Couple newbie questions :)

[wildriverswolf90]

I'm getting some fan tail pigeons next week and wanted to know a couple things…
1. I keep a 15 grain feed for my chickens, can pigeons eat this?
2. Do they need any special things in their diet?
3. Do they lay seasonaly?
4. How often do they try to brood?
5. Do they fair well in cold weather(doesn't usually get below 20 degrees here)

Thank you

 

[fowlsessed]

They lay only to brood. Two eggs at a time. 18 day incubation period and then, some at two weeks, others in a month or more, will lay another batch of eggs and it just keep going on year round. They can eat the same thing as your chickens and be just fine but, If your not feeding them a pelleted/crumble feed with minerals and vitamins in it then you will need to give them special "red pigeon grit" or other vitamin source. I don't worry about the R.P. grit cause I need to order it and I find it expensive. Just make sure they have crushed oyster shells added to their diet. It will work great and you might already have it for your chickens anyway.
So, feed them your current chicken feed and give them crushed oyster shells. Unless you don't mind ordering the R.P. grit.
They will do fine even if the weather does get below the 20's.

Hope that was of some help and feel free to ask any more questions.

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Thank you that helped alot!
Could I feed them layer feed instead of oyster shell? Or stater/grower?

 

[fowlsessed]

Oyster shells and layer pellets is best, of course. But yes, just the layer pellets will be fine. the lower % protein ones are better. If you feed anything above 16 % you should really limit it.

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Ok thanks so much.