Mixing own feed

[MaineahMidwife]

Anyone have thoughts about mixing your own pigeon feed? I have family members who are highly allergic to any grains. Since we are planning to raise squab, the pigeons would have to eat only seeds/fruits/veggies(no grain).... We are looking into mixing our own feed (no corn/wheat/oats). We also give a vitamin/mineral supplement. We were thinking of using canadian peas, millet, flax, safflower seed, sunflower seed, milo and hemp seed.... any suggestion on ratio of each or additions/changes to this? Or do you know of a premade food that has no corn/wheat?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Grains are seeds

Are they allergic to everything about them? The dust, etc?

 

[MaineahMidwife]

Actually there are differences, a quick search can reveal this... all grains contain some amount of gluten.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I was just saying grains are a type of seed. Grains, nuts, and beans are all seeds but not all seeds are grains, nuts, or beans. Grains are grass seeds, nuts are tree seeds, and so on...

 

[MaineahMidwife]

Found this site to be very helpful.... it explains how to calculate out the total protein % in a recipe if you know the protein % in each ingredient....
http://www.melbournebirdvet.com/practical-feeding-for-performance.aspx

 

[Evan W]

Gluten does not pass thru to the meat of the animal or bird. The only reason to feed gluten free grains would be if you can't keep the feed in a separate place away from your family to avoid cross contamination.

 

[laughingdog]

Yea try GMO free corn wheat soy peanuts etc.. they oddly mostly don't bother people, but hard to find as many packaging's lie saying no GMO. If it's different thing then yes you can wear mask and gloves when feeding and cleaning. If wild bird seed wouldn't bother your family then try that as alternative suppliment in feed.

 

[jak2002003]

The people allergic to grains will have no problems eating pigeons fed on grains.... they are eating pigeon meat... no grains!


Before the protein from the grains is absorbed into the pigeons flesh it is broken down into single amino acids or short peptide acids... so no longer gluten. Don't worry.