# Seed and grain feed mix recipes anyone???



## Ede-bird

I have been trying to buy some proper pigeon food for Cooter now that he will peck for seeds - I have a bit of Budgie seed ( but that's not great as a diet for Budgies, never mind pigies) I have been to the feed stores and they will happily sell me a 20Kg bag of pellets -for one pigeon...sigh...I purchased a 3 lb bag of Hagen pigeon and dove food from the pet store, but again I worry about it's true nutritional value... I am more than willing to mix a proper seed, grain, and pellet mix if someone is willing to share their favourite recipe! 

ps- if this is posted in the wrong place will a moderator move it for me...I didn't see a food and diet section, but then again it may have been right under my nose


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## sky tx

Just Maybe?????????
go to a feed store buy a handful of--milo-wheat-corn-pea's-and what ever else you see that you may want?????????????
They may even have pigeon feed that they sell buy the pound. Mix your own .


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## Ede-bird

They don't sell it by the pound, but I do know where I can get grains and seeds - what I'm looking for are- Which grains and seeds and in what proportions, do things like wheat and corn and oats have to be hulled or cracked or ...anything? For example I see that people give their pigies mung beans - I have parrots and unsprouted or uncooked beans of any kind is a serious no-no - they have toxins in their raw state that can make your parrots very sick or very dead....


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## sky tx

Ede-bird what town in B C? they may have a pigeon club---Homer or Fancy
Maybe check
http://www.crpu.ca


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## Ede-bird

I'll check it out - Thank you Any recipes folks???


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## spirit wings

here are some of the grains and peas in a pigeon mix, I can not tell you the measurements of each one, but would go easy on the high fat ones, corn can be added in the winter months, or try just a bit of the pop corn. what does the hagen feed have in it?

http://www.purgrain.com/Ingredients-2010.html


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## Ede-bird

Hagen pigeon and dove food: protein 11%, oil&fat 4%, fibre7.5%, made of white millet, red milo, red millet, whole wheat, canary grass seed, feed oats, cracked corn, oat groats, green split peas, safflower seed, calcium carbonate, orange oil, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, ferrous carbonate, copper sulphate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate(0.2mg/kg) Is this complete enough??? I'm beginning to suspect that asking for recipes is kind of like asking those 2 old ladies on The Waltons what went into their Papas "recipe" - in other words an unintenional faux pas because of competitive edge in racing or something. I apologise if this is the case


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## sky tx

I would NOT feed cracked corn---It may cause Canker. Other wise it sounds like a good mixture
BUT Hey-I have been wrong before


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## Jay3

To a dove mix, you could add more split peas, whole dried peas if you can find them, I found a super market that sells them, lentils, (regular and the small red), safflower, if there aren't many in it, pop corn, brown rice. You are right in that beans are a no no.


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## Ede-bird

Thanks all! I seem to be reading alot of conflicting info regarding cracked corn and beans - so I'll avoid the beans and only use the cracked corn when it comes in a clean premix. I'll go and get some other grains to add for variety - there is a Community Supported Agriculture grain mill near here that can get all kinds of clean organic grain.


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## sky tx

If you feed cracked corn--BE SURE you have some Canker medicine on hand.


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## Jay3

Ede-bird said:


> Thanks all! *I seem to be reading alot of conflicting info regarding cracked corn and beans -* so I'll avoid the beans and only use the cracked corn when it comes in a clean premix. I'll go and get some other grains to add for variety - there is a Community Supported Agriculture grain mill near here that can get all kinds of clean organic grain.



Uncooked beans contain a poison called hemaglutin. Hemaglutin is very toxic to birds.


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## ValencianFigs

Does the rice have to be brown rice??? and also I have never added rice because I was wondering if it doesn't cause any problems??


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## Jay3

Some people use white rice, but brown rice would be more nutritious. And no, rice doesn't cause any problems.


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## ValencianFigs

Ok, good because I just added brown rice and white rice yesterday. The pigeons and doves loved it. They all jumped in the three bowls I put and ate almost all the rice and lentils I put in  I am going to go and buy popcorn soon and put it in there.


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## Jay3

Split peas are good too. And I found whole dried green peas which they love, as they are smaller than the larger Canadian peas that mine don't care for. They prefer the Australian peas, that come in the mixes, which are smaller, but not so much the larger Canadian. If you find the small red lentils, some of them like those. And safflower, just a little bit. They love them.


