# RAW vegetables and fruits? Whats your thoughts



## shadowgames (Mar 13, 2010)

I have seen several people in different places speak about feeding their birds fresh raw vegetables and I was wondering if people do this in racing pigeons or it is more of just a treat for the birds. Also has anyone heard of feeding bananas to a pigeon, nutrition values of a banana makes it one of the most perfect foods in the world? Thanks for input guys


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Pigeons are grain eaters but do eat lettuce and apples somewhat as a treat. In the wild I am sure they have array of foods --small seed--bread---and other things they eat for their survival. I would not feed them bananas or raw foods because it could be upsetting for their systems and somethings would kill them-plus the foods left over gets decayed and some of it is moist and this is bad plus a lot of sugar in items and too much salt is a killer of pigeons but I am sure as people chime in there are foods that are safe and could be tried. I know people like to put vinegar in a non-metalic container and other food feed their pigeons a mixture of pellet and grain and I am curious on your responses that you get as well as you I am sure....c.hert---I would not give them bananas..c.hert


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

We provide lettuce for our rescue aviary pigeons, and they really go for it. We started giving leaves of watercress, rocket, spinach, chard and one or two others (washed) to our European Wood Pigeons (green leaf is part of their natural diet), and have found that our other pigeons also seem to enjoy chopped up greens. Wild Rock Pigeons do, anyway, eat some leaf. I'd not provide banana, either, just because I'm not a fan of giving pigeons anything too 'exotic'.

John


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## bcr1 (Jun 9, 2009)

They love spinach and other fresh greens and it is very good for them, lots of vitamins.


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## Bella (May 2, 2009)

I give mine fresh, organic red chard once or twice a week. I dice it up, stalks and all and just drop a plate full in each section. The birds go nuts for it, even seems to top the peanuts. If I'm feeling lazy I just poke the stalks through with a twistie tie and hang it in the aviary. It keeps the birds busy for hours that way. 
I give them sprouts here and there as well. I've been buying those, but I'm going to start growing my own for them this summer.
I tried diced baby spinach, but it really made a mess of their droppings. I gave carrots a try too...but they were not interested.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

shadowgames said:


> I have seen several people in different places speak about feeding their birds fresh raw vegetables and I was wondering if people do this in racing pigeons or it is more of just a treat for the birds. Also has anyone heard of feeding bananas to a pigeon, nutrition values of a banana makes it one of the most perfect foods in the world? Thanks for input guys


My two cents is that they are pigeons and not parrots. I feed a well balanced pellet diet, so there is no need for supplementation. I do give them some Kale once in awhile, just to make me feel good. You will read and hear of people doing all kinds of crazy things. But, just as my mother would say, if so and so jumps off a bridge are you going to go do it also ?


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Warren, doesn't your video have your birds receiving broccoli and in the video you say they love it? (jsut going from memory)


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Yeah...broccoli also....but when I wrote that post, I could not spell broccoli and didn't think anyone would notice....but Kale they like also, but around breeding season this time of year, they have a tendency to pull it into their nest and use it as nesting material !  Once in a great while some broccoli ends up there also, but not nearly as often. I do both a lot less often since I went to the pellets.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Mine love chopped kale, finely chopped carrots, sprouts, defrosted frozen peas and corn. Some like one better, and some the other. They're great for them. Lots of vitamins and minerals. Mine prefer the kale copped, rather than whole leaves. I guess they're spoiled and don't want to have to work at it.


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

Hey Jay3, where's my plate. LoL


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Fantastic Jay  You should have pretty happy pigeons


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## Guest (Mar 24, 2010)

This is a good article by Dr Colin Walker that talks about supplementing seed diets with fresh greens and other things. 

THE DRY SEED DIET – ITS SUPPLEMENTATION TO ENHANCE HEALTH


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Sasha, that was a good read, thanks


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> Mine love chopped kale, finely chopped carrots, sprouts, defrosted frozen peas and corn. Some like one better, and some the other. They're great for them. Lots of vitamins and minerals. Mine prefer the kale copped, rather than whole leaves. I guess they're spoiled and don't want to have to work at it.


Wow Jay, That looks like my plate..........lol


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They love them, and usually don't leave much.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I think it's great, I just do not do as often as I should... when I die i want to be a pigeon at Jay3 's loft.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

sasha008 said:


> This is a good article by Dr Colin Walker that talks about supplementing seed diets with fresh greens and other things.
> 
> THE DRY SEED DIET – ITS SUPPLEMENTATION TO ENHANCE HEALTH


Good article. Thanks for sharing it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> I think it's great, I just do not do as often as I should... when I die i want to be a pigeon at Jay3 's loft.


I'll save a good nest box for you. I know you like one with a front. And as for the perch..............do you prefer just outside the box, or across the room?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Jay3 said:


> I'll save a good nest box for you. I know you like one with a front. And as for the perch..............do you prefer just outside the box, or across the room?


anything will do...lol.. as far as the front goes, thats ok if there is not one, I would like to cause a bit of trouble nest box hopping every now and again...keeps them on their toes..


