# A bird to clear up corn off the floor?



## bolton (Jun 2, 2007)

Would it be possible to keep another species of bird in the loft with my racers to clear up seed off the floor? Anybody done this? I thought about a chuck but I'm not sure how this would work. The loft is 10 feet by 10 feet and leads out into a large back yard.

Thanks.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Well, the short answer to that question, is, "there shouldn't be any corn on the floor"..........you should give your birds what they are going to eat and no more. That way, they clean it up themselves. If there is corn/food all over the floor, they are being fed way to much. Overfeeding AND having food in the floor where the droppings are is not a good thing.


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## Pigeon lower (Oct 23, 2007)

my dad feeds some half a ounce or a ounce a day i think... but right now because we just moved were waiting for money to build a coop we feed then every other day extra food and extra water ,, over feeding is really bad escpcially when ur my age and want ur pigeons to come in before the night comes lol they stay out for hours..altho over feeding is okay for breeding /or if ur gone for awhile


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

lovebirds is right, technicaly there should not be left over food. without finding a cover up to mistakes you should stop doing the mistakes.


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## bjanzen (Sep 15, 2007)

Sounds like overfeeding......I feed 1 oz. per bird once per day and still have trouble getting them in in the evening.


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## bjanzen (Sep 15, 2007)

Maybe try feeding barley and see how hungry they really aren't...... 

This trick was given to me....feed barley and if they are hungry, they will eat it. If not, just leave it until they are hungry.


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

I feed my birds twice a day and just enough so that only few is left for the stranglers but they all finish within the hour. There is no harm in skipping a meal to see how there eating capacity is.


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## samuri_spartan (Aug 26, 2007)

I agree with all of you about over feeding. Just wanted to add that i keep 2 bantams in my loft with my birds. The have free access to my flight cage and keep the bug population to a minimum. They pick up any loose grain when they forage. The little english game hen also breaks up fights when my cocks get to rough. Sometimes the hen lays eggs, and since homers and such good parrents they will try to incubate them. Silly birds.


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

I also keep a quail to eat the ants and a guini fowl to keep the snakes at bay but i find them difficult some times as the attack the sqeakers when they come out for the first time from the nest bowl.

I guess bantams would be nice to keep in the loft.


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## bjanzen (Sep 15, 2007)

What kind of quail do you keep? I would like a few around.

Barry


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*Button Quail*

HI BOLTON, You might try BUTTON QUAIL http://www.gamebird.com/button.html OR http://www.cyberquail.com They are very small quail, can hold them in the palm of your hand. GEORGE


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## bolton (Jun 2, 2007)

Thanks everyone for your advice. My birds fly free all day and food is always available. I've just gone on to a belgian mix that has a high percentage of corn in it. They just throw out the seeds they dont like as much and those tend to be corn and white peas. I could starve them on to it but I dont see the point. They eat the other 8 / 9 types of seed and I think its good for them to have a variety.

I live in the u.k. and I'm not sure if button quail would be okay outside - any advice from any u.k. fanciers that keep these would be appreciated. I also like the idea of a bantam hen. 

Thanks again.


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

you can keep any quail - i keep a button quail. Also keep only females - the males crow and could be annoying. Keep a few, i keep only 1 in each loft.


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

You could also try a different type of feeder, those with the plexiglass holes on the side to help stop seeds being thrown to the floor! I think putting any type of fowl into a pigeon loft to clean up seed opens yourself up to a whole new set of problems and would not recommend it!


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

bolton said:


> Thanks everyone for your advice. My birds fly free all day and food is always available. I've just gone on to a belgian mix that has a high percentage of corn in it. They just throw out the seeds they dont like as much and those tend to be corn and white peas. I could starve them on to it but I dont see the point. They eat the other 8 / 9 types of seed and I think its good for them to have a variety.
> 
> I live in the u.k. and I'm not sure if button quail would be okay outside - any advice from any u.k. fanciers that keep these would be appreciated. I also like the idea of a bantam hen.
> 
> Thanks again.


 Free flying all day with food which is always available, is a good recipe for trouble from my vantage point.

I also would strongly discourage any serious fanciers from mixing species together in the same loft. Since this thread was started in the "Homing and Racing Pigeons" under "Pigeons for Sport" I would suggest that no serious pigeon flier would *ever * consider your current practice of completely open loft with left over feed constantly laying on the floor becoming soiled, and contaminated. 

The housing of other foul in the same loft is also a major health concern and a bio-security hazard. I would *never* allow chickens, quail etc. even on the property. 

If you continue on this path, it's won't be too long before you will have to visit the other threads where they discuss medical issues, when your pigeons get sick, which they surely will.......


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

*Best not to Mix and Match.*

Warren, I totally agree.  
In addition, the chickens and quail could get very sick too. 
It's best not to "mix and match" which is something I had to learn the hard way. Now that Chickens and pigeons are housed separately, there are fewer medical problems for each.


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