# Can a pigeon eat out of these?



## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

Will they eat out of these:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/wcssto...ontAssetStore/images/products/600/2167094.jpg
I have a bunch of these that a guy who use to have lots of chickens and got out of them gave to me. Can pigeons eat out of these? I think they would reduce waste of food so i want to try them.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

zimmzimm3 said:


> Will they eat out of these:
> http://www.tractorsupply.com/wcssto...ontAssetStore/images/products/600/2167094.jpg
> I have a bunch of these that a guy who use to have lots of chickens and got out of them gave to me. Can pigeons eat out of these? I think they would reduce waste of food so i want to try them.


As long as the holes are big enough for their head to fit in I guess so. I would think though that they would only be able to eat what is directly in front of them. It doesn't appear that they could move very much to the left or right to pick up seeds. I could be wrong though. 
What are you using as a feeder now?


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## ezemaxima (Jan 12, 2008)

That's what I have for my feeder but they have the hardest time eating their food when it's low because their head doesn't fit inside so I decided to join the 2 openings together by cutting the middle piece.

Here's a pic...


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

ezemaxima said:


> That's what I have for my feeder but they have the hardest time eating their food when it's low because their head doesn't fit inside so I decided to join the 2 openings together by cutting the middle piece.


That's sorta what I thought and I see food on the floor. Zim was looking to stop his pigeons from wasting food. Don't appear that this is the solution. Actually, Zim, if you don't over feed your birds they won't waste much if any at all. You've seen my feeders. After they get through eating and I pick up the feeders, there might be a dozen seeds on the floor.


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

Lovebirds said:


> As long as the holes are big enough for their head to fit in I guess so. I would think though that they would only be able to eat what is directly in front of them. It doesn't appear that they could move very much to the left or right to pick up seeds. I could be wrong though.
> What are you using as a feeder now?


I was just using a round pan and they were flinging the food everywhere  I think i will cut holes out like ezemaxima did


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## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

I thought these looked good too when I saw them in the feed store...mine is made of galvanized metal...but in practice I see no great improvement on the spillage/waste and they like to sit on it and poop all over it and even in the holes...
I am not having great luck with the "oft' touted" plastic milk jugs with head holes cut in the sides either! I enlarged the tops to use like a scoop to fill them...so the birds perch on the tops and poop inside the jugs! At least that was a "free" failure! 
I do not know it the apparatus has been invented that will keep a pesky piji from scattering seeds all over the floor and then pooping in it, but I am open to suggestions!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

kippermom said:


> I thought these looked good too when I saw them in the feed store...mine is made of galvanized metal...but in practice I see no great improvement on the spillage/waste and they like to sit on it and poop all over it and even in the holes...
> I am not having great luck with the "oft' touted" plastic milk jugs with head holes cut in the sides either! I enlarged the tops to use like a scoop to fill them...so the birds perch on the tops and poop inside the jugs! At least that was a "free" failure!
> *I do not know it the apparatus has been invented that will keep a pesky piji from scattering seeds all over the floor and then pooping in it,* but I am open to suggestions!


I don't think such a thing exists. LOL
About the only way to keep it from happening is not to over feed. I throw away more food while raising babies...........it's almost a sin, but I WILL NOT let my babies be hungry, so I deal with it and listen to hubby fuss.


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*Does the top come off?*

I would take the top off and just leave it open. Learn how much your birds will eat in a 20 minute period, especially if you can feed them twice a day. It's all they need, make them eat all of it and you'll have no waste and no poop in your feed.

The types of feed make a difference in what they will eat. They need more corn when it's cold and more peas (Canadian Peas, like soybeans) if they are racing pigeons. I never buy racing feed unless it's all that they have as my birds eat the peas last. Too much protein.

The feed that I've been buying lately is Kaytee pigeon feed with corn and has 13% protein. They eat everything except the wheat. If they have nothing but wheat left at the second feeding, I throw it out. Sometimes they eat the wheat but it is the last thing that they will eat. I have no idea why but it's pretty clear that they don't care for it as much. Birds know what they need and we don't have to tell them or show them how to eat a healthy diet. Just buy a good healthy pigeon feed and they will do fine.

I never use a feeder that restricts them from the seed that they want. They are very adept at picking up the exact seed that they want and when they are not especially hungry, will throw the seeds aside that they don't want. If you only give them what they'll clean up in a short period of time, there will be no waste and no spillage to the floor.

Bill


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

jbangelfish said:


> I would take the top off and just leave it open. Learn how much your birds will eat in a 20 minute period, especially if you can feed them twice a day. It's all they need, make them eat all of it and you'll have no waste and no poop in your feed.
> 
> The types of feed make a difference in what they will eat. They need more corn when it's cold and more peas (Canadian Peas, like soybeans) if they are racing pigeons. I never buy racing feed unless it's all that they have as my birds eat the peas last. Too much protein.
> 
> ...



Yep, that bout' sums it up. My birds won't eat the wheat either most of the time.


