Rescued a pigeon

[chadmel]

Hi all! I'm new to backyard chickens. We had a stray racer pigeon show up on our front porch. I posted on several sites in the area and no one claims him, so we have decided to keep him. My question is, what do they eat? I can't seem to find hardly any info on these guys. I know what kind of cage they need and how to keep one happy by itself. I just don't know what they like to eat. I've tried wild bird seed and finch seed. He seems to like those. Is that what I should be feeding him? Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer me!

 

[Gray Farms]

I feed my pigeons scratch grains "crimped corn, milo, and wheat" most feed stores carry it in one form or another. And I mix in sunflower seed, safflower seed, and oats. They also love dried peas and fine chopped carrots for treats.

 

[chadmel]

Thank you so much! Will try all this!

 

[Hokum Coco]

We had a stray racer pigeon show up on our front porch we have decided to keep him. My question is, what do they eat?

There are pigeon feeds (not available everywhere) this is what one brand looks like. I feed mostly chicken layer pellets corn and peanuts (shelled unsalted by hand as a treat only).

 

[laughingdog]

Wild bird feed (not wild dove feed as oddly really bad for them), better mixed with six or more type scratch grain, parrot pellets type for budgie/"parakeet, 15-16% at most layer or chick etc feed, Pigeon pelleted feed (most feed stores can order ether Purina gold as sole feed, or calf manna conditioer as additive to scratch grains and wild bird seed). I found half and half cheapest layer and scratch will fullfil most requirements, but if get into flying sporting for performance, fourth of pelleted feeds to none in diets best. It's not said hardly but Pigeons I've found enjoy seeds grains nuts berries fruit leafy greens and bugs, provided and wild if in pen or loose. my tumbler breeds especially looove flying around catching gnats mosquitos flies, and eat ants aphids etc off ground and plants as well.
Homing pigeons my recover and go home, some however don't or sometimes return to you with friends. If it is staying after week, I'd find it another Pigeon regardless of gender or breed but racers/homers rollers/tumblers and ferals easiest together. Welcome to world of Pigeon keeping, n hope you enjoy hobby. Keep us up to date and ask all want. we have many racing/homing Pigeon experts on here to which I am not, but I'll help with tumbler/roller types especially.

 

[chadmel]

Should I try to release him outside and see if he goes home. I thought he was a racer pigeon but maybe he is a homing one. How do you tell the difference?

 

[loftkeeper]

pigeons need whole corn cracked corn has been linked to causeing canker they also need grit you can feed chicken laying pellets by it self they do good on it

 

[dawnmt70]

I feed mine a combination of wild bird seed and chicken layer. Lots of greens seem to make them happy also. If I have salad, they have salad. Apparently fedding something right since they chose to reproduce midwinter and the chick was healthy and strong.

 

[jak2002003]

Should I try to release him outside and see if he goes home. I thought he was a racer pigeon but maybe he is a homing one. How do you tell the difference?

NO!!! He is likely weak and exhausted and that is why he landed at your place. If you let him go now he will still be weak and not make it far.

BUT once he has recovered he will be fine to be released and should fly back to his home with no problems.

If I get a stray racing pigeon I keep it in a large cage with food and water for at least a weak to let it fatten up and recover its strength.. Then I release it outside. Adult homing pigeons have strong desire to get back to their original loft, even after months or years at a new home... so he will still remember the way back... but he needs to be strong and have fat reserves on his body (and also not have some sickness of disease).

As for feed.. pigeons will eat almost anything! The easiest thing to offer is some chicken layer pellets and mixed grains. Good idea to add a few bird vitamins into his drinking water if you can get them from a pet shop (they are not expensive)..

A great fat and energy booting feed is raw unsalted shelled peanuts.

Well done for helping this little fella. Wish you and him good luck!

 

[Hokum Coco]

Should I try to release him outside and see if he goes home.Give him at least a week to regain his strength. I thought he was a racer pigeon but maybe he is a homing one. How do you tell the difference? If the bird is "NOT" banded there is a chance it maybe a young feral (a picture is worth a thousand words). If the bird is banded it is a simple matter to locate the loft it came from.