get pellets and the breeders get grain. I also feed twice a day. This helps the breeders to clean up the pellets.
It is tricky I guess. One thing I noticed about having the pellets is the young are the same size. When I just feed grain it seemed one was always getting less food and slower in development, and smaller in size. Mixing the two really helped. I would reccomend leaving some pellets, I think you will have better results, I know that my squabs were in better health because of it.
I do believe the birds like the grain better.
Good luck
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RT Williams
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toughrollers
286 posts
Oct 11, 2009
7:28 PM
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Thanks rtwilliams I realy like the way you have written the above (post 454) it realy makes sense.
But I will try giving grains 30 minutes later like you suggested and I will see what happens. Ta
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RodSD
355 posts
Oct 12, 2009
6:08 PM
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75/25 or 50/50 grain/pellets seems to work for me. I noticed that feeding them pure pellets makes them hungrier or act hungrier. I suppose that happens because pellets are easier to digest and probably get used right away unlike grains that need processing in the gizzard.
It is true that birds prefer grains. With respect to smell, give your birds some vinegar drink (1 tablespoon per gallon or even 2 tablespoons per gallon). I don't have problem with smell in my loft when I started doing that.
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fhtfire
2140 posts
Oct 12, 2009
8:41 PM
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I have been feeding pellets to my kit birds and my breeders since 06 with no problem...I have no smell...no runny poop.....you have to cut it with grain...I use swansons 28% low sodium......the key is to cut them with grain.....for the breeders I use one part pellet..one part wheat...one part milo and one part sauflower and then I mix...I just use coffee cans to mix the food.
My kit birds get 5 parts 50/50 wheat and milo, 1.5 part pellet, 1 part sauflower...that is what my kit birds get...that is my mix and my comp mix.....
I tested the water consumption between grain and pellets with my mix and it is not even measurable....so it is ok....
During the winter everything gets mix for the cold..the hard seeds....when it is warmer during the winter I go back to pellets.
rock and ROLL
Paul
again..the key is to cut them with something.
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