# how much to feed?



## Mistifire (May 27, 2004)

My pigeon has started picking her favorites only out of the food and wasting the rest, I am probably feeding her too much. I read somewhere that pigeons should have 1 ounce of food a day, is that equal to 2 tablespoons?

How much should I feed her? She may be a little overweight and I wonder if that could be part of her paralisys when she lays eggs. I just fill up her dish and she makes a mess and theres quite a bit left over.

Just weighed her, shes about 12 oz.


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

Mistifire,

This is just a little thing that I have noticed since I started weighing and monitoring food on a daily basis. Just because there is food left over does not necessarily mean your bird is getting enough nutrition. There are some seeds that they simply will not eat unless starving. I found this out by holding out on Buddy over a couple of days waiting for him to finish what I put out. I thought it was just tough love but he was going seriously hungry and let me tell you I felt very bad when I realized it. Now I give him as much of what he wants no questions asked. Sounds like he is spoiled but I have not come up with just the right recipe to eliminate regular spoilage and waste. Each day now I turf out what is left over and put out fresh food in the morning. both of us are happier. Hope that helps you.

Cameron


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

There are so called "guidelines" as to how much to feed. It is really an art, especially when it comes to the preformance breeds. It is alot like asking, "How much should a human eat ". With the same amount, one person will become overweight, while another will become very underweight. It is the same old story. How much is being burned off with work ? I have fed my racing pigeons with quite a bit of excersize, as little as a teaspoon a day for short periods of time, like several weeks. 

My thinking is, if you have left over grain laying on the floor after "feeding time" then you are over feeding. To each his own.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I know when you have a bird inside that you are rehabbing it is very difficult to measure out just a tablespoon and a half (or less) The bowls that I use need to have at least a half inch for them to get an easy grasp of the seeds. I have a parrot cage that have some nice big bowls in them, which is fine for water, but for seed they have a hard time digging in if there was only a tablespoon of seed in them. 

What I do, (seed pops) is make sure I hand feed the seeds left over, especially the ones they leave behind. That way I know they are getting a variety.

It is much easier feeding the whole gang out in the coop becuase they pretty much clean out the feeders!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Just my opinion.......and let me tell you I'm one of the worst for over feeding......but no bird, IF HEALTHY, is going to starve to death because it doesn't LIKE what you are feeding it. If you don't want to waste much feed, insist on them eating what you put in front of them.....if it doesn't bother you to throw it out, then they will eat what they want and they may or may not get fat on you. But if allowed to eat what they WANT, they will still eat what they NEED most of the time. For instance, you may have a hen that doesn't like or won't eat the peas out of a mix, but let her get some babies under her and watch the peas disappear. All of this being said, there's a big difference in feeding "loft birds" and feeding a couple of pets in the house. Loft birds are competeing to get their fill and they will learn to eat what they can or go hungry.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

*Spoiled Rotten !!*

Yea Love Birds...

You are correct. I am reminded of my baby brother ( now 45 + something) he would not eat peas, but in those days, no one left the table till the plates were clean !! My goodness, he would take what seemed like hours to eat the 2 or 3 peas my parents placed on his plate !!  

I am also reminded of a local fancier, who said his birds "Won't eat wheat"...he is almost always on the bottom half of the race sheet.  

I too never knew a pigeon to "Starve to Death" with uneaten seeds on his plate.  

So, again I say, who is the master of the loft ? ? ?


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

Thanks for all your tips and advice Lovebirds, Warren and Treesa,it is very much appreciated. I am still a little unsure about correct feedings sometimes and worry the birds are getting cheated somehow. I do notice my wild birds eat absolutely everything I put out no matter what and there is never any waste whatsoever. Maybe I am just going soft letting them have what they want but I don't want food worries when there is so many other things going on. Meantime, just call me a "spoiler" and I will just learn to live with that name until I get a mix where they eat everything I put out. 

So Mistifire, it sounds like the concensus is that you should not worry about the selecting and continue to feed as you were doing. Others have made some good points in the past about taking away uneaten food after each meal. This to encourage better eating habits at the next meal (and it makes it easier for you to know how much is appropriate for your birds on a meal by meal basis). Looks like I've been told off, nicely though, so just ignore my post and try not to get into my bad habits. 

Cameron


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> Yea Love Birds...
> 
> You are correct. I am reminded of my baby brother ( now 45 + something) he would not eat peas, but in those days, no one left the table till the plates were clean !! My goodness, he would take what seemed like hours to eat the 2 or 3 peas my parents placed on his plate !!