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## YaSin11 (Jul 23, 2009)

Jay3 yr salad pic made get a craving real bad lol! munchin' on carrots right now  lucky pigeons  Thanks for the pics


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> anything will do...lol.. as far as the front goes, thats ok if there is not one, I would like to cause a bit of trouble nest box hopping every now and again...keeps them on their toes..


Good for you! I would expect you to do that.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

YaSin11 said:


> Jay3 yr salad pic made get a craving real bad lol! munchin' on carrots right now  lucky pigeons  Thanks for the pics


LOL. I know. When I make it for them, it makes me want one too. Only I like Italian dressing on mine.


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## Keith C. (Jan 25, 2005)

In season, I give my pigeons edible weeds like wood sorrel, plantain, dandelion and lambs quarter and non-fertilized grass clippings.
During the winter they get some mixed salad greens, that a friend of mine gets for free to feed his animals


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## gunnarwordon (Jan 14, 2012)

what about spinach?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Spinach is good for them.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

some of my pigeons liked to eat lettuce. they loved it


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## klondike goldie (Apr 20, 2009)

I give vegetables and fruit to my parrot but not to my pigeons.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Mine liked the different lettuces and finely chopped carrot.


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## gunnarwordon (Jan 14, 2012)

*an excess of spinach.*

I have WAY too much spinach in the fridge, I can feed my pigeons the excess!


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Jay3 said:


> Mine love chopped kale, finely chopped carrots, sprouts, defrosted frozen peas and corn. Some like one better, and some the other. They're great for them. Lots of vitamins and minerals. Mine prefer the kale copped, rather than whole leaves. I guess they're spoiled and don't want to have to work at it.



I think the greens and carrots and what not are all just fine. If one uses a seed diet, then it is even more important to supplement the diet. I feed a specially fiormulated pellet diet so much of the supplementation is not needed, but if they enjoy it, like the lovely salaid you provided in these pictures, I think it is all well and good.

As provided in some other posts, Dr. Walker discusses the supplementation needed for today's inadequate seed diets. http://www.auspigeonco.com.au/Articles/dryseed.html


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Oh that's funny! I had forgotten that I had posted these. They do love their salad though. Some prefer the carrots more, and some the lettuce.....LOL.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> I'll save a good nest box for you. I know you like one with a front. And as for the perch..............do you prefer just outside the box, or across the room?


How about one with a view?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

All my perches have a view!


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> All my perches have a view!


The heck with waiting til I die, I'm moving in now.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

almondman said:


> The heck with waiting til I die, I'm moving in now.


Your salad will be waiting.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

You are much too kind! But you have to keep spirit wings on the other side of the loft. I don't play well with others


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

almondman said:


> You are much too kind! But you have to keep spirit wings on the other side of the loft. I don't play well with others


It's hard, but I'm leaving that one alone.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> It's hard, but I'm leaving that one alone.



I may wish that I had also!!!!!


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## mill pigeon (Apr 2, 2008)

i take lettece cabbage celery brocolli spinach carrots onions and garlic and chop them up in a food prosesser and mix that with the grain 2-3 times a week it makes there droppings loose but after a couple hours there back to normal 
i don't medicate except worm every 6 weeks because i use deep litter and so for since i started doing this i haven't had any sick pigeons and the fly in the top percent against people that have been flying since before i was born so it doesn't hurt them


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Onions are listed as toxic to birds, so why would you take the chance?


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## mill pigeon (Apr 2, 2008)

never had a problem
i started using it when a club member came back from holland and was told by hank deweerd which is a very well known pigeon vet that he recommends using it and while he was there alot of the fanciers he visited use it and i'm not talking about the average joes he visited jan van deposche verkerk vebree and brad de joode just to name a few
theres alot of things we use and eat everyday that has toxins in it just don't over do it even water if you drink to much can poison you just use your head and don't over do it


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

my birds love thistle


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

this is an old thread. dates at top of posts, it was started 2010


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## Flapdoodle (Nov 8, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> this is an old thread. dates at top of posts, it was started 2010


I love four year old threads re-birthed. 

I grow a large garden. This year I am growing walking stick kale. Strange plant. Anyway I cut a few leaves every now and then and give to the birds. I won't say they devour it but when I come back later they have all the leaf portion pecked away just leaving the stems.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Flapdoodle said:


> I love four year old threads re-birthed.
> 
> I grow a large garden. This year I am growing walking stick kale. Strange plant. Anyway I cut a few leaves every now and then and give to the birds. I won't say they devour it but when I come back later they have all the leaf portion pecked away just leaving the stems.


That is good to know, dates needs to be mentioned because sometimes people wonder why the thread starter does not respond to their post. but here is good as any place to talk small talk about veggies I suppose.


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## V-John (May 15, 2008)

We use greens too. I think it's kale, that the mentor grows right outside the loft. Every once in a while, I break off some leaves, throw them in the aviary, and they pick at it almost immediately. They love it.


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