# how to fatten up pigeons



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i always get these sick emaciated little babies in for rehab, once they are past the critical stage .
i hand feed them longer than i normally would, i mix game crumble into the seed, i think it's easier to digest for them.
not sure what else i can do, i have considered adding a little peanut oil
any ideas how to fatten them up faster so they can be released sooner


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

A little oil would up the calorie count. You could also try some high oil seeds like safflower or hemp, or offer a few pieces of raw peanuts or sunflower seeds. If they are recovering from being sick or starving, good nutrition would allow them to gain at a comfortable rate. Too much fatty foods (oil or seeds) can give a bird the runs, which would work against putting on weight.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

altgirl35 said:


> i always get these sick emaciated little babies in for rehab, once they are past the critical stage .
> i hand feed them longer than i normally would, i mix game crumble into the seed, i think it's easier to digest for them.
> not sure what else i can do, i have considered adding a little peanut oil
> any ideas how to fatten them up faster so they can be released sooner


you may try the oil but also add this http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/products/rec.html may make a difference.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

Some guys I have talked to who have had pigeons for decades said they used Penicillin to fatten up their sick birds.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

ooo, that sounds like a great product i'll have to look around and see if i can find it in larger quantities 


spirit wings said:


> you may try the oil but also add this http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/products/rec.html may make a difference.


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## Naunnie (Sep 2, 2009)

What about mealworms?


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

piji's eat mealworms???


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

No they don't.


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## Naunnie (Sep 2, 2009)

Okay. I was just curious. I clicked on a link on Wikipedia's feral pigeon, gallery page. "Notes on Raising Doves and Pigeons" by Krissy Anne Butler. She mentioned them. I've fed them to rescued starlings and I know some other birds like them too. I haven't offered WeiPea any. He would probably jump right out of his feathers if he saw something like that in his food bowl


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

This is the list of additions to normal seed mix that will fatten your pigeon.
Food rich in oils:
-	Sunflower seeds
-	Black rape seeds
-	Safflower seeds
-	Len seeds
-	Hemp seeds etc.
Oil mixed with seeds:
-	Olive oil
-	Macadamia oil
-	Flaxseed oil
-	Red palm oil etc.
Rich protein food:
-	Egg yolk
-	Whole wheat bread
-	Peas and other legumes
Carbohydrates:
-	Glucose
-	Honey
Please note that birds recovering from disease and treatment with antibiotics should have lighter diet. They liver is impaired by disease and medications. Strong food may do them more harm then good. Rather take it slowly and let bird build immunity and weight gradually.
ACV, probiotics, garlic, vitamins and minerals will help recovery. Improved digestion will be of more help then strong food.


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## darkfur (May 11, 2007)

Any handfeeding mix like Kaytee Exact would probably do the trick, should be very easy to digest and you can tube feed it if you have to. They usually have probiotics etc in them. The only fly in the ointment is they don't keep for long when made up so you have to offer fresh several times a day


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## starlinglover95 (May 6, 2009)

darkfur said:


> Any handfeeding mix like Kaytee Exact would probably do the trick, should be very easy to digest and you can tube feed it if you have to. They usually have probiotics etc in them. The only fly in the ointment is they don't keep for long when made up so you have to offer fresh several times a day


that should work. the newest Kaytee should work best; it has stuff for healthy brain, eye, ect. develepment, and it has Omega 3 fatty acids in it for something (i just can't remember exactly what) my 2 pigeons came up on it, and they are quite fat. now if they would only leave. they were raised for release, but they don't want to leave. i have my window open 18/7. they just will not leave!


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

altgirl35 said:


> i always get these sick emaciated little babies in for rehab, once they are past the critical stage .
> i hand feed them longer than i normally would, i mix game crumble into the seed, i think it's easier to digest for them.
> not sure what else i can do, i have considered adding a little peanut oil
> any ideas how to fatten them up faster so they can be released sooner


*FEED THEM HEMPSEED,SAFFLOWER,AND HULLED SUNFLOWER SEED*GEORGE


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Some good suggestions so far. Yeah, safflower seed has tons of calories.

However....

The absolute BEST stuff for this is something called NutriStat...amazon.com sells it. 

It is a high-caloric paste which, although marketed for dogs and cats, works extremely well on birds, too. My avian vet uses it.

(BTW..._terrible_ title for a thread, no ?????)

I just mix a dab or two in with handfeeding formula (you can also literally just syringe it directly from the bottle into the pigeon...although I dunno how much they'd like that).

It really is good stuff.....


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