# question about pigeons



## sancto (Apr 21, 2007)

Hi all, Are pigeons vegetarians? In the wild, they don't eat insects at all? What is their main source of food in the wild ? Thanks for the info, Sancto


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Pigeons do like a little bit a meat protein, as it supplies them the complete amino acid profile. In the wild they can partake of snails and bugs, but I have heard they get worms from eating them. 

If you want to supply your birds or the ferals a little bit of meat in their diet its best to crumble a little organic dog food with the seed.

In the wild, they eat anything that resembles food, fast food left overs, bread and hopefully they do get wild bird seed from kindly people.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi. As Treesa says, wild pigeons do eat some tiny snails and such, usually when they are breeding. Basically, though, they are grain, seed and legume eaters, plus some greenstuff. That is the case with wild pigeons in their natural environment, anyway.

John


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## ND Cooper (Mar 4, 2008)

What is Organic Dog Food?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

ND Cooper said:


> What is Organic Dog Food?


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •Jump to: navigation, search

Organic vegetables at a farmers' market in Argentina.Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards, meaning they are grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives.[1] Livestock are reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

*About Dog Food:*

I did heard about dog food is one good source of protein for pigeons, I haven't try it but do you guys think this will be a good idea...Another thing I noticed is; when they see some crushed egg shell on the floor they start nibbling on it, is this another source of Vitamin D for them?, if so, I might start saving the chicken egg shells and give it to them, what do you think?...The only protein Im givng to them with their feed is crushed in small pieces of peanuts (crushed it in blender) they seems love to peck on small pieces. Also, I have seen in YouTube that a chinese fancier is giving his birds some ounces of Ginseng...I wonder if this have some effects for the birds, how about the ashes from charcoal?, I saw my birds pecking on the ashes after few days of BBQ, what the ashes do to them?...Since this curiousity is in my head, I would like to know everybody's opinion who can share their ideas to me/us...


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Pegasus said:


> I did heard about dog food is one good source of protein for pigeons, I haven't try it but do you guys think this will be a good idea...Another thing I noticed is; when they see some crushed egg shell on the floor they start nibbling on it, is this another source of Vitamin D for them?, if so, I might start saving the chicken egg shells and give it to them, what do you think?...The only protein Im givng to them with their feed is crushed in small pieces of peanuts (crushed it in blender) they seems love to peck on small pieces. Also, I have seen in YouTube that a chinese fancier is giving his birds some ounces of Ginseng...I wonder if this have some effects for the birds...Since this curiousity is in my head, I would like to know everybody's opinion who can share their ideas to me/us...


I personally would not use dog food for a protein source for pigeons. Grain has protein in it. If you are feeding a pigeon mix, you can buy it according to the protein content. Regular feed is usually 14% protein. Conditioning mix goes up to 17%. Then there are various grains you can add with higher protein contents. Giving your birds chopped greens is a good way to add vitamins and mineral nutrients to their diet. Most love kale, chard, spinach etc. Don't feed lettuce. It doesn't have any nutrients and might give them diarrhea.
Your birds are eating egg shell for the calcium content. Get some ground oyster shell for them, not ground up egg shell. About Ginseng, I know that the Pigeon supply houses has mixtures of Ginseng for pigeons. Again, it is knowing the amount to give them as you might poison them with too high a dose.

Margaret


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