# Adding sunflower oil to feed is that good?



## Roller lover (Dec 27, 2012)

I know that when given a high carbohydrate feed, oily seeds can aid in the migratory oil reserves - that will be used for increase in flight amount. Do you mix oil with your food? If yes how much? When feeding a seed mix and not individual seeds (it would be impossible for me to feed seeds individually) I think that adding oil will be better than feeding oily seeds - I do not know how much to feed. Guidance please.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Hmmmm.... I am inclined to disagree when you say that you think adding oil is better than feeding oily seeds.
I like to add oil seeds such as safflower with their normal grains ...depending on the time of year I use less or more . In summer I use less as these seeds can overheat the birds .
The only time I would use an oil is if I am trying to gel a powder whether it be a calcium supplement or other and even then I use only enough to do the job and I am cautious not to over do it.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Depending on how much birds exercise,adding oil bearing seeds not oil itself is the best option. Oil bearing seeds can comprise 15 to 18% of the feedmix. Pigeons are grain eaters and need grit to digest it. Adding oil could get mouldy for them.
People do add many types of oils to pigeon's feed but if we look at how pigeons live in nature then it can be realised that they don't want oil but eat oil bearing seeds as it is.

But I've seen people adding 5% olive oil to the feed mixes. Olive oil is light and healthy than other oil types.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

I'll use corn oil or sun flower oil when racing and the distance is 400 miles and over, but just for loft flying I don't think it is needed. What makes you think they need more oil in their diet? 
Dave


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## Roller lover (Dec 27, 2012)

I was just thinking not yo have so e birds overindulge on oily seeds. It seems that i better not. Thanks.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. I keep reading that these seed oil cause bad cholesterol in us, humans. So maybe the same for pigeons. An old pigeon book says to boil bread in oil(what kind?) then give to pigeon so it may gain weight and recover from going light. 
Can you not buy hemp, flax seed, canola, corn in seperate bags or by the pound/kg? The pigeon people use percentage when they want to add things to the diet. Fe: Total fat x%, total protein x % and so on. I am not good with numbers but there is a way to add and calculate the total nutrient content. Thanks.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

hamlet said:


> Hello. I keep reading that these seed oil cause bad cholesterol in us, humans. So maybe the same for pigeons. An old pigeon book says to boil bread in oil(what kind?) then give to pigeon so it may gain weight and recover from going light.
> Can you not buy hemp, flax seed, canola, corn in seperate bags or by the pound/kg? The pigeon people use percentage when they want to add things to the diet. Fe: Total fat x%, total protein x % and so on. I am not good with numbers but there is a way to add and calculate the total nutrient content. Thanks.


Here fanciers train high flyers to fly high in skies from dawn to dusk WITHOUT FEEDING the bird for the whole day to condition their birds to fly without feed. Because on competition day, the birds are required to fly all day without feed. When training such birds,birds are fed only once a day and on training day they are not fed at all. When a pigeon come back at dusk or at night after flying all day in the baking sun then he looses considerable amount of weight and get dehydrated. When they land after flying all day long they are given a specially prepared water at the night and on the next day they are given bread deep fried in soyabean oil+they are also given grain mix,to give birds back their fat reserves. Every bird is trained with two day rest,they are fed bread cooked in oil+feed on these two day and every third day is training day without feed. Such birds which go through such rigrous training can handle so much oil. Some develop sourcrop and out of excess oil


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