# Dry flaky skin



## MP (Jul 30, 2003)

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows how to treat dry flaky skin on a pijie? My pij's skin is very dry and there are spots that have grown feathers in a very long time (head area and neck) and other areas where there is light feathering. I have no idea what this could be do from and no vet willing to see him... any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

This sounds like a nutritional problem. Here is a generally acceptable pigeon diet that you may use to compare with your current program. If the diet is OK we can start with the medical possibilities:

The heart of the program is seed mix especially for pigeons. A pigeon seed mix will be in known and generally accepted proportions. A ballpark guideline is 11-17% protein and 4-11% fat. Possible items, but not all of the possible items in the mixes are Popcorn (not popped), Trapper peas, R/C Wheat, Maple Peas, Buffalo Peas, Safflower seeds, Austrian Peas, Oat Groats, vetch, Paddy Rice, Small Yellow Corn, R/C Red and White Milo, Red Prosso Millet, Flax Seed, Malt Barley, Common Lentils, Buckwheat, Small Black Oil Sunflower, and a very few peanuts (raw/unsalted). 

Besides this they need greens/carrots and an avian vitamin everyday (if they don’t eat greens keep giving them and eventually they will). People in this forum like Prime vitamin which goes in the water and has a probiotic. When they get around nine months old they will start to show an interest in a good multi-element grit which you should have available all the time (unless they are taking a tetracycline). 

Once you get these basics down, other things people use are various forms of garlic, brewers yeast, various oils (fish, cod liver, olive, etc.), various teas, Apple Cider Vinegar (a few drops for a single bird or a Tsp per gallon in the water), electrolytes, bits of animal protein (mash a pinch of dried dog food and mix with the seed), good soil/clay and other supplements. All these items are an attempt to approximate the bird’s ideal wild diet. If all this is daunting, you may try various formulations of pellets made for pigeons. This can cover most bases but the various processes used to make the pellets use high heat which is a not good as many nutrients do not survive this.

While we are at it, most people medicate for canker and worms, some vaccinate for pox and PMV depending on the frequency in your area. You will get quality meds online from Jedds, Foy’s, Siegels, Global Pigeon Supplies, or the Australian Pigeon Company. Meds from pet stores are often inadequate and getting them from the vet will be expensive.


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## MP (Jul 30, 2003)

Thank you very much for all of the information provided!!! I have been feeding my pijie pigeon seed mix and oyster shell. I have been trying to get him eat chicken and other things but besides seeds he eats only bread... I will try feeding him greens and carrotts in the meantime while I look for the other items.

Thank you again!!!


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

Cut carrots and greens to bite size and place this first for a fee minutes before his usual meal. He may ignore it for several days but eventually he will go for it. 

In his case, you might get a few drops of fish/cod liver oil down him very soon, cut back slowly on the bread, and chicken should be eliminated or in very minute quantities and I doubt if he would ever eat it voluntarily - just my opinions. Hope you get the Prime vitamins soon. Good luck.


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## MP (Jul 30, 2003)

> Originally posted by dano7:
> *Cut carrots and greens to bite size and place this first for a fee minutes before his usual meal. He may ignore it for several days but eventually he will go for it.
> Thank you very much for the reply and information!
> I found a pet shop that carries Prime vitamin and so I picked it up yesterda. I tried giving it to her on pieces of pear that I cut in small pieces but she doesn't it anything other than seeds and bread so I mixed the vitamin in a some water and fed it to with a syringe. I fed her carrotts as well yesterday. I have vitamins at home that contain cod liver oil. I popped one of these and tried mixing it in the water. She drank a little bit of water and stopped. I was wondering, what would be the best way to give her the oil? Can I mix the oil into her vitamin mix?
> ...


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

OK - I think you are heading in the right direction.

I don't use Prime but I thought it goes in the water - check the directions for the amount to use relative to your water volume. It is OK to syringe feed the vitamin/water but that might actually be harder than treating the drinking water or harder to calculate the amount.

You have to be careful putting things in the water because if they really don't like it, they won't drink - a double loser.

So the Prime is made for the waterer but oil is not (not water soluble in any case). The oil does not need to happen very often and you only want to give birdy a couple of drops/ week approximately. Since you are trying to get a lot of nutrition into this bird you might use some dried dog food soaked to the desired consistency which is very high in protein and fat, mix up a single feeding portion and stir in a couple srops of the oil. You could add 1 drop of Vitamin E as well.

There are pigeons and doves that eat fruit but your bird is not one of them. It's actually the one food wilders ignore as far as I have so far observed.


[This message has been edited by dano7 (edited May 10, 2004).]


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## MP (Jul 30, 2003)

> Originally posted by dano7:
> *OK - I think you are heading in the right direction.
> 
> I don't use Prime but I thought it goes in the water - check the directions for the amount to use relative to your water volume. It is OK to syringe feed the vitamin/water but that might actually be harder than treating the drinking water or harder to calculate the amount.
> ...



Thank you for the tip on using dog food. The pij actually liked it and ate alot of it. 
I have another question on droppings. Yesterday's dropping had a strong odor. I have noticed an odor in her droppings from time to time in the past (far in between)but yesterday it was a bit stronger. I was wondering, can the vitamins or change in diet cause this??? If not, what could this possibly mean? 

Thank you!!!


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

Yes on all counts. Pigeons normally don't have smelly droppings but they may if stressed, or if they have had a change of diet, or if they have been eating animal products (dog food), or if they have a bacterial infection. You added Prime and that has a probiotic - maybe she got a heavy dose when you hand fed this. If it persists it merits our attention. Others know more about this and there might be a better explanation forthcoming. Keep in touch. 

[This message has been edited by dano7 (edited May 11, 2004).]


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