# Advise - pigeon only eat one type of seed!



## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

I rescued and hand reared 2 feral pigeon squabs. I got them weaned and everything seemed OK. But I have a big problem with one chick.

It will only eat one kind of seed (a small red one) from the seed mix. It won't eat anything else! Its sibling liked the cracked corn the best, but when that was used up it would eat the other seeds.

I did not realise the extent of the problem until I released the birds locally with a small feral flock at a Buddhist temple. I was able to go back and feed them each day. After 4 days I noticed the addicted one was loosing weight and desperate for the seed mix, started squeaking like a baby and going crazy. 

I took it back home. It does not even try other food. Its now very thin and acts starving all the time, but it will just throw all the seed out of the pot to get the red seeds. What can I do?!

I tried giving it ground up peanuts, chicken pellets and cracked corn, pecking at them with my finger. It went all day and one morning and still had not eaten a single thing, until I gave in a put in the seed mix so it could find the red seed. I am afraid it would really starve itself to death.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

give him what he likes untill he has gained some weight. when he gets older he may start to try the other grains, keep offering things with peas and corn even if he does not see it.. he may come around.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Its not going to be possible to do that for long, the small red seeds are in a mix of seeds and they only make up a tiny part of it. I would have to buy bags and bags and throw away 90 percent of it! 

I don't understand why the pigeon has got fixated on that one seed?

Its so stupid that its starving, but refusing to even sample the other seeds. Could it be that it does not recognise them as food? If I put the pigeon in with my ring neck doves do you think it might learn to eat different things by watching them?


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

they do that, i have had many youngsters pick and choose what they want to eat for the longest times..you may just have to waste some seed to get him up to wiehgt, give him time if he is still young they only eat the tiny and small seeds first anyway. as he grows and gets bigger then he may try other seeds. can you add peas,lentils andsafflower seed to your mix? they like those alot. do NOT put in with your doves. you may have to put him back out with the flock, he'll learn from them.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

you may also try to hand feed the other grains.. put one at a time in the back of the throat and he will swallow them.. do this at feeding time like you are still his parent feeding him.. he may start to see them as food then.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*I would supplement him by handfeeding him the other seeds/grains as you introduce him to them he will get used to them on his tongue. This may take time. It would also help if he could be around other pigeons at meal time. *


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Most pigeons do have favorite seeds and throw the other seeds out to get to it. Eventually they will try and eat the other seeds, and even find more that they like. I really don't think he will starve himself. He will learn to eat the other seeds. If you want to add some weight and try releasing him again. Pop some frozen defrosted and warmed peas and corn into him between his meals, just to get his weight up a bit.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

thank you for all the great advise.

I just got a pair a young King Pigeons 2 days ago, and they eat anything I offer! I will put this little one in with them and let him see what they are eating. 

I guess it just shows how different each bird can be. Its brother was much easier to wean and would not be so fussy about the food. I did not notice that the smaller one was only eating the one seed when I had both of them, as the food just went down. 

its very naughty and has no fear at all. It just wants to be with me, even flying at the windows trying to get into the house, much to my partners annoyance!

I might just keep her as a pet, as she is so tiny she will take up no room. She was very sick as a squab, with air in the crop, then slow crop, then they both caught pigeon pox. The other one was a lot stronger and grew to a normal size, but she is very small.

I will get some corn tomorrow. I had got some peanuts and I'll crush them up and mix with her seed. Once she has got a bit fatter I will stop leaving the food out all the time and just feed 2 times a day to make her more hungry to not be so fussy!

Thanks again everyone. I feel a lot calmer now.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

jak2002003 said:


> thank you for all the great advise.
> 
> I just got a pair a young King Pigeons 2 days ago, and they eat anything I offer! I will put this little one in with them and let him see what they are eating.
> 
> ...


DO NOT PUT THE YOUNG ONE IN WITH THEM.
Firstly, New birds should be quarantined for at least 3 weeks to avoid any possible transmission of disease etc.
Secondly, The pair will probably see the youngster as a threat to their territory & possbly attack it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I agree that I wouldn't put him in with the larger birds, and for the same reasons.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Ups. I did it already. The smaller bird is the boss and the big king pigeons are frightened of her!

