Andy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2024 7:23 pm
An interesting topic Devo. I would probably include a couple of different maizes, tic beans, barley to the list. This just shows how many different ingredients you would have to stock or store to make up your own mixes. I think most who make their own mix would probably only use around 4 different grains. A good mixture of grains is probably beneficial as all grains have different qualities. But using lots of different grains also gives the chance of just one of the grains being inferior ruining the whole mix.
The other thing you mention is “what would you be hoping to gain from your mix”. This of course would depend what your aims were.
You would be looking to feed young birds differently from racers. Sprint birds different distance birds. Stock birds breeding different again. So just with this you would need at least 4 different mixes. That would be without feeding different mixes during the week, using a conditioner, or tit bits like peanuts and sunflower hearts.
I have been feeding a good all round mix the past couple of years up until now. Fed to all. But I have basically had all the birds mixing together. So I’m not sure that I have got the best from them.
When I was using straights it was only blue and white/yellow peas, beans and maize they did ok on it but lots peas went to waste
That is the thing. An pigeon weighing about 450 grams only needs about 3 grams of protein a day for maintenance of cell replacement. A little bit more after hard exertion. In a diet of peas only they are eating about 10 grams of protein.
The excess can be converted to energy to fuel flying and living, but protein is much harder to convert to sugars than carbohydrates. The pigeons instinctively know that, and will avoid peas and beans if grains with more carbohydrates are available.
They will go for peas when they are feeding babies as they sense they need the protein during the first couple of weeks, but then suddenly stop and begin looking for grains and oil seeds again.
The birds know better than us what they need.
I know that all that is common knowledge, and common sense, but some people are swayed by big glossy advertisements. Others simply refuse to change, just because.
Good topic with some useful and interesting information, it's a bit late in the day to look at it properly and give my opinion so I'll pick this one up tomorrow
Trev wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:26 pm
Good topic with some useful and interesting information, it's a bit late in the day to look at it properly and give my opinion so I'll pick this one up tomorrow
That is what I thought but some thought I was being sarcy
