# Help with diet for a wild pigeon



## Critterluv02 (Feb 13, 2004)

I found a pigeon who according to my vet was attacked by a cat. The tip of his/her wing was torn off preventing him/her from flight. My vet has done a good job at cleaning her up and now I have her back at home. My husband and I will build her a nice safe habitat to live out her life since she won't be able to return to the wild. 

My question is what to feed her. I haven't been able to find much info on the internet regarding proper diets for pigeons. For now I have offered her seed from my parakeets along with some dry cat food. She has eaten some, but seems to be losing interest. I really want to offer her a meal which is appropriate for her diet. I hope that doesn't freak anyone out, but it is what I had handy and we didn't expect to be keeping her, so I haven't gone out shopping for anything yet.

Any tips?


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello there and welcome to pigeons.com

Thank you for helping this needy pigeon.

If you check the first page of this website click onto the "Basic Care" for pigeons. 

Pigeons are seed eaters, and there is a special blend of seeds they need. It offers them a complete variety of seed their bodies need for their nutritional needs. Pigeons also need pigeon "grit" which helps them to digest their seed. The parakeet seed is okay for now, but I wouldn't give cat food to her.

You might be able to get the seed and pigeon grit at an avian pet store, or feed store. 

Will she have a coop outside or will you keep her indoors? If you keep her outdoors, make sure the cage is predator proof, rain and draft free. 

Thanks again for taking care of one of our feral friends.
Treesa


----------



## singing birdy (Jan 30, 2002)

You can just go to your local feed store and ask for pigeon feed and they should have it.


----------



## Critterluv02 (Feb 13, 2004)

Thanks so much for the info. I will check around the feed stores. I am pretty picky about what I feed my pets in the ways of avoiding all preservatives and additives. I just assume that mixes in the feed stores will have been sprayed with something nasty. I will pick it up to begin with and as I learn more about her, I will try to find a more organic diet for her. Aren't pigeons omnivorous? I thought they eat bugs and such so I figured she would need some protein which is why I offered her some cat food. Thus far, that is all she has eaten. Can I offer her some meal worms? Or am I wrong in thinking that they eat bugs? 

Yes, we live in Arizona, so she will be set up on our back patio. Her cage will be predator free and very large even though she won't be able to fly again. I will arrange perches so she can climb from top to bottom, side to side. Our patio has a misting system for the summer time so she will have it much better than her wild friends who live elsewhere. LOL

Is there any way to tell if it is a male or female? Or is it determined by surgery?

Thanks so much for the info. I operate a small animal rescue for guinea pigs and rats, when it comes to birds, I am in the dark for the most part. It is nerve wracking to have an animal here to care for that I know so little about. I will do my best to be sure she has a good life.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello again,

Sounds like this bird is in very capable hands!

So glad to hear your picky when it comes to pigeon feed and such! It is very possible that the feeds are chemically sprayed. 

We do have people here who make up their own pigeon seed from a variety of sources, and pigeons do require different blends for moulting season, breeding season, the rest period, and for racing pigeons.

Pigeons in the wild will look for protein from snails and such, that is bad here if Florida, because they get nasty worms from it.

You will be able to determine the pigeons sex, if the bird lays her fist egg. It is much easier to tell when your bird is around other pigeons, which of course is impossible right now.

The feed for rest period (non breeding)

50 % barley, 15 % corn, 5% green peas, 5% maple peas, 5% rolled oats, 5% wheat, 5% brown rice, 5% expanded- wheat pellets, 3% white sorghum, 2% sunflower seeds.

To this you can add a small amount of weed (tonic) seeds mixed with linseed, canary grass seed (or white seed) snd s very small amount of hemp. I increase the amount of corn when the weather is cold, and decrease it when it gets warm. When you increase the corn, decrease the barley by 10%.

You can give greens such as endive, curley kale, spinach, chicory, turnip greens, sparingly and raw peanuts for snacks. Do not give cabbages, or broccoli, cauliflower, it is very bad for pijjies!

The pigeon mix will not provide an adequate amount of protein, which can be supplemented.
Animal protein does have some different amino acidss that they won't get from the seed. You can supplement with a good avian multi vitamin with amino acids. Don't overdose!

Let's see if someone else here can come up with a natural form of animal protein for pijjies. 

Treesa


----------



## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hello & Welcome

Is this by chance "Rio's" Mom? If so, there are a couple places in our area that you can check out.

My rehabber, who lives in Mesa, prefers to go to 'Rancho Del Sol' in Gilbert to 'pick & choose' her seed. There is also Mesa Feed Barn & way over in Phoenix (I 17, past Bell)is 'Birds, Etc.' who carries a 'Pigeon/Dove Mix'. 

Regarding a pigeons gender: As a general rule of thumb, the male coos more than the female. He will also 'dance' as well as bob his head up & down while walking. If he is really trying to 'impress' a pretty little pij, he will fan his tail. They are just too cute.

Please keep us posted on how things are coming along.
Cindy


----------



## Critterluv02 (Feb 13, 2004)

Treesa, thanks so much for the added info on nutrition. I really appreciate knowing a variety of fresh foods that she can have.

Cindy, nope, I am not Rio's mom. I have decided to name this pigeon after the owl in Harry Potter "Pigwigeon". It just seems fitting since I mainly handle guinea pigs.









It is nice to see someone else from the valley on this board. I live in Central Phoenix, so I went to Bird World at 35th Ave and Greenway today and picked up their pigeon/dove seed. It is made by Hagen and the ingredients are similar to what I had read before I left. It contains: White Millet, Red Milo, Red Millet, Whole Wheat, Canary Grass Seed, Feed Oats, Cracked Corn, Oat Groats, Green Split Peas, Safflower Seed, Calcium Carbonate, Orange Oil, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Carbonate, Copper Sulphate Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate.

Whew! that's alot, but none of it sounds bad to me and it contains many of the seeds I have read about. I also picked up a book, and while I know that most pet books leave alot to be desired, I figured it might give me some insight as I really don't know anything about pigeons. 

My vet said most pigeons have coccidia so we are treating her with doxy.

Is there anything else that is basic information that I might benefit from knowing? 

Again, thanks for taking the time to help me help out little Pigwigeon! I hope we are off to a healthy start.


----------

