# What time do you feed your pigeons?



## DesiJatt (Jul 20, 2012)

Hello guys, I wanted know what time do you feed your pigeons? Because I have breeders and when I feed them sometimes the hens are on the eggs,the cocks are on the eggs, and they mix and match. So 3 hens might be sitting on eggs and 5 cocks might be sitting on eggs also. So I wanted to know what time should I feed them where both the hen and cock could both get food, but at seperate times because I want to train trap train them and its hard to keep them hungry becuase sometimes 3 hens or 5 cocks are left out from getting fed.


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## Pijlover (May 5, 2010)

For my breeders seed is present with them all the time, for my flying birds only once a day and its like 4:00 pm or somewhere around


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Breeding birds should have plenty of food and water available all the time. As should just weaned, growing birds.
Generally, pigeons eat two times a day...morning and then again late afternoon. If you are only feeding them one time a day, you aren't feeding them enough.


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

Charis said:


> Breeding birds should have plenty of food and water available all the time. As should just weaned, growing birds.
> Generally, pigeons eat two times a day...morning and then again late afternoon. If you are only feeding them one time a day, you aren't feeding them enough.


Charis , im having problems with the balance of feeding my birds, i have 43 currently and feed them 40 odd ounces before letting them out in the mornings giving them time to digest a little ( about an hour) , im getting very klittle flight out of them less than 5 mins before they come down looking for more food.one or two are overweight granted as ive a couple of greedy birds but cant fathom out why they wont exercise, should i startr basketing them for their fitness or am i doing wrong with their feed , jeff.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

A pigeon flies naturally for food, If a pigeon does not need food it doesn't fly, Cut there morning feeds down slowly giving them the difference in the afternoon, Eventually cut it out completely and just feed them after their fly, As late as possible, That way in the morning they fly and fly and then wait around for food time.


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## Pijlover (May 5, 2010)

Charis said:


> Breeding birds should have plenty of food and water available all the time. As should just weaned, growing birds.
> Generally, pigeons eat two times a day...morning and then again late afternoon. *If you are only feeding them one time a day, you aren't feeding them enough*.


If they are not fed enough they will not be flying well or go out of condiition which is not a case with my birds but still i will try to research this, There are not few but hundreds and thousands of breeders here who are feeding there flying pigeons only once a day


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

I always feed my birds twice a day and i never fed them before i let them out to fly . this way when i blew my whistle when it was time to come in they came down and trapped fast


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

my birds are coming down almost straight away is this because im feeding too klittle or too much and they are lazy ? are they out of condition as i can see no visible signs , no heavy breathing , good plumage etc .


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

i got off topic please remove thanks


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

jeff houghton said:


> Charis , im having problems with the balance of feeding my birds, i have 43 currently and feed them 40 odd ounces before letting them out in the mornings giving them time to digest a little ( about an hour) , im getting very klittle flight out of them less than 5 mins before they come down looking for more food.one or two are overweight granted as ive a couple of greedy birds but cant fathom out why they wont exercise, should i startr basketing them for their fitness or am i doing wrong with their feed , jeff.


Do you also give them 40 + oz an the evening? What is the fat content, and the protien content of your feed.
Dave


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

DesiJatt said:


> Hello guys, I wanted know what time do you feed your pigeons? Because I have breeders and when I feed them sometimes the hens are on the eggs,the cocks are on the eggs, and they mix and match. So 3 hens might be sitting on eggs and 5 cocks might be sitting on eggs also. So I wanted to know what time should I feed them where both the hen and cock could both get food, but at seperate times because I want to train trap train them and its hard to keep them hungry becuase sometimes 3 hens or 5 cocks are left out from getting fed.


What kind of birds do you have? I don't let my breeders out, and I keep a high protien pellets for them all the time.
Dave


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

Good to know, Charis. That is when my birdies get fed: The morning and the afternoon.


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## DesiJatt (Jul 20, 2012)

Crazy Pete said:


> What kind of birds do you have? I don't let my breeders out, and I keep a high protien pellets for them all the time.
> Dave


Hello,I have some pakistani highflyers.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

I don't no much about highflyers but why would you want to take a chance losing them while they are on a nest. I would wait till you have the young off them out and have them on dummy eggs.
Dave


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## mikeyg (Jul 11, 2012)

*If you are only feeding them one time a day, you aren't feeding them enough* 

I Don't really think that is true.

For every 100 people who feed twice a day you will find 100 more on this forum that only feed once a day. It is pure preference, it's all about your birds health and how they perform based on your individual feeding schedule. I dont think there is any right or wrong answer here. To just simply say once a day is not enough, is vary vague, 

Here is a quote from Warren on this same discussion awhile back...

I have had this same discussion with some real masters in the sport. Opinions will differ of course, but when it comes right down to it, I think it is the amount of feed, not how many meals it is spread out over.

Most will agree, that a racing pigeon needs to be kept lean, just like a long distance runner. The amounts to be fed, will depend on what is being fed, and how much work the birds are doing. Not, a whole lot different for humans.

If your birds are doing a lot of loft flying and some good road work, then they will need more quality and quanity of grain. I have found, that people will often transfer their own eating habits onto their pets. Ever notice an overweight person, with an overweight dog ? Same goes for pigeons. By the way, I am maybe a 100 lbs overweight, so I am not picking on overweight people here. 

