# what does pigeon grit do??



## Kiddrock (Aug 18, 2005)

i feed my pigeons/ pigeon grit not sure why but the guy i got pigeons from said to / what does it do ??


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Hi Kiddrock,

The grit, depending on type, will help grind the seeds to digestable form. If it is the type of grit w/minerals, then it benefits as a supplement. There is grit that is just a sharp stone (granite) that only helps grind.

Hope this helps,

fp


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi,

The grit, provided it is designed for pigeons, does two things:

1 - It helps provide minerals and trace elements
2 - It assists in digestion by acting with the muscular gizzard in grinding up harder seed and legumes

John


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## Kiddrock (Aug 18, 2005)

i have the kind with minerals so it help with grinding food and act as supplement thats good to hear


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## Lisa C. (Sep 1, 2005)

I have left over grit form when we had a budgie, will that do?


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## TaylorGS (Feb 27, 2005)

I feed my birds grit also. It helps then digest thier food better.  
Taylor


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Lisa C. said:


> I have left over grit form when we had a budgie, will that do?


Hi Lisa,

Can you list us the ingredients, what type of grit it is?

Thanks


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## Lisa C. (Sep 1, 2005)

unfortunately the only writing on it is in german, i think, and i doubt its ingredients.

On the cover it has a picture of a budgie, a canary and a finch.
I don't know if that helps.


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Grit ingredients listed in German*

Lisa, send me a list of the ingredients in German and I will try to get you a translation. I get to this internet cafe only twice a week, so have patience. also, you can try google translation (click on language tools). I live in Cologne Germany. Also you can go to the manufacturer's website and see if they have a rendering in English (many manufactuers do, since they sell all over Europe).


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## Lisa C. (Sep 1, 2005)

Really, that'd be great, though i think its actually dutch. I tried doing some guess work translation, this is were i've gotten so far...

Puik schelpenzand is een kwaliteitsprodukt van Holland Diervoeders B.V. Het is een ideale bodembedekking in de vogoelkooi. Het toegevoegde oestergrit is een belangrijke kalkbron voor de vogels en het anijs-aroma zorgt voor een frisse geur.(name of make, is a quality product of/by holland distributors? B.V. It is an ideal bottom-bedding? in the "no clue". It "???" shellgrit??? is a "???" carbon? for the birds?? and it "has something that removes bad smells or it has no smell?")

As you can see i'm a little stuck on the longer words. help would be appreciated


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Lisa C. said:


> Really, that'd be great, though i think its actually dutch. I tried doing some guess work translation, this is were i've gotten so far...
> 
> Puik schelpenzand is een kwaliteitsprodukt van Holland Diervoeders B.V. Het is een ideale bodembedekking in de vogoelkooi. Het toegevoegde oestergrit is een belangrijke kalkbron voor de vogels en het anijs-aroma zorgt voor een frisse geur.(name of make, is a quality product of/by holland distributors? B.V. It is an ideal bottom-bedding? in the "no clue". It "???" shellgrit??? is a "???" carbon? for the birds?? and it "has something that removes bad smells or it has no smell?")
> 
> As you can see i'm a little stuck on the longer words. help would be appreciated


Yes, it is Dutch

Here is the translation:

It is an ideal bottom bedding (ground cover) for the bird cage. The addition of oyster grit supplies calcium an important mineral for birds. The Anise (seed) adds a fresh and pleasant smell .


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## Lee (Jul 28, 2001)

*grit*

Lee here, 
Pigeons dont need grit to "grind their food " however it is used for that at times ,it is thought that grit was used by rock doves to grind when seeds wernt refined and harder in nature years ago. the pigeon is equiped with a bypass on the gizzard which allows them to use the upper portion of the intestines to digest food with out grinding .. many studies have been done with not allowing pigeons to have grit in their diet and they done well without it . It is natural for them to peck at grit in the wild as it does add minerals amd some calcium to their diet .. There is nothing wrong with giving it to them i always have it available for them and they do like it .. when my birds are out on the ground they always go to the driveway and peck in the gravel i think it is just part of being a bird .. There is a medicated grit available that provides some iodine and other minerals and also it have anise ,salt, calcium (oyster shell) .. I have done necropsies on pigeons and have found that not all birds have grit in the gizzard .. I have also done many fecal smears and have never seen any grit in their droppings so they eat it but it is for the most part a mystery where it goes???? .. I have 150 +pigeons and this year so far they have eaten over 100 lbs of oyster shell and 150 lbs of red cross grit ... if your pigeons eat a pigeon pellet instead of grain then they get all the minerals and calcium they need and the grit is just added extra .... just some thoughts here ....


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## Lisa C. (Sep 1, 2005)

Thanks Treesa


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Lee said:


> Lee here,
> Pigeons dont need grit to "grind their food " however it is used for that at times ,it is thought that grit was used by rock doves to grind when seeds wernt refined and harder in nature years ago. the pigeon is equiped with a bypass on the gizzard which allows them to use the upper portion of the intestines to digest food with out grinding .. many studies have been done with not allowing pigeons to have grit in their diet and they done well without it . .. I have done necropsies on pigeons and have found that not all birds have grit in the gizzard .. I have also done many fecal smears and have never seen any grit in their droppings so they eat it but it is for the most part a mystery where it goes???? .. I have 150 +pigeons and this year so far they have eaten over 100 lbs of oyster shell and 150 lbs of red cross grit ... just some thoughts here ....



Lee,

That is definitely possible. I have been told by some people who have had pigeons for years, that they can go without it for months ( unless that is their only source of calcium and microminerals) I got a couple of Satinette's from a pet store, and it was obvious they hadn't had grit in months, as they went right to the grit bowl and ate it like there was no tomorrow. Their poops looked good, they were getting quality pigeon seed. I assumed it was a lack of minerals and micro mineral that they were craving as well as the need to forage.


Lisa,

You're very welcome.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

So then, what happens to the "sharp grit" that is small pieces of granite washed
several times? Think it's from Holland, they say it stays in gizzard for weeks.
Do they actually digest it or in the study that was done, were they using the softer grits?

fp


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## Lee (Jul 28, 2001)

*grit*

Lee here, 
anything that is in the gizzard isnt digested it is grinded and passed to the intestine where it can then be broken down and absorbed as minerals . The type of grit was disclosed however it was probably a pigeon grit mix. small shards of granit isnt eaten by pigeons in large amounts most grit that i have seen in the gizzard is in fact larger rounded pieces of treated granit and or flint .. the study was done by Wendel M Levi at the pigeon farm in South Carolina they also done a study on salt where they allowed the birds to eat all the salt they wanted for several weeks and it proved to do no harm to the birds..


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## Jiggs (Apr 1, 2005)

Yip - pigeon grit is needed but not every day.

The experts say this but they have never had soft eggs before. I would belive the most important part is the calcium.

I do think that plenty people get confused with the Ostrich (which stays all over the place here) which swallows stones to grind food to paste which it eats.
Pigeons need grit as for vitamins 

YES you could keep pij's for several months without grit but they will not be very healthy


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