# Anti-grit pigeons?



## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Hi everyone, 

I have been providing red grit that I buy from the TractorSupply for my pigeons as well as oyster shells.... and those grits are obviously small enough for my birds to eat... 

Though, they barely eat it. 

I see them picking small oyster shells and eating those but the grit isn't eaten... or eaten like how I see in Youtube Videos of "pigeons eating grit"... 

Mine do not stick their head and chomp away the grits... Sometimes they don't even bother picking at it.... and their sole feed is mostly grains.

It has been approx 5 months since I have given them grit+oyster shells... and I don't know if this is normal or not. 

eeh, what do you guys think?


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## yang_fla0vr (Mar 31, 2009)

Same here but the problem would be the Mineral / Grit Mixture from vita king pigeon supplies for me. It seems like my birds only prefer gains. They don't even eat the chicken pellet I brought for them. I've even mix the Mineral / Grit Mixture with the grains and pellet but all I've seen is the grains been eaten but not the Mineral / Grit Mixture and pellet. It's been 3 weeks now and my pair haven't even bother to eat the Mineral / Grit Mixture with the pellets thus I have to keep provide grains for them. I just don't know if they like it or they just don't want to eat them. This makes me feel that I've wasted my money on something my pair don't even want to eat.


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## pigeonflier (May 4, 2014)

Get the Jovati mix from vita king and the birds will devour it like its candy!!!!!


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

Grit is like feed, everyone has there preference. Pigeons need it available at all times and it needs to be dryer than dry and dust free as possible. They use what they need. Breeding season they will use a lot more than the rest of the year when they are feeding young, and sometimes it seems they use none, but it still needs to be available to them. My opinion


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## yang_fla0vr (Mar 31, 2009)

@pigeonjim

That's what I have and they haven't even touched it. Only the grains was devour not sure about the chicken pellets though.


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Alright then.

Thanks for the replies guys.

It's just odd... they are eating grains so I would assume they would want to eat grit to easily chomp the grains into the digestive system... but I guess mine don't need the extra help... that the grit provides... for now... but I will always refill it for them.

@ yang_fla0vr, 
Chicken Pellets seem to disappear faster with my breeders than my non-breeders.
The pellets I use are; Nutrena® NatureWise® Layer Chicken Feed, 16% Pellets. 
That was the only one I could find that did not list "processed Grain By-products" as the first ingredient (which usually is the majority of the feed)... I have bought soo many pellets before and the only pellets that I feel good feeding pigeons and know they will eat are ones that do not list "processed Grain By-products" as the first ingredient... and it makes sense... A bird does not want to eat "grain by-products", they want to eat the "grain"...! duh! 
And with pellets, "ground corn" was the closest to a grain than any other.
I also wanted to add that Pellets with "processed Grain By-products" as their first ingredient are darker in color than Pellets with "ground corn" or "corn".
The price was cheaper as well! I can't believe that...! 

And if you have ever bought a pigeon based pellet solemnly for pigeons (I have experimented with NutriBlend)... Even Their first ingredient is not "processed Grain By-Products"... 

For both Purina NutriBlend Gold & Green... the solemn ingredient was "ground corn". 

So, yang_fla0vr IDK what kind of pellets you are using... but if they have "processed Grain By-products" listed as their first ingredient... I personally wouldn't rely on it raising good pigeons...

And if it has something else listed as the first ingredient and not "grain by-products" then... you are going to need to cut back on how much you are feeding your birds if you really want them to eat the pellets...

OH, perhaps I should cut back my feeding... to make my birds eat GRIT! HAHA! Just Kidding.. I think my birds would probably not be alive by then.

Anyways, Thanks for the replies.


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

@ yang_fla0vr

Maybe you birds are still getting used to the grit... you've only fed them that for a couple of weeks only.

I am hoping that is partially my reason as well...


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## yang_fla0vr (Mar 31, 2009)

@Doig

The type of chicken pellets I use is this:

http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/858342-nutrena-country-feeds-16-layer-pellets.html#.VLSj0yvF8gs

I don't know if it's good or not but I wasn't sure which one to get so I chose the cheaper one.

Hopefully, my birds will get use to the grit soon because I don't want to keep dumping the grit mineral out and restocking the new grit mineral because it will be a waste of money.


