# Layer pellet?



## PigeonX (Oct 17, 2010)

I was wondering if it would be healthy to feed my pigeons chicken layer pellets to help them lay better eggs. Would the hens begin laying infertile eggs like chickens or will they just have healthier fertile eggs. Also, is chicken layer pellet only for the hens or will the cocks become more supplemented? What is also in layer pellet? Is there calcium in the mix to allow for them to lay healthier?


----------



## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

I've tried it this winter with my early breeders. Seems like once they've layed they don't want it any more.


----------



## vivagirl (Jun 24, 2008)

I feed my flock laying pellits(20% Proten) for several years. It has every thing a bird needs. In fact you don't have to give grit. I always did anyway. The problem with pellets is has more salt than needed for pigeons. The ovious effect is it makes their dropping loose. Now that I have found a source for wheat I mix it with the pellets. In cold weather I also give whole corn. If a person only had a few pair of pigeons laying pellets would suffice. Some people say there pigeons won't eat pellets but they will after 1 day. With the size flock I have I would feed my birds Purina Nutra Blend pellets. But it's just to expensive. If you want to test pellets put a pair of breeders on pellets and another pair on grain. The pellet squabs will easily beat out grain.


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Layer pellets were made for chickens and not pigeons. If you want your pigeons to have strong eggs, you need to make sure they get calcium and vitamin D3. You can buy calcium/vitd3 in liquid form and add it to the water. If you bird have a way to absorb sunshine, which is how they process vit D3, then you can offer them oyster shell in a dish separate from their seed. They must have vit D3 to process the calcium.


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Many people have been using chicken layer pellets for I do not know But know for over 30 years . And they have had no problems. BUT some layer pellets are medicated. Most any pellet feeding you will notice a change in droppings. More oder, looser droppings. and larger droppings. But that is because I believe less digestive need as they break down easyer.. Hog pellets have even been used. Grain is great but some poeople like pellets so yes it will work will not make them lay more has vitimans in it. And the birds will act normal. It does take time to convert the birds to pellets. Plus pellets are often cheaper but purina gold and green are still up there in cost.


----------



## PigeonVilla (Dec 8, 2010)

Layer pellets are a great addition to feed your birds when feeding birds with offspring or that are about to have offspring , it already has extra calcium in it for egg production and lots of good stuff for the raising of youngins to boot though I would also add grains in a half grains/half pellet formula .

p.s. they are less likely to eat the pellets if they dont have any offspring in the nest or at least on the way .


----------



## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

They are excellent. I use them for the calcium content which is quite high and the multivitamin/minerals. I use it as a supplement, however, and not as the main food so they get mix with seeds. Breeders do very well them. In my experience you will never have a thin shelled eggs.


----------



## Possum Fat (Mar 18, 2010)

I fed egg pellets for many years when I showed mookees. Never did give grit. Only downside I ever saw to it was that it got mushy when damp.


----------



## Doves1111 (Mar 5, 2005)

I feed layer pellets to my Ringneck Doves. I always supplemented it along with grain...but this past May I started feeding them just layer pellets and no grain. I saw a huge difference in the babies. They were bigger and feathered out faster. I also saw a difference in my doves' feathers...their feather quality improved and their colors deepened.

You have to read the labels and look for a brand that has a low salt content. Purina has a high salt content and this may cause loose dropping because they drink more water. Nutrena and Poulin both have a lower salt content and the droppings are firmer. 

Dawn


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I think if they eat them...they can live fine on layer pellets.. there will be more volume of poop to clean though..so if that does not bother you, then you can do the change slow to get them to eat the pellets..


----------



## eyespyer (Jul 14, 2008)

Doves1111 said:


> I feed layer pellets to my Ringneck Doves. I always supplemented it along with grain...but this past May I started feeding them just layer pellets and no grain. I saw a huge difference in the babies. They were bigger and feathered out faster. I also saw a difference in my doves' feathers...their feather quality improved and their colors deepened.
> 
> You have to read the labels and look for a brand that has a low salt content. Purina has a high salt content and this may cause loose dropping because they drink more water. Nutrena and Poulin both have a lower salt content and the droppings are firmer.
> 
> Dawn



Thanks, I was wondering about the droppings. All seemed good then I paired up the birds and as soon as they started to lay eggs I started giving them Layer pellets and the dropping got soft. I was thinking that I might have another issue. I feel much better now

Thanks again


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

eyespyer said:


> Thanks, I was wondering about the droppings. All seemed good then I paired up the birds and as soon as they started to lay eggs I started giving them Layer pellets and the dropping got soft. I was thinking that I might have another issue. I feel much better now
> 
> Thanks again


well breeding pairs that are active and going to lay.. and sitting on the nest will have large droppings too... so that plus the new feed could make for some pretty big sloppy droppings...


