pigeon breeding help

[chinbunny1]

my archangel pigoens hatched two babies over the past couple of days. Both squeakers were weak and had to be helped out of the egg. Needles to say I lost both of them. Mom is a proven hen, and has had sucessful babies when she was paired with another cock. She's paired with my only other make right now because the other died. They've had pigeon food, a plastic bowl to nest in, and have access to plenty of grit, and oyster shell. These birds are about three years old, as a guess. So what could have went wrong with those babies? I'd to get them to nest again, but I don't want to lose the next ones. Could the male she's paired with be the problem?

lso, I read in another thread that one of the pigeon breeders here was feeding theirs laying mash/chicken feed? I wasn't aware you could feed that to to them. Is it safe to feed? Would I have a better turnout with it? Cause they tend to waste plenty of feed.

 

[bock]

I am sorry that happened to you

. Better luck next time!

P.s I would NOT feed them chicken food, but do what you think is right!!!

 

[nzpouter]

A lot of things can go wrong...

Are they free flying? What time of the year? Were they separated in winter? etc etc....

We feed our's chick crumbles when they're feeding youngs.

 

[chinbunny1]

They are caged. Can't let them free fly because I live in town, Where there are lots of stray cats and dogs. I do let them in a yard cage when I can. Right now they are in a very large, indoor rabbit hutch. They were in with the extra birds over the winter. I gave them their own cage when they decided to pair off on their own.

Thanks on the chick crumbles. I'll pick up some for them when they start nesting again. Ive been mixing my own grain when they have babies. Cause I learned the hard way once that they will feed them the peas and soy beans.

 

[ThiefPouter06]

I have found that sometimes babies just dont make it. Helping them out of the egg is very risky too. I have to help laudinos from time to time sometimes it works sometimes no. Some birds just arent good parents.

 

[chinbunny1]

Well, the hen was a great mom when she hatched eggs before. These little guys basically died a few hours after coming out of the egg. The first guy I found was actually almost hatched, and it got stuck. It just wasn't strong enough to make it out the rest of the way on its own. Baby #2 had a full crop when I checked it yesterday. I did see the hen feeding it. I guess better luck next time huh?

I kind of figured it was a 50/50 chance they'd make it since they couldn't hatch on their own.

 

[deerman]

The feed or health of parents can cause weak chicks, BEST to never help them out, does more harm and most are to weak to live.

I feed a pigeon pellet during breeding season.

 

[chinbunny1]

Ive never heard of pigeon pellets before. All the feed companies around here carry grain for them.

What brand are your pellets?

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Tractor Supply's website has pigeon pellets. Purina makes "Pigeon
Checkers", which is a pellet also. The only problem with pellets is that it tends to make non-flying birds fat if fed too much. It'd be best to mix it with their normal food when feeding pellets.
It's not very often that I hear of BOTH eggs in the same clutch having issues and dying in the shell/just after hatching. Normally when that happens, there's a health issue. Paratyphoid is one of the most common causes of early or rapid death. It could have just been a bad hatch of course. Before letting them raise again, if I were you, I'd give them a round of antibiotics (terramycin can be found at TSC if you don't have anything else). Something broad-spectrum like terramycin should clean them out of anything that might have caused hatching problems. Healthy breeders make healthy babies. If you have any probiotics, you can give them those after their antibiotic is done.


Question...what kind of food are you feeding them now?
Also about the chicken feed, it's fine, and you can give it to them. But the protein level might be too high depending on what kind, and it might make them fat until they have babies to feed. Once they have babies, they need a lot of protein.

 

[chinbunny1]

I asked tractor supply if they could order in any pigeon pellets, and they told me no. Of course they told me no a long time ago about manna pro sho rabbit feed too, which didn't make the reps of manna pro too happy with them. There is a local bird feed company that says they might be able to order me some pigeon pellets. There is also another fee company I shop at that does carry purina livestock feeds, and shoul dbe able to order anything I want.

I don't have terramyacin. But I do have tetracyline (not oxytetracyline/terramyacin). I keep that around for the rabbits. Since they are similar, yet different drugs, would it work the same as terramyacin? How are you supposed to mix that for pigeons? I know for rabbits its 2 teaspoons per gallon of water. I also have some baytril on hand for them too.

They are on some sort of grain type pigeon feed. Ill have to check and see what brand it is.I know its not purina.