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## cubanlofts

I use 10 pounds of cracked corn, 5 pounds of sunflower seed, and 2.5 pounds of peas and mix them together. 

I use 2 teaspoons of vinegar per gallon of water, 2 time s a week, and garlic juice once a week, my birds love those sunflower seeds


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## cubanlofts

sky tx said:


> If you feed cracked corn--BE SURE you have some Canker medicine on hand.


why, i have never had any problem with cracked corn, have u?


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## maniac

I buy a 44 kilo bag of mixed grain which contains cracked corn as the base of my feed. I add peas, green lentils, barley to the mix.

I've never had a problem with the cracked corn affecting my pigeons health. Can anyone give me some specific information where it does cause canker or is this fact only an old wives tale without any science or proof behind it ?. 

Mixed grain costs me under $13.00 for the 44 kilo sack at the mill. A bag of pigeon mix is sold in a 22 kilo sack and is priced at $ 24.00. My birds refuse to eat the peas in the pigeon mix probably because they are too large.


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## cubanlofts

i ve being feeding crack corn forever, and i have never, never had a problem, i make and mix my own feed do, like i say, i mix c corn, sunflower seeds and small dry pies, and they love it, they cant get enough of it.


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## cubanlofts

Jay3 said:


> Split peas are good too. And I found whole dried green peas which they love, as they are smaller than the larger Canadian peas that mine don't care for. They prefer the Australian peas, that come in the mixes, which are smaller, but not so much the larger Canadian. If you find the small red lentils, some of them like those. And safflower, just a little bit. They love them.


where do u buy ur split peas, cant find them anywhere, thanks


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## spirit wings

cubanlofts said:


> where do u buy ur split peas, cant find them anywhere, thanks


they sell it at the grocery store where the dried beans are.. they are in a bag.. your mix sounds like they need more legumes in it..and more variety.. I feed lizzie mae feed, I get it in a 50lb bag..the mix is:
canada peas 
milo
maple peas
safflower seeds'
wheat
white millet
austrian peas
oat groats
canola
rice
popcorn
green peas
white milo
red millet........ it cost 25 bucks for a bag.. I would not want to find all that and mix it myself...so really buying a mix for pigeons is the way to go.


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## Ede-bird

Thanks everyone. I have been using the mix that I first mentioned - Hagen brand - and I was picking all of the cracked corn out of it. The biologist in me knows that cracked corn cannot cause trichomonaisis...but then french fries don't cause heart attacks either - it's cause and effect, and I thought that I should listen to the experienced pigeon owners. After that rather labour intensive exercise I added popping corn, budgie seeds, and sunflower seeds to the mix, and he has a dish of pellets as well. Cooter seems to like the smaller seeds and pellets the best.


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## The_Dirteeone

I use a game bird feed called Knockout,it has corn, groats, peas, milo,barley,and wheat.I add 22% protien pellets,more for the breeding loft,and give a expensive red grit full of good stuff.My pigeons seem to love it,sometimes leaving the pellets and some barley.I always make them finish the left overs ,because they seem to get pickie,if I replenish thier feed when there is the leftovers there.My breeders seem to dodge the pellets from time to time,so I go in with the feed can,and put just a little on top of the leftovers,and they wipe all of it out.After they clean it up I wash the feed bucket,and refill it with the mix.


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## cubanlofts

spirit wings said:


> they sell it at the grocery store where the dried beans are.. they are in a bag.. your mix sounds like they need more legumes in it..and more variety.. I feed lizzie mae feed, I get it in a 50lb bag..the mix is:
> canada peas
> milo
> maple peas
> safflower seeds'
> wheat
> white millet
> austrian peas
> oat groats
> canola
> rice
> popcorn
> green peas
> white milo
> red millet........ it cost 25 bucks for a bag.. I would not want to find all that and mix it myself...so really buying a mix for pigeons is the way to go.


sounds deligthful, from where u get this mix, lizzie mae? any store in particular, it s very balanced, thats for sure, if u could tell me, that will be great, thanks


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## cubanlofts

cubanlofts said:


> sounds deligthful, from where u get this mix, lizzie mae? any store in particular, it s very balanced, thats for sure, if u could tell me, that will be great, thanks


canada peas are kind of big do, dont u think?


