Favorite Pigeon Treats

[honeynajar]

Please advise your favorite Pigeon Treats!

 

[Hokum Coco]

Shelled unsalted peanuts and bath time (every Wednesday) with a tablespoon full of
"BORAX" per 5 quarts of water

 

[honeynajar]

Shelled unsalted peanuts and bath time (every Wednesday) with a tablespoon full of
"BORAX" per 5 quarts of water

Is this something I can give them every day - like when I go see them in the morning and in the eve? They are my husband's but I enjoy going out and talking to them before I go to work and when i get home. I'd love for them to love to see me coming.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Is this something I can give them every day

If you just give small amounts at first and with a little patience they will be flying to you as soon as you enter the loft. Only feed as a treat. They will eat peanuts just after gorging themselves on regular feed it is like heroin to pigeons and they become addicted fast. I use it as a reward as well to enforce good behaviour.

 

[JackBaker]

You could try just feeding them a small amount of their normal mix, I find that works pretty well as pigeons are very food motivated. This also ensures they are getting some good quality stuff down them.

I do like to feed mine treats also just to mix up their diets and they have a special dish that they recognise for treats and they go mad when they see it. I feed them suet blocks that have been crushed as well as suet pellets for wild birds. These come in flavours of insect, berry, mealworms and peanut. My fantails especially love these but they do have to be fed in moderation as they are fattening. They also get egg food made up for them which they love. I also feed them cabbage, broccoli, grated carrot and grass from the garden as a treat and they will eat this too. Although the greens and egg food is not something that can really be hand fed. I also give mine on occasion layers pellets, this is great for them as a treat as they are full of vitamins and minerals as well as calcium.

 

[LamarshFish]

I started giving unsalted peanuts recently per the recommendation from Hokum Coco. He's not kidding, they are totally heroin to pigeons. Mine are squeakers and are afraid of me, but if anything brings my birds to be more tame and like being closer to me it will be these darn peanuts.

I am currently only giving them to them by putting them on the edges of perches and on the edges of the aviary, not in bowls like food. They know the drill. I'm hoping for them to eventually eat them from my hand as a way to build their trust in me.

 

[LamarshFish]

Oh, and x2 also on the bath. While I should only give it once a week or so, I usually provide my young squeakers with the bath almost every day just to keep them happy... and it does. They go totally nuts over it. Two of them fit in it at a time, and they take turns bathing and you can tell they totally love it, flipping and flapping around in it, then flapping their wings to dry off, then they go have a nap while laying on their side, very luxuriously.

 

[jak2002003]

Same... they love unsalted peanuts the best. I only give them occasionally as my birds are prone to being fat and lazy... they have the good life here.

When our lawn is cut short they also spend a lot of time pecking at things and eating when they find... although I have no idea if its seeds or insects or dirt.

My gang is spoilt rotten... as they like to bath in our swimming pool.. but sitting on the infinity edge.. and some even go for a swim like a duck!!!

 

[Hokum Coco]

I started giving unsalted peanuts

I proud of you there is hope for you yet you are learning good buddy.

 

[LamarshFish]

I proud of you there is hope for you yet you are learning good buddy.

Thanks! One of my four birds (leg band #3) has been eating from my hand now for a few days, but the other three birds are still weary. They will, however, eat peanuts that I place on ledges in the loft while standing only a few feet away.

Leg bands #1 and #5 are still missing, btw I am supposed to pick up 2-4 more squeakers this weekend though, all the same age as when I originally got my first six (about 1 month old, so most feathers on them, but still some down fuzzies on their head and neck)