# Stimulate appetite



## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

My main hen Ginger has always been in the picky eater side. She seems to go thru phases where she's really only interested in one or two seeds in the mix I've made. It used to be she was crazy about safflower then white millet, then French green lentils. Now she's into milo, rape seed, and mung beans. She picks thru what she wants and attempts to spill the rest. I normally refill before it's empty again at it seems all she's interested in. She's at least 13 now. Maybe 14. She seems to be on the lighter side weight wise and it worries me. She's spoiled rotten and still not at a weight I really feel comfortable with.
I give her an ideala pill once a week also. Also rotate between ACV, liquid calcium and electrolyte powder in the water. Both red and tan grit offered every few days.
Any suggestions? Poops are great when she's not being broody. She's got pretty much free rein of the house when I'm home and follows me around. We normally sit outside and get some sunshine at least every couple days. 
Just feeling stumped. Not much wiggle room to force her to eat her other seeds and even the ones she likes she's not eating enough of- to keep her weight on nicely.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. Ginger, this is interesting. Seeds have things in them that make them kind of poisonous when raw. Has she tried pigeon pellets. Maybe she has worms? Why not offer the grit all the time? Has she had sprouted seeds? What about peanuts? Flax? Maybe her body gets tired of digesting one form of seed then switches to other forms to rest the system. I wish I had all your answers.


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

She will not touch pigeon pellets. Years ago I tried transitioning to purina pellets when there was not much else on the market for pigeon pellets. I ended up with several birds that were extremely lightweight and I was worried they would end up dying before switching over. 
There are pellets in the food now (Versele Laga) and some of my birds eat it. She won't have anything to do with it. 
I could offer grit all the time. But I swear the birds eat so much they will crap rocks. They have both good quality grit types. I thought maybe it was a salt issue which is why I offer water with the electrolyte once or twice a week. I will start offering the grit daily and see if they get over their over enthusiasm for it. 
My mix does not have peanuts. I Will get some tomorrow. 
I believe there is some flax but not a whole lot.
The seed mix has many many types of seeds I've added in. She's got the world to choose from almost she just seems focused on one or two seed types and her weight is low and has been for a while.
I've not noticed anything symptomatic of worms. I hate to send her thru treatment if she doesn't need it as I figure it will mess up her gut flora and may make her skinnier.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Nice to hear you take care of Ginger so nicely.
Is she in her broody mode currently? What does her droppings look like? Can we have pics? How much she eats per day?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

gingerpoo said:


> My main hen Ginger has always been in the picky eater side. She seems to go thru phases where she's really only interested in one or two seeds in the mix I've made. It used to be she was crazy about safflower then white millet, then French green lentils. Now she's into milo, rape seed, and mung beans. She picks thru what she wants and attempts to spill the rest. I normally refill before it's empty again at it seems all she's interested in. She's at least 13 now. Maybe 14. She seems to be on the lighter side weight wise and it worries me. She's spoiled rotten and still not at a weight I really feel comfortable with.
> I give her an ideala pill once a week also. Also rotate between ACV, liquid calcium and electrolyte powder in the water. Both red and tan grit offered every few days.
> Any suggestions? Poops are great when she's not being broody. She's got pretty much free rein of the house when I'm home and follows me around. We normally sit outside and get some sunshine at least every couple days.
> Just feeling stumped. Not much wiggle room to force her to eat her other seeds and even the ones she likes she's not eating enough of- to keep her weight on nicely.


*You need to give her just about a tablespoon of food at meal time. You give her too much so she can flick out undesirable seed. She is just spoiled and that is why she is picky.

She (if she is a healthy bird and not underweight) should be eating a variety of seeds/grains that pigeon seed provides-because it gives then the nutrition they need, and they will eat all the seeds if they are hungry enough. Trust me, I have had some spoiled brats at times.*


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

She's crazy horny all the time, insatiable. She's a broody bird, spending most of her time finding hiding spots and scratching out bowls and begging for mating. 
She's been done laying eggs for quite a few years now but she will so go thru phases of really wanting to sit and getting broody butt.

She is spoiled. How long should I really push her before giving new seed? I've left for several days and come back where she still has pellets in her bowl, lower weight, and then eats the fresh stuff like she's starving.
I don't have food issues with my other birds. And they are at better weights.