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## spirit wings

cubanlofts said:


> sounds deligthful, from where u get this mix, lizzie mae? any store in particular, it s very balanced, thats for sure, if u could tell me, that will be great, thanks


Lizzie mae's bird seed and dry goods.
phone: 330-473-4912
inquiries welcome it says..
they are an omish mill so they do not have a website..you can call to see which retailer near you orders their seeds...here it is wildbirds unlimited and the store owner orders it for me..and I pick it up at the store..it is the cleanest feed I have bought thus far..

the canada peas are not too big..they eat all the big legumes before they eat the smaller ones... if a pigeon can eat a peanut he can eat a canada pea.. no problem..


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## cubanlofts

ty very much, iam in missouri, amish stores are very close to me, gonna do some research in this matter, jones seed company sells the 50 pounds for less than 20, but i would have to pay shipping, is very good stuff 2 do, very balanced feed, one more time, thanks.
i just found the jones store online a second ago.


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## HollyM

I've been looking for a good pigeon mix in Australia for ages now. Lately we've only found one guy who does a mix for us that my 3 Saxon Monk's love. Though this week as my hen's egg has just hatched and she's eating more for the baby etc, we've run out. But now the feed man has moved away and we're back to the expensive seed from the pet food wholesaler. The pigeons dont seem to like this one as much. It has corn in it but they just flick it all out of the dish, so we cracked it but they wouldn't eat that either. 
But I have read this thread and taken a list of the different seeds etc and bought what i can. At the moment Ive mixed, sunflower seeds and kernels, split peas, a generic bird seed, brown rice and barley. Though I still have some questions.
With the rice, I was told that it puffs up in their stomachs and makes them sick. As I've read here it doesn't have any bad effect on them but I would still like someone to confirm that.
Also is pearl barley the same as normal barley in any nutritional way. I know that pearl barley is just dehulled, but does the absence of the hull pose any threat to the pigeons?
Any answers would be nice as I've only just come into the hobby of owning pigeons for the better part of a year now, and I'm definatley willing to learn more about caring for them.
Thanks,
Holly, Percy, Penelope, Peter and Baby.


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## spirit wings

HollyM said:


> I've been looking for a good pigeon mix in Australia for ages now. Lately we've only found one guy who does a mix for us that my 3 Saxon Monk's love. Though this week as my hen's egg has just hatched and she's eating more for the baby etc, we've run out. But now the feed man has moved away and we're back to the expensive seed from the pet food wholesaler. The pigeons dont seem to like this one as much. It has corn in it but they just flick it all out of the dish, so we cracked it but they wouldn't eat that either.
> But I have read this thread and taken a list of the different seeds etc and bought what i can. At the moment Ive mixed, sunflower seeds and kernels, split peas, a generic bird seed, brown rice and barley. Though I still have some questions.
> With the rice, I was told that it puffs up in their stomachs and makes them sick. As I've read here it doesn't have any bad effect on them but I would still like someone to confirm that.
> Also is pearl barley the same as normal barley in any nutritional way. I know that pearl barley is just dehulled, but does the absence of the hull pose any threat to the pigeons?
> Any answers would be nice as I've only just come into the hobby of owning pigeons for the better part of a year now, and I'm definatley willing to learn more about caring for them.
> Thanks,
> Holly, Percy, Penelope, Peter and Baby.


some pigeon feeds have rice in them so rice is fine.. not much nutritional value but adds a carb to the mix and they seem to like it..


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## ValencianFigs

I put in brown rice that is short grain it kind of makes it easier for them to eat.


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## Jay3

ValencianFigs said:


> I put in brown rice that is short grain it kind of makes it easier for them to eat.


Yes. I use that too. Less long and pointy.


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## cubanlofts

Grains are obsolete my friend, pellets is the future, i use quality egg 16 from MFA, yes it s for chickens, but if u read the label its well balanced, 16 per cent protein and everything, grains can de dusty adding more harm that good, but thats my opinion, which Iam entitled 2, lol


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## Jay3

They generally like grains better, so why not let them have what they like. Grains will never be obsolete.


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## GEMcC5150

pellets is the future !!!!!!! ya sure, some places you can't pellets so you have to feed grains. I think most birds would prefer grain over some manufactured pellet. I think most people prefer fresh food over so manufactured stuff in a bag


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## Kailey lane

i think Lizzie Mae does have a site.im not familiar with the brand but it says it is amish and they sell bird food.it looks like good food,thanks for sharing the ingredients 

http://www.lizziemaesbirdseed.com/index.html


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