# Do pigeons need grit? And how to stop them breeding



## Bluejay19 (Dec 7, 2016)

So I'm new to pigeons and was wondering if they need grit? I've read and been told that they do and that they don't, so I don't know. They seem to be going fine without it but want to make sure. Also they are breeding prolifically and are leaving babies abandoned while they have more eggs. Apart from just throwing them (the eggs) out which I've read can cause deficiencies and can be unhealthy for the birds is there any way to stop them? I have read that adding barley in their seed can help but again am not sure.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Yes pigeons do need grit and the females need a calcium plus D3 supplement like calciboost or calciboost to stay healthy. To slow down their breeding, do not throw away their eggs as they will keep laying. Just get some plastic or wooden eggs and swap them out every time you see eggs. That will slow down and stop the breeding.


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## Bluejay19 (Dec 7, 2016)

Okay thank you, I will buy some supplements and grit now. Would you have a store in mind that would stock fake eggs? Im thinking they would need to be quite realistic to fool them


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Any online pigeon supply places will sell fake eggs. I like the solid plastic. The wooden eggs are painted, and depending on where you buy them or who makes them, sometimes the paint will peel off. Not good. The solid plastic are solid white all the way through. They are cheap to buy. Ebay has them also, but sometimes you get good ones, sometimes not. The CalciBoost or CalciVet, you would buy online also. You can buy Hi-Calcium pigeon grit which is better as it does have some calcium in it. But yes, they do need it to help them to digest their seed.
They probably aren't abandoning their babies. They do start another nest, but usually the Dad continues to feed the babies till they wean.
How many birds do you have?


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## Bluejay19 (Dec 7, 2016)

Okay thanks I'll have a look around. We have 6 adults and 2 babies currently, one is going very well and is being fed and weaned by dad, but had to intervene with the other as it could stand up, nowhere near flying though but it stopped being fed even by the dad and was left to die and can't stand anymore. I had to teach it to eat seed and drink water (it wasn't interested in hand rearing formula) and it is getting slowly stronger


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## ArcherPigeons (Sep 15, 2015)

Yes they need grit.

The simplest way to stop breeding is to separate the hens from the cocks.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Bluejay19 said:


> Okay thanks I'll have a look around. We have 6 adults and 2 babies currently, one is going very well and is being fed and weaned by dad, but had to intervene with the other as it could stand up, nowhere near flying though but it stopped being fed even by the dad and was left to die and can't stand anymore. I had to teach it to eat seed and drink water (it wasn't interested in hand rearing formula) and it is getting slowly stronger


There is something wrong with the baby if it could stand and now can't. It may be ill, or may need calcium/D3. Are you giving a calcium supplement to the birds? This baby needs that now. If the parent was feeding the other baby and not this one, then maybe this one was sick and not taking the feeding from the parent. It doesn't matter if he is interested in the formula. You feed it to him and he will swallow it. He isn't going to eat it himself. How old is the baby? Post a picture? Can you get a calcium D3 supplement? It's important.


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

Bluejay19 said:


> So I'm new to pigeons and was wondering if they need grit? I've read and been told that they do and that they don't, so I don't know. They seem to be going fine without it but want to make sure. Also they are breeding prolifically and are leaving babies abandoned while they have more eggs. Apart from just throwing them (the eggs) out which I've read can cause deficiencies and can be unhealthy for the birds is there any way to stop them? I have read that adding barley in their seed can help but again am not sure.


They need grit to digest seeds as they eat them whole, the grit helps grind them for better digestion. More soluble shell grit of oyster shell is for added calcium, which the hens need most for egg laying. For hatch control you can replace the eggs for fake eggs found online at a pigeon supply company.


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