I wonder if her constant hyperactive breeding mode makes her weight lower.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Always give her just enough feedmix she can eat per day or add more feedmix to her feeder only when she finishes her feedmix.
First note how much she eats per day. It would be 2-3 tablespoons per day. She will eat all seeds when she's hungry when no more feedmix is offered to pick out favorite seeds from. When hungry she will eat all seeds which will help her with proper nutrition.


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

Going to see how this goes. 
How many days can I wait her out? Nervous because she's already under weight


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

She shall be fine in 2-4 days. But since she's spoilt you put it,may take a bit longer.
Sometimes in situations like these Probiotics works great.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

gingerpoo said:


> My main hen Ginger has always been in the picky eater side. She seems to go thru phases where she's really only interested in one or two seeds in the mix I've made. It used to be she was crazy about safflower then white millet, then French green lentils. Now she's into milo, rape seed, and mung beans. She picks thru what she wants and attempts to spill the rest. I normally refill before it's empty again at it seems all she's interested in. She's at least 13 now. Maybe 14. She seems to be on the lighter side weight wise and it worries me. She's spoiled rotten and still not at a weight I really feel comfortable with.
> I give her an ideala pill once a week also. Also rotate between ACV, liquid calcium and electrolyte powder in the water. Both red and tan grit offered every few days.
> Any suggestions? Poops are great when she's not being broody. She's got pretty much free rein of the house when I'm home and follows me around. We normally sit outside and get some sunshine at least every couple days.
> Just feeling stumped. Not much wiggle room to force her to eat her other seeds and even the ones she likes she's not eating enough of- to keep her weight on nicely.



classic case of overfeeding and indulging. to fix it, you need to take all the food up and start feeding a small amount at the same time every day, leave it down for 15 mins then pick it up reguardless if she has eaten or not. when this is repeated and she knows the time she is being fed together with hunger she will go to the seed and eat all that is put down. about a tablspoon.. if there are no seeds left add just a bit more, if she leaves more than 20 seeds then cut back. 

in time it will be "feeding time" for her and she will be eager to come to the food dish and eat all she needs at that time then take a drink, and not being overfed she will get more of a varitety and not sling feed around. 

another idea is after you have done this and know the amount she eats just in one days time, you can measure and put that amount down and leave it for the day do not add any food untill it's gone or almost gone..a few stray seeds laying around is no big deal.

last, don't fret as most don't realize how little a pigeon really needs to live on, esp pets that are not flying and foreaging getting excersise. allot of pigeons are overfed and fat which is not good for them either. a few tablespoons of grains a day is all they need to live and be a healthy weight.


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions. So far she's eaten all but the pellets, adzuki, white peas, and corn. She's definitely picked thru it a lot and eaten more of it. Weight is still ok.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

She might like a few Anise Seeds in her Seed Mix now and then.


Lightly 'glistening' her Seed Mix with some fresh Oilive Oil, is very good for their Skin and Plumage and general health.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

gingerpoo said:


> Thanks for the suggestions. So far she's eaten all but the pellets, adzuki, white peas, and corn. She's definitely picked thru it a lot and eaten more of it. Weight is still ok.


then you are still overfeeding, you want a reacation in that she eats all or most of all of it. even the things you just listed. cut back more. 
there is no need to weigh her all the time.. that is only really needed if she was ill or something.


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

I'm not weighing her- it's just that her keel sticks out quite decently. She is underweight and has been and it worries me- even before when given free feed she was not at a normal weight.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

gingerpoo said:


> I'm not weighing her- it's just that her keel sticks out quite decently. She is underweight and has been and it worries me- even before when given free feed she was not at a normal weight.


*Not sure if this was asked already, but has she been treated for parasites/worms?*


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

She has not been treated. I was trying to refrain from doing so unless she needed it. Her poops appear good. She's just been underweight for several months now


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

She is getting older now, maybe her appetite is just not all that great. And if she has always picked out just her favorite seeds and then had more given to her, then she probably hasn't really gotten enough of the right things for a long time. Do you give her vitamins?


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## Lover 25. (Jul 30, 2014)

Try aloe detox from any food store x


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## Lover 25. (Jul 30, 2014)

Sorry any health food store...


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

gingerpoo said:


> She has not been treated. I was trying to refrain from doing so unless she needed it. Her poops appear good. She's just been underweight for several months now


Is it possible for you to get her droppings examined? She may have worms. A fecal floatation will reveal if she's carrying some.


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