ROFL.......you could almost be talking about me (except it would be IMPOSSIBLE for me to be your brother or any ones elses for that matter!), I hated peas and still do and won't touch them but when Mom and Dad MADE me eat them, I would swallow them whole to keep from chewing them up. YUCK!!!!
Camrron...........I wouldn't worry about it much if I was you. This birds a pet and there's not a thing in the world wrong with spoiling your baby. I spoil my dogs and my Wally so there you go...........long as they are happy and healthy


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

*Non Pea Eaters...Take Over the World..*

Well...

In the good ole days...we ate crap like peas because 10,000 chinese were dieing every day from lack of peas...or something like that. Now they are taking over the world because when they were kids, they did not have to eat peas !!! Go figure....


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## Mistifire (May 27, 2004)

Thanks for all the opinions, does her weight sound ok? (about 12 oz.) She is two years old now. Normally I wouldnt worry about it too much because she seems healthy to me, but I dont like the paralisys she gets after laying, and I have been told it can happen more when the bird is overweight. I dont want her to keep having problems and hurt herself in some way because I feed too much. If I knew what weight was normal it would help, not the weight of an athlete but a happy house pigeon. I only have a scale that measures in ounces.

Also, the pigeon mix I feed has safflower in it, wasnt that one of the more fattening seeds?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I have never weighed a pigeon of mine.........I go by the way they "feel" when i hold them but 12 oz sounds about normal to me and doesn't sound "over weight". And yes, safflower can be fattening but if it's already in the mix, it's ok. I just wouldn't give her a bowl full. LOL


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## Mistifire (May 27, 2004)

I only have my one pigeon and I got her as an egg, I havent held an adult besides her so I dont have anything to compare to. She looks about the same as the ferals I have seen that look good, but again its not the best to compare to as I assume their diet is more fattening, im sure they get their share of french fries and popcorn being between a movie theater and a fast food place.

She stomps around if she spills her water or if her food is gone so she lets me know if something is wrong, My chicken is happy to eat her leftovers so the wasted food isnt a big problem, I just want the best for her. 

I have been thinking this spring I may make a screened in area and give her some outside (enclosed) flight time, maybe she will get more excersize that way, as it is she will sit on my shoulder and not fly much if she is inside.


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## Jiggs (Apr 1, 2005)

It is a difficult subject -feeding- but if it is a pet pigeon you can try a variation of the following:

Keep her hungry for the day.
In a nice deep dish put in plenty of food and weigh it.
When she is hungry put the dish in for lets say 25 min for a pet.
take it out and weigh it.
Now you have a weight that the pigeon deems is its fill
next feed only put the same weight in the dish making sure the mixture of seeds is as you think has all the nessesary ingriedients.
Put this out and you can leave only that out until she has finished ALL the different seeds.

This would make sure she has the correct amount and that she gets all the vits etc.

I use very little food for my birds but once a week and because I am a softie I put out just that little bit extra feed to make sure they are not under fed!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> Well...
> 
> * In the good ole days...we ate crap like peas because 10,000 chinese were dieing every day from lack of peas...or something like that. Now they are taking over the world because when they were kids, they did not have to eat peas !!! Go figure*....


Wonderful! I found fellow PEA haters! Actually, I just don't like the dark green ones (frozen), but do like canned - go figure. HOWEVER, I found that if the peas are in a pot pie or better yet, mashed potoatoes, they go down REAL well! And yes, I too, grew up with the "starving children" indoctrination!  

Anyway, back to the discussion at hand: I fed Squeaks LOTS of seeds in his feed bowl. What did I get? A picky pigeon eater who threw seeds EVERYWHERE! THEN, through the miracle of computers and this site, I read about feeding LESS. Now, a tablespoon or so a day works GREAT. Of course, Squeaks is an indoor non-flying pigeon so I can't speak for the ones who use more energy to fly. 

I also found out that he is addicted to his hemps and Saffs. The hemps are given as a treat. I didn't know if he would like Safflower seeds, so put a few down. Well, have you ever seen a pigeon vacuum cleaner? He loves those seeds as much as the hemps, if not more! However, the Saffs are part of his "feed." For Squeaks, LESS, is indeed, MORE!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

mr squeaks said:


> Wonderful! I found fellow PEA haters! Actually, I just don't like the dark green ones (frozen), but do like canned - go figure. HOWEVER, I found that if the peas are in a pot pie or better yet, mashed potoatoes, they go down REAL well! And yes, I too, grew up with the "starving children" indoctrination!


