Feeding pigeons directly affects their lifespan. Birds live outside for about 5 years. When grown at home, this period increases to 15-20 years. In order for birds to be healthy and not get sick, they need to be provided with the right diet. In this case, it is worth focusing on the breed characteristics and degree of activity of the birds. So, what is the best way to feed pigeons?
What do pigeons eat
Wild birds living in natural conditions eat grass, seeds, and insects.However, it is impossible to find a sufficient amount of such food in the city. It is difficult to find large amounts of grass in parks or lawns. Usually it is mowed down, which creates certain difficulties in finding food. Since birds are considered quite unpretentious, they can eat anything. Most often, the birds' diet includes food scraps near garbage cans and food given to them by people.
If you want to feed birds, it is important to do it correctly. Giving bread to pigeons is not recommended. This product gives birds a feeling of satiety, but at the same time has a negative effect on the body's condition. With the systematic consumption of bread and other baked goods, birds die from pathologies of the digestive tract.
Therefore, it is recommended to feed pigeons with special food. You can buy it at a pet store. It is also possible to make the composition yourself. To do this, mix different types of cereals - millet, barley, millet, oats. In addition, birds can be given buckwheat and rice. When raising birds in a dovecote, it is permissible to use similar types of food.
Feeding frequency
It is recommended to feed poultry in accordance with a certain schedule. In this case, the breeder can set the proportions and volume of food independently. In this case, it is important to focus on the breed and health status of the birds.
How much grain a bird eats per day depends on the season:
- In summer, pigeons require 3 meals a day. When birds are kept in open dovecotes, they move in space and can independently obtain food for themselves. At home they should only be fed a little.
- In winter, it is recommended to feed birds twice. Beneficial substances should be introduced into the second portion of food. Moreover, the composition of this additive should be more saturated than in summer.In winter, birds do not receive fresh greens, and therefore they need to compensate for this with vitamins.
When keeping pigeons of different breeds, it is recommended to feed them separately. Large birds eat food faster than short-beaked birds. If you feed them at the same time, some of the individuals will remain hungry. In addition, small birds require crushed cereals.
Rules for preparing a diet at home
To create the right diet for pigeons, it is recommended to consider many factors.
Summer and winter menu
The basis of the bird's diet is cereals. Oats and barley are best suited for birds. In addition, they can additionally be given sunflower seeds, millet, wheat, and sorghum. The proportions of cereals in mixtures differ depending on the seasonal factor. In summer, birds are considered the most active. Therefore, the menu should be more nutritious. Birds are allowed to feed millet, peas, and buckwheat. It is also worth including green peas and herbs in the pigeons' diet.
In winter, protein foods should be replaced with oats and barley. It is important to adhere to a certain scheme. So, it is worth giving birds 40% oats and barley, as well as 10% lentils and corn. The last 2 ingredients are used in crushed form. As vitamin supplements in winter, you can use herbal flour and grated carrots. Dried dill and parsley bring great benefits to pigeons.
In winter, one of the feedings should be replaced with chopped boiled potatoes. It is recommended to mix it with wheat bran. Also, at any time of the year, you can include up to a third of wheat in the cereal mixture. You can buy a mineral supplement or make it yourself.In the second case, it is worth mixing crushed red brick, eggshells, old plaster, sand and meat and bone meal in a ratio of 4:1:2:1:1. It is recommended to fill the resulting composition with a saline solution with a concentration of 2%.
Feeding during mating and breeding seasons
At this time, pigeons require feeding, which contains many protein components and minerals. A deficiency of these elements negatively affects reproductive capabilities and provokes a deterioration in the health of chicks.
Thus, vitamin A is required for egg laying. With its deficiency, the productivity of birds is noticeably reduced. With an insufficient amount of vitamin B2, there is a risk of abnormalities in the formation of the embryo.
During breeding, it is recommended that birds be given fish oil, periodically introducing it into the food. It is also permissible to add multivitamins to your food.
Feeding during molting
The stage of plumage change is accompanied by significant energy expenditure. It lasts from July to October. At the same time, birds need nutritious food. The diet of pigeons must contain a sufficient amount of protein food. However, it is important to remember a sense of proportion so as not to provoke mating.
For feather growth, it is recommended to feed flaxseeds or sunflower seeds to birds. You can also use hemp seeds at this time.
During molting, pigeons often experience a decrease in appetite. In such a situation, you need to add 1-2 peppercorns to your food. The daily food intake during this period is 50 grams.
What can you give to street birds?
Many people try to feed pigeons living outside. These birds are unpretentious and eat almost anything. In order not to harm the birds, it is important to focus on their feeding habits. To feed the birds, you should consider the following:
- It is prohibited to overfeed or force-feed pigeons;
- wild pigeons have a small stomach, so they can only be fed in small portions;
- birds need to be given food that they can chop with their beaks;
- If possible, it is worth using vitamin and mineral complexes.
It is best to buy specialized feed from a pet store for outdoor birds. It includes all the important substances. Be sure to wash your hands after feeding, as pigeons often spread infections.
Features of drinking
Pigeons should, on average, receive up to 60 milliliters of water per day. Birds that are training or feeding chicks require 80 milliliters of fluid. The need for water may decrease or increase.
It all depends on temperature indicators, air humidity parameters, quality of nutrition, and intensity of training.
A lack of drinking water has a greater impact on the health of pigeons than a lack of food. Dehydration in birds occurs literally on the 2nd day. Therefore, birds need to be provided with constant access to clean water. In summer its temperature should be +14 degrees, and in winter – +8.
What should you not give?
The following types of food should not be given to pigeons:
- Spoiled food. It is forbidden to feed birds with moldy food or use food that has expired.
- Bakery products.They have a bad effect on the body of birds, since they are difficult for the stomach to digest and cause appetite suppression. However, this food does not have energy value. Black bread brings great harm to pigeons. It swells in the intestines and can cause blockage. In addition, the product contains a lot of acid and can provoke dysbacteriosis.
- Meat and fish. The body of birds cannot digest such food. Its use leads to the death of birds.
- Excess salt. The excretory organs of birds are not capable of processing a large volume of this product. That's why it accumulates in the body. As a result, the bird will die.
- Starch. This product is difficult to digest.
- Roasted seeds. They provoke liver diseases in pigeons. Birds are allowed to give only raw seeds.
- Dairy products. Such food provokes the development of dysbiosis.
Feeding pigeons has a number of features. In order for birds to develop normally, they need to be given high-quality food. It is important to ensure that the birds’ diet is balanced.
