# how much grit?



## dalori87 (Apr 4, 2008)

My pigeon is blind and i am wondering if she can tell the difference between the grit tray i put in her cage and the food tray. Does anyone know how much i should give her or if i could mix it with her food? Thanks!


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

dalori87 said:


> My pigeon is blind and i am wondering if she can tell the difference between the grit tray i put in her cage and the food tray. Does anyone know how much i should give her or if i could mix it with her food? Thanks!


 Hello Dalori87,

Welcome to PT.  

I never worked with a blind pigeon before, perhaps someone who has had such experience will be along soon to share their experience. My guess would be to offer the bird some fresh grit daily in a seperate dish...in the same spot always.....and watch what she does. I suspect that the other senses such as smell, will become more highly developed as time goes on, and she will know..or learn to know where to find grit, and where the seeds are. Suspect a teaspoon a day is enough.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

dalori87 said:


> My pigeon is blind and i am wondering if she can tell the difference between the grit tray i put in her cage and the food tray. Does anyone know how much i should give her or if i could mix it with her food? Thanks!


Does she know where her food is and her water? Do you give her grit now? I wouldn't mix it with the feed. I don't have any blind pigeons but I think that you need to make sure all of her dishes are always in the same place. Do you use the red grit? I expect she can smell it. I know my birds can and go nuts when I pull it out and uncover it. I never give my birds but just a little at a time and change it almost every day, sometimes every other day.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and Welcome to pigeon Talk,

I agree, her sense of smell will help her to tell the difference. You should leave her a small dish of grit, she will eat when she feels the need, just like sighted pigeons. I guess you are keeping the dishes in the same place for her then so she has learned where they are.

Please share your story about her, we would love to hear it. Does she have a name?


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## JOEYRACER (Apr 4, 2008)

*Grit*

A Pigeon Can Tell The Difference By Smell.if You Keep The Bird In A Small Enough Compartment It Will Find The Grit,feed And Water By Smell.grit Should Be Given Fresh On A Daily Basis.just Dont Give It A Training Toss..


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## JOEYRACER (Apr 4, 2008)

JOEYRACER said:


> A Pigeon Can Tell The Difference By Smell.if You Keep The Bird In A Small Enough Compartment It Will Find The Grit,feed And Water By Smell.grit Should Be Given Fresh On A Daily Basis.just Dont Give It A Training Toss..


NEVER A PROBLEM ALWAYS A SOLUTION....


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*grit at all times*

Grit should be provided at all times. They will not overeat of it whether blind or not. It should be in a separate dish and the bird will soon learn the difference.

Bill


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

Pigeons are smart and if well looked after they will adapt.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

There are grits that you can buy that have ANISE OIL which has a pleasant aroma. JEDDS sells two that I know of one comes in a 5kg bag for 10.00 a bag,the other in a 2.5 kg bag for 3.00. I would say if you are only feeding one bird the smaller bag is all you need and two table spoons for one bird is more then enough every dayor every other day. .GEORGE


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## dalori87 (Apr 4, 2008)

*thanks everyone*

Thanks for all the help everyone. I have been keeping her dishes in the same spot, and she has definitely found both the food and the water but i haven't seen her go for the grit (which is also in a separate dish). I just have a oyster shell, charcoal, grit mixture, but I'll look for the red grit next time i go to the store. 
Her name is Pidgey Coo Coo. I work as an intern at a place called the Wildlife Center. We rehab injured wild animals. She came to us with a broken wing and is blind in both eyes, though we think she can tell the difference between light and dark. Someone had to adopt her because we couldn't release her back into the wild, so i built a cage and screen door for my apartment, and she is finally home!


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## Coolpigeon (Feb 2, 2006)

that is very nice of you and I really like the name of your pigeon .


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## Jojopotato (Mar 28, 2008)

I mix the grit with their food is this okay?


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*Better to separate*

It's better if you keep it separate, easier for the bird to get what it needs and easier for you to tell when it needs more grit.

Bill


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

dalori87 said:


> *My pigeon is blind and i am wondering if she can tell the difference between the grit tray i put in her cage and the food tray.*
> 
> Does anyone know how much i should give her or if i could mix it with her food? Thanks!


Welcome to Pigeon Talk.  

Our 'Rae Charles' has never had a problem. 
She has a narrow, flat perch in front of her food, grit & water dishes so she knows when she steps on the perch she's ready to eat/drink. 
Once she became acquainted with the 'line up', I watched to make sure she was doing OK.

She will stick her beak in each dish until she finds the one she wants. 
Rae Charles has been with us for 4 years & she does wonderfully.  

Cindy


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