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

I had it both ways one time they won't touch grit the next time I have to pull it out because they fill up on that....a old timmer flyer told me once that for the most part they only eat the grip when you need it


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

as far as eating chicken pellets I'm starting to change them back to seed.the birds just don't look as good using the chicken pellets.Plus pigeon are not supposed to eat meat which meat by-products are in the pellets


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Once I got a Taiwanese branded(I believe) feed mix sent to me as a sample. The feed was so shiney and looked like pearls because it was steam treated with minerals and vitamins. The sample feed lasted for 10-12 days. My birds didn't eat grit during these days and really put on weight.
Later when given normal feed they started eating grit after a couple of days. They eat grit when they need it. We must provide them with it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

yang_fla0vr said:


> @pigeonjim
> 
> That's what I have and they haven't even touched it. Only the grains was devour not sure about the chicken pellets though.



Gee that's odd.They usually love it.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Glimpse....


Try changing the grit type. Sometimes pigeons prefer good ol' pebbles and red bricks than branded grits and mineral blocks


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Sure thing. 
Though I've changed it up two times already.
From the whiter/grey grit to the red grit... No significant difference.

But when I let them out... They are picking at every single particle on the ground. I see them eating these really small circular round rocks alot... Which I have no clue how it formed... I thought they were from the trees above..

Maybe they like the natural rocks around the loft more than the ones I buy?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If they are picking up natural stones, then they probably don't need any more, so therefore are leaving yours alone. they don't eat it all the time. Just when they need it. Eventually it will grind down and be passed out. Then they will take more. I wouldn't worry about it. As long as you are making it available, that's all you can do.


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## Gnuretiree (May 29, 2009)

I do give fresh grit every day and they've been going at it pretty well. I keep the birds in during the winter to avoid hawks, so they don't get to forage outside. I use LambcO Hi-calcium-magnesium pigeon grit which contains Vitamins and Minerals. The birds love it.


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## talpog (Mar 16, 2009)

I agree, they like fresh grit...though my birds don't eat them all at the same time depending on who needs it but still I give them fresh grit everyday as they don't like them when they're not fresh, or you can wash them leftovers and let them dry and they'll take them again...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

As long as it stays clean and dry, then it doesn't have to be changed every day. Just let them take it when they want it. It it gets soiled or damp, then don't wash and dry it. Just discard it.


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## talpog (Mar 16, 2009)

Jay3, I've tried what you're sayin, not giving them fresh grit everyday and they don't like them when they're not fresh...and you're right to discard them when they get soiled or damp...


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

talpog said:


> Jay3, I've tried what you're sayin, not giving them fresh grit everyday and they don't like them when they're not fresh...and you're right to discard them when they get soiled or damp...


What kind of grit feeder are you using. If you use a lil box made out of wood the grit will stay dry better. It sweats and gets moist in clay bowls quicker. I cut tree limbs about fist size and 4 inches long, and hollow one end out let it dry cure to make a wood grit bowl.


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## flight (Dec 29, 2011)

I noticed mine don't eat a whole lot of grit during the year but when they have babies the devour it.


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## Tourterelle (Jan 16, 2008)

My avian vet told me to stop using grit and instead feed oyster shells to my birds. I was also advised to supplement their seed/grain mixture with some parakeet granules such as Tropican or Zoo-Max. The oyster shells and Tropican are available from Hagen. Zoo-Max is produced by a Canadian company.

My vet said that the granules help to avoid deficiencies. This can be especially critical for developing birds. Some young birds who are fed only seeds have been known to develop rickets.


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## talpog (Mar 16, 2009)

pigeonjim said:


> What kind of grit feeder are you using. If you use a lil box made out of wood the grit will stay dry better. It sweats and gets moist in clay bowls quicker. I cut tree limbs about fist size and 4 inches long, and hollow one end out let it dry cure to make a wood grit bowl.


I'm using wooden feeder and they're always dry...I was just answering Jay3's statement...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Grit gets wet even in wood in the humid weather.


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

Jay3 said:


> Grit gets wet even in wood in the humid weather.


I agree, but it lasts longer in a wood container than plastic or clay. I throw mine out like most folks when it starts to become moist, but I have noticed it stays drier longer which means I keep my money in my pocket a couple of days longer!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That is probably so because the wood will absorb some of the moisture.


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