----------



## Doves1111 (Mar 5, 2005)

eyespyer said:


> Thanks, I was wondering about the droppings. All seemed good then I paired up the birds and as soon as they started to lay eggs I started giving them Layer pellets and the dropping got soft. I was thinking that I might have another issue. I feel much better now
> 
> Thanks again


Expect soft droppings for awhile when you change them over to eating pellets. It takes 2 to 3 weeks for their system to get used to the pellets. After that, their droppings should firm up. But like Spirit Wings said...also expect to see large sloppy droppings if they are sitting on a nest. 

Dawn


----------



## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*Pellets while I do use some pellets with the regular feed I only use pellets the are for pigeons.Chicken layer pellets are made for the chicken farmers chickens to boost eggs production for the market,they most likley have an antibiotic and hormonds to make the chicken lay. We all know that over use of antibiotics can cause problems for our birds. I believe that most people have no idea what the pigeons digestive anatomy is realy like.I suggest that you should take the time to study the pigeon digestive system. I feel that a total pellet diet by passes parts of the digestive system and therefore can lead to problems for the bird. I would never feed a straight pellet diet. Stop and think about this, we are told that we humans need roughage in our diet, I submit to you that our birds also need roughage in their diet in order to be in the best of health.Some speak about loose dropping when feeding pellets why is this .... NO ROUGHAGE .... think about it * GEORGE


----------



## Doves1111 (Mar 5, 2005)

george simon said:


> *Pellets while I do use some pellets with the regular feed I only use pellets the are for pigeons.Chicken layer pellets are made for the chicken farmers chickens to boost eggs production for the market,they most likley have an antibiotic and hormonds to make the chicken lay. We all know that over use of antibiotics can cause problems for our birds. I believe that most people have no idea what the pigeons digestive anatomy is realy like.I suggest that you should take the time to study the pigeon digestive system. I feel that a total pellet diet by passes parts of the digestive system and therefore can lead to problems for the bird. I would never feed a straight pellet diet. Stop and think about this, we are told that we humans need roughage in our diet, I submit to you that our birds also need roughage in their diet in order to be in the best of health.Some speak about loose dropping when feeding pellets why is this .... NO ROUGHAGE .... think about it * GEORGE


If you compare the label on Pigeon Pellets to the label on Chicken Layer Pellets you will see they are almost the same. I feed non-medicated layer pellets. The roughage they get is in the added "fiber" content. I emailed Uconn Cooperative Extension System regarding added hormones to Poultry feed and this is the reply I got back...

*No hormones are added to any poultry feed. For a couple of reasons.

1. Growth hormone is not ORALLY active, it must be absorbed into the blood by a patch or injections, plus it would have to be labeled as such.

2. Estrogenic compounds that were used to make “Caponetts” are illegal in the US. So none used as a pellet under the skin behind the neck.

3. No need to add anything, as the genetics of the birds make them grow and produce well.

No other “Things” are added except some companies growing broilers will use sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics to the feed to help keep the gut healthy on the young birds. Any poultry feed with animal protein or fat would only have the natural levels of any hormones that would occur in the meat. Same as the meat we eat so nothing added .

Growth promoters could be antibiotics, vitamins, etc. All would have to be labeled as such. Some feed companies add different forms of yeast cultures such as Lactobacillis acidophilis , etc. Again, nothing generally more than one would fined in Active culture yogurt.

Hope this helps. MD

Michael J. Darre, Ph.D. P.A.S.
University Marshal
Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist
Dept of Animal Science
3636 Horsebarn Road Ext. Unit 4040
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269-4040
860-486-1008*

Dawn


----------