I still pick them out of what ever they are in till this day. I just hate them!! LOL
Yes, safflower seeds are one of their favorites. If I get a newly weaned youngster that I think is not eating enough, I'll take it off by its self and give it safflower seeds.


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## Mistifire (May 27, 2004)

Thanks everyone, I think I will measure how much she eats and give a little more than that amount so she can snack if she wants, just not too much. I dont want to have her go hungry. 

I think this may help with getting her to try new foods too, she wont eat anything besides her normal food right now, and I would really like her to try some greens. 

On the subject of peas, We had a bunch of them that grew along the fence when I was little and I would sit and eat them all day, fresh from the vine mmmmmm.. Though I have never liked those frozen green beans, they are kinda rubbery.


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

I can't believe you guys hate peas. Hey how about a nice split green pea soup with a big hambone, lots of onions and carrots. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I love peas. The birds do too so I bought a sack at the bulk store and add some to the mix everyday. They prefer the yellow to the green. No idea why.

Cameron


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Camrron said:


> I can't believe you guys hate peas. Hey how about a nice split green pea soup with a big hambone, lots of onions and carrots. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I love peas. The birds do too so I bought a sack at the bulk store and add some to the mix everyday. They prefer the yellow to the green. No idea why.
> 
> Cameron


I do hate peas, but I'd rather die than eat an onion!!!! YUCKY YUCKY LOL


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

Hate onions too! You are killing me Lovebirds, I could'nt cook without them and they are soooo good for you. Garlic too. Please don't say you hate garlic.

Cameron


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Camrron said:


> Hate onions too! You are killing me Lovebirds, I could'nt cook without them and they are soooo good for you. Garlic too. Please don't say you hate garlic.
> 
> Cameron


Ok, I won't say it.....................but it's not on my "favorites list". I'm a VERY picky eater...........


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

OK, can't resist jumping back in  

Garlic/onions - yum! cannot cook without 'em AND, funny thing, I LOVE Split Pea soup and, in my opinion, make a great batch! I accidently added a whole bunch of Basil by mistake and it was the best batch I EVER made. Now, I add LOTS of Basil to my Split Pea and Lentil soups... 

I swear that Peas and Green Beans are the veggies most hated...wonder why - BECAUSE there are Brussel Sprouts - ick...

Just to show I'm not trying to start a cooking site, I would like to say that Mr. Squeaks LOVES pieces of lettuce. I use a lot of Romaine and one day, while making a salad, I accidently dropped a piece. Well, Squeaks nailed that lettuce faster than you can say "hey!" I didn't know, at that time, if pigeons should eat greens (as in salad-type greens) and then found out, through the site, that, in moderation, they could. Every so often, I will drop little pieces and entertain myself watching him go after them! Mr. Squeaks may not fly, but he sure has flying feet!


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Mistifire - Feeding without Spoiling.....
1st I say that your 12oz. Pigeon, if a Racing Homer, is just about a normal weight & certainly isn't under fed........I will just talk about feeding Pigeons that are not raising young & in a group, kit, in a loft, etc. & not under any hard stress.. I usually use a good racing mix, (abt. 16 %). In So Cal. I use Leach's Royal Race. I usually & suggest adding 5-10% Recleand Barley with husk still on. If after about 10 min. they leave the Barley I'm feeding "Too Much" feed as Barley is normally the last grain to be eaten!! I will pull the tray & give them the un-eaten barley 1st on the 2nd feeding of the day & lower the PM amount after they finish the Barley. Most will eat it right away. Now I have a closer idea of how much to feed. Of course I Race my Pigeons, so after long loft flying, road training, racing, cold, I will feed them more. I start using plastic cup that I have prevously weight for ozs. (mine I use holds 8oz.plust the weight of cup using scale) & if I have 32 birds, give 16oz. in the AM & 16oz. in the PM. Course if they eat all very fast they will start getting more, till they leave a little & then cut back an oz. at a time till they eat it all... 1oz. a day is just a STARTING POINT. Many factors cause me to give them more, like long loft flys, road training, racing, Cold, etc.. When I lived in No. Wyoming for 10 yrs. they ate aroud 2 oz. per day in the Winter & around 1oz. in the Summer.. As others have said on this post, it is an art to feeding & I find (for me) that Pigeons, & most other Loft Kept pigeons eat better & stay in better Health by making them basicly clean up what is feed. Of course a good grain mix that is "SEASONED". Always buy grain that is for "Feed", not for Planting a crop!!!. Over-feeding is easy, correct feeding takes a little planing..... Happy


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

Good info Happy,

But I could use a conversion to tablespoons as I don't have a scale to measure weight. If you don't mind, could you post again with volume. Many thanks.

