# pellets in breeding mix



## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

Just wanted to share my results using purina chicken grower pellets in my breeding mix. I put a handfull of pellets in with my breeding mix twice a day. I have noticed the youngbirds to be much healthier with the pellets. They add vitamines to the mix. I bred 73 youngbirds this year and only lost one early on pre-pellets. Since I introduced the pellets the youngbirds look great. I also had some early eggs that the young died in the shell. My third round all 32 eggs hatched with healthy youngsters. I took 15 birds down to ABQ with six birds from a fanicier that lives near by and my birds looked soo much better. I am attributing it to the use of pellets. The birds move to the floor earlier and seem to be maturing faster. Just thought I would share my observations. I am also weaning the young birds with the pellets in the breeding mix.

Randy


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## 1pigeon (Apr 5, 2006)

*purina green and gold*

I use purina green and gold mix brewers yeast with garic and wheat germ oil for breeding loft and i add Canine red cell muti vitamin for racing team 3 time a week.
for cocks and hens breeders loft i just add brewers yeast 2time a week and Canine red cell once a week ..
By using pelltes mix with vitamin i give my pigeon fresh water and birds love it.I enjoy watching them feeding my birds seem to love those pellets i always kidding to myself "Oh boy they eat those pellets like pigs!"
All those mixture i figure It out by myself by research and looking for vitamins ingredents it the bottle ...
By lookin at my birds after using pellets for more than 6 mounts i think my birds more actives and look slicky. So far i am very satisfy .


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Randy,

I would not be surprized if your positive results are due to the higher protein content.......what exactly is the % of protein in those pellets ?


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

Warren
I do agree the protein is not the reason. At 16% it does not out do my breeding mix. I do think the second ingredient of calcium carbonate and the vitamines it is packed with may be the answer. I remember as a kid, using a calcium suppliment that did wonders for my egg production. I am using the Purina Lyena sunfresh recipe pellets. Most of the minerals the birds probably get through the grit, but I think the added minerals probably help. The vitamines are a bonus. It is much easier to add it to the feed than mix it in the water etc. I get lazy and dont always use my vitamine mix or brewers yeast like I need to. I should use the brewers yeast to boost protien, but the birds do look good comming out of the nest. 

Randy


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

I'm not a homing pigeon racer or breeder, but I do feed my runt pigeons purina pigeon pellets as well. I can't see any negative results from doing this and can only guess that the addition of the pellets to the other grains and seeds works well.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Randy,

No...you misunderstood...I thought the protein content WAS the reason. I used Brown's 21% pellets this past season on some of the breeders, and additional peas were added to the diet of a number of other breedering pairs. 

Sometimes it is difficult to determine exactly why some good things are happening, because there are a number of products and items which are added to the feed and water. I actually thought that the diet without the pellets yielded slightly better results, because the birds were generally less fond of the pellets then of other seeds which can be added to the diet. They ate more of the seed diet, and thus fed the YB's what was believed to be more generously.

I do not have ready access to the particular brand of pellets you mention. Although to be honest, I have not really looked at chicken formulations. Some of our local guys use a turkey formulation with various antibotics added, which I have never used, nor wish to try. There is another pigeon brand which I have tried, and found that it really produced some very poor droppings, so I do not trust that particular brand. So...not sure that the success you had came from "pellets", but rather the particular formulation of the brand that you used, in combination with whatever else you might be providing. 

Did you not use these pellets last year ? I mean, are you fairly sure that it was the diet of these chicken pellets which produced your extra positive results ? What does your breeding mix consist of ? What other minerals, grits, etc. did you use along with this diet ? Were there any changes other then the handfuls of these chicken pellets ?


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

There are so many types of chicken feed for so many varaities of chickens its so danagerous to feed the wrong one to your pigeons.

1) broiler feed growers - young grows very fat but is not healty for the adult birds. they get phelgm

2) layers - this is a good all round feed


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

Warren
My birds droppings have not changed. I am still feeding excello breeder as my main feed source. I did not use pellets last year. The formula is for laying chickens. The main ingredient is processed grain by-products, plant protein by products, calcium carbonate, molasses products, salt, and so on. The pellets are then supplemented with numerous vitamins. I did see calcium iodate at the end of the list. I am thinking iodide is use to strengthen eggs shells. From the looks of it these pellets are hot dogs without the meat. I did have great luck in breeding last year. The beginning of this year I started earlier. I think I had some eggs freeze and others the babies died in the shell. On a whim and from some articles I read, ie Frank McLaughlin's in RPD, I decided to try some pellets. Mainly for the vitamines and minerals added. I had two or three die in the shell the second round and none the third. I introduced the pellets between the first and second round. I did notice the babies of the second round and third healthier than the first. I am only adding about 20% pellets to the feed. The birds do eat them last with the barley and peas. My hoppers never go empty but do get to the bottom. They are eating all the pellets. I tried the pellets for a quick fix to the egg problem. It did work. The babies being healthier was an added bonus. My first round babies that hatched out were very healthy. We do have grit issues around here and I can not always be constistent with the grit. Last season I was using red grit with pick stones added. This season the same. 

Randy


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