What do wild pigeons eat?

[deerman]

You will find most pigeon keeper got their start with these wild pigeon.

I got my first pigeon , taking small pigeon from nest and hand feeding them. I was only 10 years old at the time. think that was 11 years ago, or 111 years ago.

 

[seedcorn]

Quote:
The ones who called them rats of the sky were pest control salesman.

Pigeons are highly adaptable birds who have learned to live "comensally" along side humans. Grain products are the preferred diet. They will travel far to get it too.

I like pigeons but like all birds, when not in captivity, they get in barns/pole sheds and crap all over hay, equipment, or what ever is unlucky enough to be below them.

They and geese are probably 2 of the cheapest meat animals to raise in the fowl world.

 

[monarc23]

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I was thinking of asking the town overs auction barn over if he would mind if I raided any nests with almost fledged pigeon babies... but he may just look at me like im crazy

 

[gabrielle1976]

maybe I missed something but you said baby pigon , how old ? The little ones need ot be spoon or syringe fed baby bird formula I bealve. not shure how long

 

[deerman]

The ones I got were about 2 to 3 weeks old. I would open their beaks and place pigeon pellets in one at a time.

Now I know alot better way, but for a 10 year old boy I raised many that way, sure I had lots of time. I now could feed 20 for the time it took to feed one.

I would find the nest and wait till the birds got older before taken them.

Talk about danger I would climb, about anything old barns,bridges over major rivers(could not swim) I climbed a 40 foot bridge to get my first white pigeon. DIDNT say I was a smart boy, just knew what I wanted.

Got married in 1969(or 1989) and banded my first pigeons that year. Xwife long gone , still have pigeons

 

[deerman]

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Now I can feed 10 day old pigeon, just mixs pigeon pellets with water, large syringe with a plastic tube, put the tube into the crop fill the crop that a few sec.

Had a friend who raised short beak birds, he use a grease gun in place of the syringe he raised hundreds that way every year.

 

[gabrielle1976]

I always let my babies eat from the syringe I never felt comfertable putting it down there throats my I did mostly love birds and cocatiels with a few of this and that , lol some wild ones are easy like house sparrows there whole head is mouth I swear

 

[monarc23]

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Yeah i mean i'd try to raise a naked one if it was all I had to choose from and had to take i tnow...otherwise I'd want a feathered bird.

(perferably plural LOL).

 

[purr]

rats with wings

 

[deerman]

Yes I hand fed many cockatiels and parrots, yes safer to let them eat from a spoon. But with knowledge the tube works, make sure you are pass the windpipe,and do NOT over fill the crop.