Many good racing people, will use barley or wheat with their YB's. It gives the birds a sense of being full, but is difficult to get real fat on stuff like barley. Overweight pigeons, will not race, plain and simple. If your birds are not trapping well, my money says that they are not hungrey, and thus are overweight. If they are not hungrey, they will not obey your signals. They won't know you.

I suggest reducing your feed amounts, and have them eat out of your hand. If they look at you with a dumb look... instead of jumping onto your hands, arms, shoulders, head...then they are telling you, "We ain't hungrey Jack" just leave the can and get out of here. 

This is your signal to get out of there....but, take the feed can with you. Right now, your birds are the master, not you. 

Measure out a teaspoon of feed per bird, and start from there. Adjust this amount down, untill they start to see you as the master !!
__________________

Before any Champion crosses any finish line in life, he must first win the event in his mind. And if he thinks he can't, then most assuredly, he will not. 
- Warren Smith


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

He is only feeding an oz a day and they wont fly, they either need more or they lack some thing.
Dave


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

Crazy Pete said:


> Do you also give them 40 + oz an the evening? What is the fat content, and the protien content of your feed.
> Dave


I give them 40 oz in total, half in morning and half at night, it is called Buxtons all year round mix and has brown ,green and white peas, maize and wheat in it, it is known as a very good feed, i have friends who switch to just brown peas in the winter as there cheaper although i like to feed mine this all year as it has most of there needs.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I feed twice a day 

AM routine : Between 0830 - 0930 hrs generally 

PM routine : Between 1630 - 1730 hrs mostly


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

mikeyg said:


> *If you are only feeding them one time a day, you aren't feeding them enough*
> 
> I Don't really think that is true.
> 
> ...


Mike you took my comment out of context. This is what I said...

Breeding birds should have plenty of food and water available all the time. As should just weaned, growing birds.
*Generally, pigeons eat two times a day...morning and then again late afternoon. If you are only feeding them one time a day, you aren't feeding them enough.*

One teaspoon of food a day is not enough.
__________________


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

A teasp. a day is starvation, or close to it.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I thought it was borderline cruelty myself !


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Borderline?????


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## mikeyg (Jul 11, 2012)

Understand, I would hope Warren (Smithfamilylofts) would not post something so detailed if he did not believe in it himself, that was simply a cut and paste quote from him. Sorry I really did not mean to take what you said out of context...


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Jay3 said:


> Borderline?????


A borderline distinguishes one side from another - 1 side of that line is cruelty and the other side is not . The feeding of 1 teaspoon of food dangles right on that line and could tip either way - *in my opinion*


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Maybe the meant a tablespoon. That is a little closer to 1 oz


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

tjc1 said:


> Maybe the meant a tablespoon. That is a little closer to 1 oz


A tablespoon is half an oz.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

whytwings said:


> A borderline distinguishes one side from another - 1 side of that line is cruelty and the other side is not . The feeding of 1 teaspoon of food dangles right on that line and could tip either way - *in my opinion*


I understand what you said. I was just adding that I do consider it cruelty.


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Well that is closer to a oz than a teaspoon. LOL


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

I feed them about 1/2 and oz at 6:30am and then about 1/2 at 3:30pm. I try to feed them at the same time so the get use to me.


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## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

First Of All Homers Rollers And High Fliers Need To Be Fed Different To Get The Results You Want. I Would Get The Opinion Of A Flyier Of Your Breed And Go From There As Each Breed Has Different Needs . But Common Sense Says Feed After Flying Make Sure Each Bird Can Eat A Two Foot Feeder Will Not Work For 43 Birds For Example.


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

I think pigeons that are being flown should only be fed once. Before feeding though, you need to figure out when you will be feeding them. If flying in the morning, feed in the morning and if flying in the afternoon feed in the afternoon.
I fly in the afternoon so I feed them once they trap in. That is what you essentially want - them to know that trapping into the loft means they get food. This is especially important in YB racing because that is one of the only motivations you can properly use with all the birds. 

Feed an ounce of food per bird flying. More if they have had a tough training toss or race. You should learn to judge your birds. If you think their flight was not too hard on them, feed them an ounce of food. If your judgement tells you that they look worked out and tired from the flight, feed more. It also depends on what you are feeding them. Feed them carbs after a tough race and things like barley when they aren't being overly worked.

For the breeders, I feed them twice a day, always have and always will. One morning and one afternoon feeding. This gives them the opportunity to feed the babies better and gives them fresh feed. It also gives me the opportunity to change the water twice in the lofts. On hot summer days, if I'm home I'll go change the water an extra third time.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Jay3 said:


> I understand what you said. I was just adding that I do consider it cruelty.


Sorry Jay ........ 1 too many champange's last night and the head is a bit foggy today


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

jeff houghton said:


> I give them 40 oz in total, half in morning and half at night, it is called Buxtons all year round mix and has brown ,green and white peas, maize and wheat in it, it is known as a very good feed, i have friends who switch to just brown peas in the winter as there cheaper although i like to feed mine this all year as it has most of there needs.


Thats way to much peas your protein must be 18, or 19% they only need that when you are breeding or when they are molting. You should cut back to 12% and raise the fat to around 4% same with the carbs.
Dave


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Too high on protein isn't good. As was mentioned, you want higher when breeding, but other than that, to high isn't good for them, and can actually cause them problems.


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