Getting the right nutrition fed.

[Trev]

I usually only do the veggies once a week, on Saturday, but they cleaned it up yesterday in no time, so I am going to give them another lot this morning.
They had the garlic and cider vinegar yesterday, and the shed was full of down feathers this morning, so it is all helping them.
I know what you mean about them being choosy about what they eat. In New Zealand I used to feed black sunflower, they loved it. Here, they are not keen on it and it mostly gets thrown to the wild birds. Of course I do feed a fair bit of safflower, so they don't seem to want it.
You have to find what works.

I quite agree Muzza, I need to start mine on the Garlic and Cider vinegar again as I haven't used it since separating the birds back in November.

[Andy]

I must say that I have never weighed out my feed, so I wouldn’t have a clue how much their eating. I feed them to appetite and take away what they don’t eat. I’m sure that now they are out on open loft they will probably eat a bit more as their fitness and energy requirements improve as the time they spend on the wing increases. They disappear for a while during the morning while out.

[Murray]

I usually only do the veggies once a week, on Saturday, but they cleaned it up yesterday in no time, so I am going to give them another lot this morning.
They had the garlic and cider vinegar yesterday, and the shed was full of down feathers this morning, so it is all helping them.
I know what you mean about them being choosy about what they eat. In New Zealand I used to feed black sunflower, they loved it. Here, they are not keen on it and it mostly gets thrown to the wild birds. Of course I do feed a fair bit of safflower, so they don't seem to want it.
You have to find what works.

I quite agree Muzza, I need to start mine on the Garlic and Cider vinegar again as I haven't used it since separating the birds back in November.

I think you are right, Trev.
It's probably just as well not to give the garlic when the weather is very cold. If they are not very thirsty they may not drink enough and that can cause problems. Possibly best just to give clean water until the weather starts to warm up.

[Murray]

I mentioned that I had increased the feeding to met the demands of the pigeons while they were growing and moulting.

It's time to put them back on the normal mix, I think. I noticed that a lot of them were content to wander around the garden and not fly much yesterday, and one or two are looking quite round and sleek and shiny. The little buggers are getting fat and lazy.

They aren't in training at the moment, so they needn't be flying like champions, but they are not going to get into the habit of stuffing themselves with food and lying around the place. Like most youngsters they learn bad habits quicker than good ones.

[Trev]

I mentioned that I had increased the feeding to met the demands of the pigeons while they were growing and moulting.

It's time to put them back on the normal mix, I think. I noticed that a lot of them were content to wander around the garden and not fly much yesterday, and one or two are looking quite round and sleek and shiny. The little buggers are getting fat and lazy.

They aren't in training at the moment, so they needn't be flying like champions, but they are not going to get into the habit of stuffing themselves with food and lying around the place. Like most youngsters they learn bad habits quicker than good ones.

obviously too much of a good thing Muzza, it is very narrow margins between too little and too much feed and will vary day on day so we constantly need to be monitoring their intake. I used to see it when milking cows, you would up their feed daily as each morning their feed mangers were empty and then all of a sudden with no warning you would come in to find the mangers half full often the air temperature makes a massive difference to feed requirements as much as exercise.

[Andy]

I’ve now gone back to feeding mine twice a day now that the days are drawing out. So now I feed them in the morning and take away what’s left after a few minutes and the same in the afternoon. I have been letting them out in the morning before feeding and again mid afternoon. Roxanna gets them in around 4pm with a few sunflower hearts and I feed them again after work. I’m not letting them out for too long at present because of the hawk. They will go back onto open loft at the end of the month.

[Murray]

I have just added a bit of extra maize, saff and milo to reduce the amount of peas in the mix. Just a little bit.
In a week or so I will make a batch of the normal mix with less peas and maize. With the days getting shorter they will spend less time exercising and I find that lighter mix is more than adequate.
I know some people put them on a very thin mix in the middle of winter, but I think they still need some energy on the cold nights.
But then, I might be wrong.

[Andy]

I have just had the first eggs hatch. So now into the breeding season. I am still feeding the same mix, versalaga all round mix. They will be kept on this mix even during racing. I will just add a few more peanuts and sunflower hearts as an extra. Plus I have a bag of hemp that I will use some of.

[Murray]

Happy babies, Andy!
It is the most exciting day of the year.
A new crop of babies that are new, and fresh, and not ruined.
But don't worry, we will destroy most of them within 12 months.
We always do.

[Andy]

Very true Murray.