Pigeons dropping feathers *making my own feed*

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Ok, so we bought some birds (Swiss mondaines) and I noticed their dropping feathers like poo! Normally I'd say moult, but I have a squeaker whose doing it.
I don't see any mites.

Oh, and pigeon feed is EXPENSIVE, so I wanted to make my own. I figured, if I mixed a bunch of bird seed with peas would that make a good diet? and what type of peas? Thanks.

 

[Pigeon Power]

I would still say moult its that time of the year for pigeons...As for the squeaker maybe you just have enthusiastic birds.

I always had a problem with making my own food for pigeons because it seems different birds like different seeds and will pick out what they like and waste the rest.....which was always like half the seeds....I just go with pellets now...however here were my birds favorites over the years: peas, sunflower seeds, the little common red round ones, and the all time favorite safflower its like crack for them

 

[Pigeon Power]

I would still say moult its that time of the year for pigeons...As for the squeaker maybe you just have enthusiastic birds.

I always had a problem with making my own food for pigeons because it seems different birds like different seeds and will pick out what they like and waste the rest.....which was always like half the seeds....I just go with pellets now...however here were my birds favorites over the years: peas, sunflower seeds, the little common red round ones, and the all time favorite safflower its like crack for them

 

[larrylofts]

feed chicken laying pellets birds can not pick out what they like and leave the rest it is complete diet you can feed grain as a treat some whole corn when cold

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

So chick feed, or game bird feed is OK to give them? Their eating chick feed right now, but we don't have laying pellets so either gamebird or chick.

Yeah, not so sure about the squeaker but I figure ill leave it alone.

 

[larrylofts]

it will work my question would be about them being a medicated feed i know you can get layer feed without

 

[nxd10]

I just expanded my flock and hear you. My oldest, most productive hen loves chicken feed. She used to live with my chickens (this was a BAD idea - a brood hen killed 2 other birds and would have killed this one without $200 worth of vet care). Despite her past injuries, I have to lock her out of my chicken coop when my hens are wandering or she goes in to gorge herself.

The good news is that she is charming, having become so enamoured of chicken feed that she flies over whenever I am in the backyard and begs for it, eating out of my hand. She has taught the entire flock to do eat from my hand by example. In fact, a blue jay is thinking about joining them.

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I feed crumble, not pellets, because it takes longer for the chickens to eat it and this keeps them from picking at each other. It's also a better size for the pigeons. I feed very good, but expensive seed to the pigeons. I've taken to putting my feeder on the lid of a storage bin. When the seed gets scattered, it's on the bin, so the pigeons can still get at it. I scoop it up and pour it back into the feeder. It's not just 'preferred seed' (although I have yet to find a bird who really likes buckwheat). They also just get into a lot of seed and toss it because they seem to like to better off the floor than from the feeder.