Pigeon care basics? What are basic pigeon housing requirements?

[black_cat]

AH I found this thing with SO MANY food options! Which one is best? I'm assuming that I shouldn't just go with the cheapest one to save money. https://globalpigeonsupply.com/collections/feed

 

[biophiliac]

AH I found this thing with SO MANY food options! Which one is best? I'm assuming that I shouldn't just go with the cheapest one to save money. https://globalpigeonsupply.com/collections/feed

Watch out the shipping cost isn't twice as much as the food!
The Kaytee dove mix is fine to start with if you can get it at your local pet store. It comes in small bags of 5 pounds or so.

 

[biophiliac]

Having trouble finding pigeon feed near me. Is dove food ok?

What is your location? Nearest city/town or county and state?

 

[black_cat]

What is your location? Nearest city/town or county and state?

Connecticut, USA. I've looked in Connecticut and New York, and everything is about an hour away from me, making it an hour a way and an hour back. I wish I could order a bird but it is so stressful on them that I'd feel terrible.

 

[NatJ]

Connecticut, USA. I've looked in Connecticut and New York, and everything is about an hour away from me, making it an hour a way and an hour back. I wish I could order a bird but it is so stressful on them that I'd feel terrible.

Are you looking for birds or food?

A pigeon, it makes sense to pick it up in person, even if you need to spend half a day driving to get it. (Because of the stress of shipping, and because you only need to get the bird once.)

But food is a bit different.
Food does not get stressed when being shipped, but shipping that much weight is EXPENSIVE. And you keep needing food, over and over. So you want to avoid paying shipping, but you also want to avoid driving all day to get it.

It's usually best to identify a local source of food. Sometimes that local source is an animal feed store, but sometimes it's a pet store or even Walmart.

You could look for Tractory Supply Company. They sell animal feed, and they have a number of locations in Connecticut. Maybe one would be close to you. I just searched their website for "pigeon feed," and found several options. Here is one of them:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/purina-pigeon-checkers-pigeon-food-50-lb
That particular one says it's a complete feed for pigeons (I'm not a pigeon expert. But for chickens, a "complete feed" is usually the right thing.)

They offer to ship it to a store for pickup (I assume that means they'll put it on the next truck going to that store, and then you can pick it up after it gets there.)

 

[black_cat]

Are you looking for birds or food?

A pigeon, it makes sense to pick it up in person, even if you need to spend half a day driving to get it. (Because of the stress of shipping, and because you only need to get the bird once.)

But food is a bit different.
Food does not get stressed when being shipped, but shipping that much weight is EXPENSIVE. And you keep needing food, over and over. So you want to avoid paying shipping, but you also want to avoid driving all day to get it.

It's usually best to identify a local source of food. Sometimes that local source is an animal feed store, but sometimes it's a pet store or even Walmart.

You could look for Tractory Supply Company. They sell animal feed, and they have a number of locations in Connecticut. Maybe one would be close to you. I just searched their website for "pigeon feed," and found several options. Here is one of them:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/purina-pigeon-checkers-pigeon-food-50-lb
That particular one says it's a complete feed for pigeons (I'm not a pigeon expert. But for chickens, a "complete feed" is usually the right thing.)

They offer to ship it to a store for pickup (I assume that means they'll put it on the next truck going to that store, and then you can pick it up after it gets there.)

I'm talking about shipping pigeons, not feed. The most local source of food would be that dove food that I found. The nearest Tractor Supply to me is about 40 mins away from me. I forgot about shipping costs for heavy things I'll check walmart and my local hardware stores now.

 

[black_cat]

Welp, all my hardware stores had were 'pigeon b gone bird spikes' and other things to repel pigeons, which is not what I want, but walmart had this: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bird-Lover-s-Blend-Dove-Pigeon-Quail-Blend-5-lb/960583964 Pigeon experts, do you think this feed looks good? I will check target as well.

 

[black_cat]

I"m faced with a tough decision: friend's parents are ok with getting another pigeon, but I am almost 400% sure that they will not drive two hours for one. I really don't want to ship a bird, but it's starting to look like the options are either no pigeon friend or a shipped one. What should I do? My parents also will not drive that far.

 

[NatJ]

I suggest you get the loft built, food arranged, and practice tending the pigeon--before you try to solve the problem of getting another one.

After all, another pigeon might show up just like this one did!
And keep looking on Craigslist. The pigeons on there today are not close to you, but someone closer might list some next week or the week after.

 

[black_cat]

I suggest you get the loft built, food arranged, and practice tending the pigeon--before you try to solve the problem of getting another one.

After all, another pigeon might show up just like this one did!
And keep looking on Craigslist. The pigeons on there today are not close to you, but someone closer might list some next week or the week after.

That's probably a great idea. Loft is getting built today- friend's dad is excited to build. I'm making a gravity fed feeder to avoid Blueberry spilling all the food everywhere.