myth or fact? - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldGuy43 

For rice to swell it needs water. Where would the water come from? And whatever happened to all the dead pigeons that should have been laying around the entrance to churches?

 

It's a myth.

Well they do drink water...which goes to the crop with the rice...but still a myth not that it swell, but that it hurts the birds

myth, in some asian countries birds are fed mostly rice.

funny thing wheat,oats,and rice all three swell when put in water....so they stop throwing rice..still throw bird feed with wheat and oats.......some people will believe anything.

and it needs warmish water to swell, and LOTS of time.

Totally myth. Most pigeon feed mixes contain uncooked rice.

Something to consider, when you cook rice it takes a while and boiling temps. Although it swells it becomes mushy and can be compacted. The crop is very stretchy and even if they felt discomfort, they can simply throw up. Pigeons can do that a lot more easily but other birds can cough it up too. I always said if this myth was true, there'd be bits of dead birds all over Asia from where they "exploded" after swelling LOL

seen some neighbor birds die of. but they were starved for week when owner was out of town, then they gorged on food and water given, but most just barf it up (yes i know pigeons are not supposed to be able to throw up, burp or pass gas, but heard and smelled when one let go a bomb by me too)..

maybe it comes from the white release doves, that are not fed before a schedualed event (some ive seen starved just out of improper care or cheapness), to make them return home, but then they gorge themselves on the wedding rice and possibly all the full whine glasses around.  free flying pigeons, no, never seen anything like that happen though except with some kind of bread product that apparentl expanded and got stuck in a wild pigeon i found dead once.

I change my opinion- I think if they eat WAY TOO Much, obviously they will get sick. But not merely from eating a handful.