I think I will be OK with the birds health as all seem very healthy. In fact I regularly visited the 2 king pigeons in the small pet shop for about 2 months before I had enough money to buy them and they have been healthy all this time. If anything does happen it will be easy to treat all 3 instead of 2.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Things could change and they could hurt him. Be too late then.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Its OK really. They get on great. The little one is the boss 100 percent and will dominate the food dish not allowing the other 2 to get near his precious red seeds!

They have plenty of space to get away from each other if they want and food and water dishes in several areas. They are in a huge aviary with my Japanese Bantams, collared doves, turkey and mynah bird. Its a walk in aviary that is made by covering over a large corner of my garden. There is no fighting with any of the birds.

The little one is still hooked on the red seeds. I took the seed mix out totally today so he can only eat the chicken food or from the pot of corn. Everything is eating the chicken food - but not my little crazy pigeon! 

I need to send him to a red see re-hab centre!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I wouldn't remove the seed, he will learn in time to eat the other seeds. It's very normal for a pigeon to be picky and like only certain seeds in the beginning. I wouldn't obsess over it. He will not starve himself, but if you think he will, then removing the seed mix is more likely to do that. He needs to learn to get used to all the seeds. How does that happen by removing them? They can pass illness to each other by being housed together and even sharing seed. Just not a good idea.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Well all my birds are housed together in the large aviary. Most have been in there for over 5 years and none are sick. What happens in the wild? All the birds don't get sick all the time and die. All my birds are very healthy and happy. In face I usually have too many and often sell the chickens and ring neck doves as they breed like crazy. 

The small pigeon has started eating the chicken pellets and peanuts because after he finished the red seeds I would not re fill the bowl. After a couple of days he got so hungry he had to try the other stuff - watching the bigger pigeons and ring neck doves eating must have also helped as I saw him standing near them watching intently. 

Now his problem has gone. He is gaining weight and is not refusing other seeds. He gets his red seeds (which are in the seed mix) in the morning. Then once he has finished them he has to eat the other seeds.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

jak2002003 said:


> Well all my birds are housed together in the large aviary. Most have been in there for over 5 years and none are sick. What happens in the wild? All the birds don't get sick all the time and die. All my birds are very healthy and happy. In face I usually have too many and often sell the chickens and ring neck doves as they breed like crazy.
> 
> The small pigeon has started eating the chicken pellets and peanuts because after he finished the red seeds I would not re fill the bowl. After a couple of days he got so hungry he had to try the other stuff - watching the bigger pigeons and ring neck doves eating must have also helped as I saw him standing near them watching intently.
> 
> Now his problem has gone. He is gaining weight and is not refusing other seeds. He gets his red seeds (which are in the seed mix) in the morning. Then once he has finished them he has to eat the other seeds.


In the wild the birds are free to go and eat where they wish, they do not share the same food & water source or the same proximity to others.
OK s the aviary may be larger than most, but it is still a confined space as regards housing different types.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Quazar said:


> In the wild the birds are free to go and eat where they wish, they do not share the same food & water source or the same proximity to others.
> OK s the aviary may be larger than most, but it is still a confined space as regards housing different types.


Well that's not always the case. Many birds will drink at the same pond or garden birdbath. Many birds will share the same food source - just look at flocks or starlings in a field all feeding together with pigeons, crows, jackdaws, blackbirds.

Birds will share roosting sights, such as large groups of wading birds on sandbanks at hight tide. Even in humans gardens where we feed the birds with feeders many species will share the same food and water containers.

When a fruiting tree is bearing fruit many species will all flock together to feed. In many woodlands many species of small birds will join together and move through the tree tops as a 'bird wave' for protection from predators.

A clear example of birds being in close proximity is a sea bird colony on steep cliffs. Here its not just one species together. Even in my aviary many small birds can fit through the wire, including sparrows and sunbirds. When the farmers throw rice out for the chickens large flocks of sparrows and doves will clean up what the chickens eat.

