# Feed Amount?



## Josepe (Jan 10, 2011)

How much feed(ounces per bird)do some of you feed? Breeders in the off season and young birds not being raced at present.How many feed once a day?Twice a day?


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## kbraden (Mar 27, 2010)

approx 1 ounce per bird. For flyers, I feed mine once a day just so they know that the whistle means "feeding time", and once a day makes sure they eat it all, not eat part of it knowing (or thinking) there is another meal in a little while. For breeders, same thing, once a day when not on eggs or raising young. If on eggs/ raising young I feed 2x day, morning & evening.


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## lmorales4 (Jul 8, 2010)

I feed an ounce and a half of feed per day per bird. This has my birds at a good weight while keeping them hungry enough to trap on command, I feed 1/3 in the morning and the rest at night


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

please tell us what is in that 1 ounce or 1 ounce and 1/2 of feed. That would be helpful too.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

i feed my birds 1 1/2 oz per bird and split it between morning and night, they also get a snack inbetween meals..i am not racing yet but some are on eggs and ready to rear young in the next week or so..and they eat pretty much every last bit i give them  what they don't gets tossed and i cut back a bit the next day, if they look for more after eating then i will bring it back up a bit.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Birds raising babies should have access to feed and water all day.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

ERIC K said:


> please tell us what is in that 1 ounce or 1 ounce and 1/2 of feed. That would be helpful too.


I try and work my feed around the protein level for different times of the year. During breeding season I feed Exello Breeder and add some safflower. This is about 16% protein. Contains Peas, Corn, Millet, Milo, safflower, barley, wheat, hemp, etc. Breeders come off breeding season looking nice. Sometimes I will add brewers yeast but most times I am lazy. 

Base Mix
During off season I feed all my birds the same base feed about 13% protein. I mix 50 lbs Excello Breeder 16% Protein, 100 lbs Excello Premium 14% protein, 50 lbs Purina wild bird feed with sunflower no corn, and 50 lbs Corn. This adds more millet, milo, corn etc that are lighter in protein. I will adjust the corn less in the warmer months. Otherwise they will sling it all over the loft. The wild bird feed just went up to $20 a bag so I think I will just add milo instead at $14. I would love to find a light grain mix to use in its place. The mix give a good variety of seeds and the corn and milo bring the cost down to about $18 for 50lbs average. 

During the molt I will add more safflower to the mix. If I raced I would add safflower and peanuts to the longer races. Otherwise the base mix is a pretty good race mix low in protein with a bunch of grains. I have found whenever I am not breeding that you need to dilute the peas that come in most pigeon feed. Off the shelf feeds seem to kill the birds energy with too much peas and protein.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

I feed my fly team what they can clean up in about 5 minutes. Breeders get fed twice a day with feed in the trough between feedings. I feed non breeding old birds once a day.


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## lmorales4 (Jul 8, 2010)

I feed the Purina green and gold pellets at about 16% protein, and my breeding old birds get about 18% protein all the time, this gives me nice fat healthy babies


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## aarongreen123 (Jan 26, 2005)

how do you measure the ounces? by weight or by volume? i use a pyrex measure cuup so i do it by volume.


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