# Feeding feral pigeons



## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Hi guys!
For a while now, I've seen that some people feed the feral pigeons near my apt building, but I noticed that it is very hard for the birds to get water around here! so for a couple of months now I've been putting water for them and they love it! not only they drink it like crazy but they also bathe in it, it's so funny to see 5 birds bathing at the same time lol

Sometimes I put ACV in it, but I was wondering if there's anything else I could add to it. Are probiotics good for them? I also just bought some "bath salts" from Foys that apparently help remove lice and mites, should I add that sometimes too? they drink A LOT of the water though, so I don't know if I should add this stuff as it smells like laundry detergent.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I wouldn't add bath salts to the water they drink. A little ACV would be fine, but otherwise I would just leave it as is.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> I wouldn't add bath salts to the water they drink. A little ACV would be fine, but otherwise I would just leave it as is.


Ok, thanks for the advice Jay3! I wasn't sure about the salts even though the package says "safe if bird drinks", I guess it means safe if they only drink a little!


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

i would just give the feral pigeons plain water for they really appreciate that especially in hot weather. The only thing about the other people feeding the birds is it attracts so many assorted birds and it could be a danger for them with disease (from other birds) and (predators like cats). It is very hard "not to feed them" but even me at times has to control myself with the feeding of them for I do not want to attract them and bring attention to my area as well as not wanting them around my birdies but I do put water down for them and bath water too---plain--and they love it.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

ok, thank you c.hert 

I agree with the people feeding them but I can't do anything about it as it seems it's different people! some I've seen some I haven't, but I don't know any of them personally. Some are nice to feed them wild bird seeds they buy at the store near by, but there are others who feed them whatever junk they are eating!! I saw a lady once feeding them parrot seeds! I quickly went to get a broom and swept off all the big unpeeled sunflower seeds! lol and my dad has helped me sweep uncooked beans and uncooked pasta! People look at us like "they are crazy" but we don't care lol

I'll keep giving them just plain water then, thank you


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Pigeons like sunflower seed, but the large striped ones are a bit large. The smaller black oil they can eat fine.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

the ones I swept off were the big striped ones, the birds didn't even touch them because they were huge! I still removed them though because I was afraid that a hungry pigeon could it eat.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

yes, those are too big, but some pigeon mixes do come with those huge pieces of corn that are even bigger. Don't see how they digest those.


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