# minerals and grits. what do you use



## remo (Jan 19, 2015)

Hi everyone, I'm a bit stuck on what types of grit and minerals to use. I'm new to keeping pigeons and was wondering what other people use and why. I've got them some red picking stone that comes in a little pot but I'm wondering if I should provide them with anything else. They don't get outside on the ground (they've got a raised aviary) so cant get anything that way its just that my local feed place has a shelf full of different types and its a bit confusing. If you could let me know what you like to use and any reasons why that would be appreciated. &#55357;&#56842;


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## pigeonflier (May 4, 2014)

I dont know if its available in your location or not,, but if you can get it,, a bag or bucket of Jovati is the bomb!! The birds will go bananas over the stuff. Once you use it,, you will never go back to anything else,, your birds will absolutely love it!!!!


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

New England pigeons supplies has variety of stuff for pigeons.
A bird shall get a vitamins and minerals supplement once a week,
Organic acv once/twice a week, (Calcium with vitamin d3 in it,) all these mixed in drinking water on separate days.

Oyster shell based grit is good for pigeons.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Soluble and insoluble grits. For grinding food in gizzard and for absorption of calcium an salts. Charcoal for toxins and impurities. Red clay, white granite. Pickstone, pickpot as u have. Picobal by Klaus german and Natural Vitamineral powder from Belgium I think. I supply quite a variety as I dont know what pigeons have access to in the wild, so I give the best variety I can and let them decide. I note that the birds really like the pink vitamineral fine powder, and next to that the oyster shell grit which is considered the soluble grit meaning it can get broken down and digested. The granite grit is hard insoluble grit solely for the purpose of grinding the food in the gizzard in aid of digestion.


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## kingdizon (Jan 14, 2013)

...I like to use red pigeon grit with oyster shells,winsmore and lugols...I seen a pigeon at Monterey Bay Aquarium that was the size of a king pigeon so sea food shells crushed to pieces do well idk might want to try a type of seafood oil on the food.. I use Apple cider vinegar with garlic cloves if they're sick..if you got the buck get some Brewers yeast and electrolytes at a good feed store...lay pellets for breeders..


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## remo (Jan 19, 2015)

Thanks guys &#55357;&#56842; Jass can you tell me your prefered brand choices of different minerals as there are so many to choose from, my locals tend to use matrix. I'm a bit like you CBL I could quite happily go and buy trolley full of different types and brands just to see what they prefer. So basically pink minerals, black minerals, calcium grit, red clay and granite with a splash of vinegar &#55357;&#56843; lol. Kingdizon can you explain acv and garlic and what it does.


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## kingdizon (Jan 14, 2013)

Garlic is a natural antibiotic.it purifies the bloodstream and builds up the immune system, plus it makes your pigeons feathers shiny. Usually people put one clove of garlic in a gallon of drinking water, they also have the liquid garlic you can buy online that is made for pigeons.
Apple cider vinegar is good for the good bacteria in their gut, and favors good bacteria over bad bacteria. It can be used to combat or prevent salmonella and ecoli.
I have a jar of Apple cider vinegar(make sure it's the natural one that says "mother" on it) mixed with cloves of garlic in a jar fermented. I only do this because a buddy of mine who raises and races homing pigeons swears by it.
You can give it separately too. Apple cider vinegar can be given with probiotics as well.


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## remo (Jan 19, 2015)

Cheers King you mentioned probiotics what are your go to brand as I couldn't find any when I looked for them and had to resort to using a small amount of natural yoghurt barely enough to thinly cover the food which one of my good friends told me to do and it worked but people say lactose is bad for your birds.


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