There is always a possibility of diseases transmission, but healthy, stress free birds will have a good immune system and be more likely to fend off diseases.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

jak2002003 said:


> Well that's not always the case. Many birds will drink at the same pond or garden birdbath. Many birds will share the same food source - just look at flocks or starlings in a field all feeding together with pigeons, crows, jackdaws, blackbirds.
> 
> Birds will share roosting sights, such as large groups of wading birds on sandbanks at hight tide. Even in humans gardens where we feed the birds with feeders many species will share the same food and water containers.
> 
> ...


Yes, and if one just happens to be ill, then others can become ill also, however, they are not limited to just that one area or feeder, they also have other places where they forage and birds usually know when another is ill so tend to avoid or cast the ill ones out.

Actually, Healthy birds kept in loft situations are more succeptable to the slightest of diseases. Feral or wild birds have to go through stress of predation and illness all the time, and in doing so can build up a certain resistance and manage fight off disease better.
Kept birds often have very little resistance to disease when it strikes as their system has never had to deal with it. 

The advice you have peviously been given is in the best interest of the birds, it is up to you how you wish to take it, but remember, it only takes one small thing to cause devastation to a group.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It just isn't good to house them together. We wouldn't tell you this is it wasn't true, and we're not here to argue the point with you. Only trying to give you heads up on something you don't seem to be aware of. What you choose to do with the information is up to you.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Jay3 said:


> It just isn't good to house them together. We wouldn't tell you this is it wasn't true, and we're not here to argue the point with you. Only trying to give you heads up on something you don't seem to be aware of. What you choose to do with the information is up to you.


So what would you house them with? Even if they were all pigeons one might get sick when free flying around the loft (or returning from a race) and then bring the disease back to the others. 

I am quite aware of the dangers of birds getting ill through diseases... I am a qualified Zoologist and also worked at well know zoo in the UK for many years caring for hundreds of birds. We actually had many mixed aviaries at the zoo, including a huge wetland aviary with ducks, storks, ibis, spoonbills, vultures, rock doves, and wading birds.

Your opinion is yours, thank you for your advise, but please don't make out that I am not aware of these issues or the way I keep my birds is wrong and harmful to them.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

jak2002003 said:


> So what would you house them with? Even if they were all pigeons one might get sick when free flying around the loft (or returning from a race) and then bring the disease back to the others.
> 
> I am quite aware of the dangers of birds getting ill through diseases... I am a qualified Zoologist and also worked at well know zoo in the UK for many years caring for hundreds of birds. We actually had many mixed aviaries at the zoo, including a huge wetland aviary with ducks, storks, ibis, spoonbills, vultures, rock doves, and wading birds.
> 
> Your opinion is yours, thank you for your advise, but please don't make out that I am not aware of these issues or the way I keep my birds is wrong and harmful to them.


Yet again you are trying to justify your descisions as you obviously have chosen to disregard good advice.
Strange thing is, If you area qualified zoologist then you should already know this advce is good so why take a risk.
Incidently, although rock doves are cliff dwellers in real habitat, they should not be housed in a wetland type aviary.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Quazar said:


> Yet again you are trying to justify your descisions as you obviously have chosen to disregard good advice.
> Strange thing is, If you area qualified zoologist then you should already know this advce is good so why take a risk.
> Incidently, although rock doves are cliff dwellers in real habitat, they should not be housed in a wetland type aviary.


OH my goodness. Just what is your problem? I just have a different opinion from yours. If I don't agree with you advise then that's up to me. Why do you feel I am trying to 'justify' my decisions like they are the wrong ones? Why are you questioning my understanding, education and experience? They are my decisions and and you are welcome to keep your birds how ever you like. I have never said the way you keep you birds is wrong. 

You also want to say that one of the largest and most successful zoos in Europe is keeping their birds wrong now?! I will give you the details: 

the aviary I am talking about is a European wetland aviary. It houses about 15 different species of mostly endangered birds from this region. One large area of the aviary is a lake, connected by a large steam which is fed from a pump hight up on some artificial cliffs. The cliffs make up the entire back area of the aviary and incorporated into them are caves and hollows for nesting sights for the rock doves, chough, ibis and vultures. Another area of the aviary is a large grass covered meadow and there are also a few areas of woodland for the tree nesting birds (spoonbills and egrets) to use. Is that OK? Yes the birds all share the same feeding areas, and they share the lake. They are not dead or sick.