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## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

I agree that limiting their meal time would limit the waste...but I have a couple handicapped guys who need the "waste" and "scatter" for their survival since they cannot compete at the food dishes. When I try to feed them separately the others come to the little separate dishes I have set out for the gimps. No easy solution!


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

If wastage is what you are controlling you should control feeding, i know many breeders who feed there birds twice a day and each meal is only a handful. Remember, an average pigeon needs only 60gms of food per day. Only if you are lazy you waste food.


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

This is what I made for feed and grit. Made of 1/4 inch plywood, a bit of 1x4 and finish nails. The troughs are not attached to anything so they are easily moved for cleaning or putting away if you limit your feeding time.


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*Perfect*

This is the perfect feeder.

The only problem with having them up off the floor is that a weak bird (usually a fledgling) might not be able to or get the idea to fly up to it.

Bill


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*Be careful with the gimps*



kippermom said:


> I agree that limiting their meal time would limit the waste...but I have a couple handicapped guys who need the "waste" and "scatter" for their survival since they cannot compete at the food dishes. When I try to feed them separately the others come to the little separate dishes I have set out for the gimps. No easy solution!



It's not an easy solution and they might actually be better off in a group of gimps. Normal healthy pigeons will bully them and aggressive males will be breeding them whether they are male or female. Pigeons like this can get picked on to a point of death. Watch them carefully, as I'm sure you are but I personally believe that they would be better off separated from normal healthy birds for the above-mentioned reasons.

Most pigeon breeders would kill birds (culling) that are not normal and healthy. I realize this would not be a popular decision here as many persons are taking in wounded and weak birds. It's nice that so many people are willing to do so but if your weak or handicapped birds are forced to live among normal healthy birds, they will have a tough go of it. 

Remember, nature is all about survival of the fittest and the weak members will be killed by predators or sometimes even by their own kind. 

Beside primates, the elephant is the only animal that I know of to care for or coddle a weak or injured member of it's own species.

Bill


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## eric98223 (Aug 4, 2007)

kippermom said:


> I thought these looked good too when I saw them in the feed store...mine is made of galvanized metal...but in practice I see no great improvement on the spillage/waste and they like to sit on it and poop all over it and even in the holes...
> I am not having great luck with the "oft' touted" plastic milk jugs with head holes cut in the sides either! I enlarged the tops to use like a scoop to fill them...so the birds perch on the tops and poop inside the jugs! At least that was a "free" failure!
> I do not know it the apparatus has been invented that will keep a pesky piji from scattering seeds all over the floor and then pooping in it, but I am open to suggestions!




i just set my jugs in the feed bucket and use my hand to scoop food up the side and into the feeder holes i love them for peas and grower and they are free is the best part! i agree with lovebirds limit feed and it will all get cleaned up. i made my feeders very wide based so they dont kick as much out. because my floor is expanded metal so once it is out of the feeder it is gone!


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## Shrek (Apr 2, 2008)

Lovebirds said:


> Yep, that bout' sums it up. My birds won't eat the wheat either most of the time.


Seriously?! My birds eat it like crazy. In fact we have a wheat feild behind the house and they are always out there eating wheat.


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## Shrek (Apr 2, 2008)

David Ey said:


> This is what I made for feed and grit. Made of 1/4 inch plywood, a bit of 1x4 and finish nails. The troughs are not attached to anything so they are easily moved for cleaning or putting away if you limit your feeding time.


I like this what is the measurements and how many birds are you feeding?


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

If I rember correctly the feeder base is about 10 in. wide by 20 in. long and the box itself is about 1 3/4 wide at the bottom and 3 3/4 wide at the top. As you can see, the front bottom is angeled about 40 degrees and is about 1 3/4 deep. Make the top overhang an inch or so to keep the poop out. I didn't do this on these but they stay clean anyway.
I only have 4 birds at present but expect to have a couple dozen so I'll need another 2 feeders or so or make them longer.

Maybe a smaller one for the floor for the weaker birds if I have any.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I like your feeder, David, but do they ever back up and poop into it? That would be my biggest concern.

I have my feeders off the ground too in a dining hall, I help my handicap hen to go eat everyday, and when she is nesting, she gets "dinner in bed." She has a normal mate and nest box off the ground.


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

Tereesa, they haven't yet but I have only had them about 3 weeks.


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## ezemaxima (Jan 12, 2008)

Lovebirds said:


> That's sorta what I thought and I see food on the floor. Zim was looking to stop his pigeons from wasting food. Don't appear that this is the solution. Actually, Zim, if you don't over feed your birds they won't waste much if any at all. You've seen my feeders. After they get through eating and I pick up the feeders, there might be a dozen seeds on the floor.


I know what you mean by the food getting thrown out of the feeder but I'd rather have them eat easily than to suffer sticking their head thru small openings. Anyways, after 20 minutes, I would remove the feeder and anything left on the ground would get eaten. I rarely would see feed making it to the ground below my loft. And when it happens, i've got sparrows and doves waiting...


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