Cameron


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Cameron,

That sounds like the pea soup I make.... Onion, garlic, celery, ham bone, & some carrots, it is delicious.....AND the only way I will eat peas.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Theres not much food I do not like. Now i do not eat every thing. But eat because Im hungry Peas onions there good. But each has there tastes. Now pigeons they become picky when the have extra feeds that they can pick from. just as people do. Balanced feedings for pigeons come from controled feedings. That is a set amount for a hungry bird. Or they snack just like us. A little this and that. For a pet pigeon or 2. You would think they would eat it all. But less exersise Smaller pens they burn less energy. But the feeding is about the same as loft birds. What the bird can eat in 10 mins is plenty to keep them healthy. Now life style will say as to how you will feed I guess. But if you pulled all the feed after ten minutes of eating and did this 2 times daily They would eat more without being picky and stay healthy. Less waste less clean up. Be sure to keep grit for the birds as they eat it as needed. They really do not waste it. And If a person wants to balence a pet bird. Pellets have a balanced feed mix. No picking there at all. It takes some time for the birds to switche over readly But you might think on that. I like grain better as droppings do stay smaller .


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Well, as to food in general, can't think of anything I don't like. I am not overly fond of garden peas but all other peas and beans I love.

We have not brought ourselves to the point of giving our aviary birds a specific amount. My husband usually does the aviaries and I do the inside birds but for both I know we give toooo much at the time. I'm just going to have to do it but I always worry that they will be hungry.

It is really cold here today but we did let Otis and Mr. Humphries go in the aviary about two hours this morning. I change their cages first thing in the morning and put in fresh food and water and again when we put them outside. Every day when we bring them back in the house I stop whatever I'm doing and watch Otis. He sees the fresh feed and starts gobbling it down all the while making this little noise similar to what a baby makes when they are on a bottle. It is so cute and sweet. It's like he is enjoying the food so much. I am not sure he is even eating anything in the aviary so when the weather is warmer and he goes outside day and night we'll have to watch him to make sure he is eating. 

Maggie


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

*Tablespoons converted to Ozs.*



Camrron said:


> Good info Happy,
> 
> But I could use a conversion to tablespoons as I don't have a scale to measure weight. If you don't mind, could you post again with volume. Many thanks.
> 
> Cameron



Camrron, I just weight Tablespoon to Ozs.. It is 2 TABLESPOONS PER OZ. for my Leach 16% Royal Race mixture. Please remember that diff. mixtures will weigh a little more/less depending on grains. Barley, Safflower, etc. will weigh less than peas, corn, wheat, etc., but most 16% Race mixtures will be close to the same.... Happy


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

Much appreciated Happy. It confirms I am feeding in the correct range. My sick bird was only eating a tablespoon and then I was topping her up with formula to balance her out. She eats about a tablespoon and a half now but she is not active as she is an indoor bird so I think that is probably OK for her.

Cameron


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

Trees Gray said:


> Hi Cameron,
> 
> That sounds like the pea soup I make.... Onion, garlic, celery, ham bone, & some carrots, it is delicious.....AND the only way I will eat peas.


We do have the same recipe Treesa and the same good taste in food I think. And that particular soup is one delicious recipe. With all this talk about Pea soup, I just decided I'm making a pot tonight. Seems it's been ages. 

Hey Shi, I think it's OK to talk about cooking once in a while or anything else if it generally relates to Pigeons. It' not like we're swapping chicken recipes or anything. I was looking at the ingredients on the Baby feeding Formula mix and sort of started wondering about home made mixes and mashes, cooked down to proper conistancy and saved frozen if ever needed.

My reason of course is that I paid almost 14 dollars with tax for 2 lbs of formula. I might have inherited a cheap gene somewhere along the way but if you used your common sense you could probably make a very good quality mash on your own for not too much money. For all I know that is what everyone is already doing. How hard could it be.

Just my thinking (out loud as usual)

Cameron


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