As for my own birds they are thriving. As I say I have had most for over 5 years. The only sickness I had was a hen who sprained her leg and also scaly leg, which I treated and this had not re infected them in over a year.

You stated that birds in the wild will avoid other sick birds. Where did you get this information from? In fact they are likely to be attracted to the sick bird - a bird of prey will make an easy meal from a sick bird. Also birds in the flock will likely attack and kill the sick one.

If you want to cast doubt on my qualification as a Zoologist and also my experience working at zoos and wildlife organisations I can gladly give you names of the university I attended and also send you some of my research work.

I really can not understand how me asking advise about my rescued pigeons feeding problems has led me to have to explain in detail all the above and that you have tried to make me feel I am not able to care for my pet birds.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

jak2002003 said:


> OH my goodness. Just what is your problem? I just have a different opinion from yours. If I don't agree with you advise then that's up to me. Why do you feel I am trying to 'justify' my decisions like they are the wrong ones? Why are you questioning my understanding, education and experience? They are my decisions and and you are welcome to keep your birds how ever you like. I have never said the way you keep you birds is wrong.
> 
> You also want to say that one of the largest and most successful zoos in Europe is keeping their birds wrong now?! I will give you the details:
> 
> ...


The thing here is, i'm not actually questioning your zoological qualifications, more your translation of space & reality.

Surely even you can see the difference between a small personal aviary (even a one that is slightly larger than normal) and a professional massive construction like for example the Snowdon Aviary in London Zoo.
That has been designed with thought for the birds and their natuaral habitat(s), and is large enough that the birds will feed/be fed in their own areas and be comfortable in their own self defined areas. It is large enough for each to be able avoid each other if required.
You cannot "shrink" the idea down without putting the birds at risk.
Just because you have not had any problems with your birds does not mean it is a correct or indeed safe way to house the birds.
I really dont see any point in continuing this exchange of views. 
As i said before, The information has been given by those of us experianced with pigeons and what you choose do with it is up to you.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Quazar said:


> The thing here is, i'm not actually questioning your zoological qualifications, more your translation of space & reality.
> 
> Surely even you can see the difference between a small personal aviary (even a one that is slightly larger than normal) and a professional massive construction like for example the Snowdon Aviary in London Zoo.
> That has been designed with thought for the birds and their natuaral habitat(s), and is large enough that the birds will feed/be fed in their own areas and be comfortable in their own self defined areas. It is large enough for each to be able avoid each other if required.
> ...


What would be the natural habitat for my domesticated Japanese Bantams, white ringneck doves and turkey exactly? Oh and my king pigeons that can't really fly as they are meat birds and are too heavy? How do you know my aviary has not been designed with thought for my birds?! My birds have ground and floor feeding areas and different water sources. They also occupy different areas of the aviary, the chickens and fowl on the ground, the smaller birds in the trees or branches above. They have plenty of room to avoid each other if they want. Most of the time they like to be near each other, often sunbathing on the sand area in a group. They all get on really well, no fighting or chasing. They are all happy and breed freely, and I sell the surplus birds.

For you information I do have experience with pigeons - I used to keep, breed and sell show quality Indian Fantail Doves many years ago when I lived in the UK. I did not have the feeding / weaning problem that I had with my hand reared feral pigeon, thats why I asked advise about it. 

I was not expecting someone to criticise my treatment of my much loved and well cared for pets. Also my knowledge and understanding about basic animal husbandry and disease control.

You come across as rather arrogant. I can agree with you on one thing though, and that is I also don't wish to continue this conversation.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

well I think the turkey would or could be the one to lose out if he/she did get a disease from say the chickens.. it is call black head.. but then again, turkyes do not like to be kept alone..they get lonely.. so it may be more stress to move that one.. just be aware of this.

"Poultry (especially free-ranging) and wild birds commonly harbor a number of parasitic worms with only mild health problems from them. Turkeys are much more susceptible to getting blackhead than are chickens. Thus chickens can be infected carriers for a long time because they aren't removed or medicated by their owner, and they don't die or stop eating/defecating. H. gallinarum eggs can remain infective in soil for four years, thus there is a high risk of transmitting blackhead to turkeys if they graze areas with chicken feces[5] in this time frame."


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