what do pigeon's eat?

[Rae_37066]

My hubby brought a pigeon home from work that was burnt from the furnace at work his wings and tail feathers are singed pretty bad and he/she can only fly about 10 feet and can't fly up high at all. so he brought him home. I gave him some duck food and cracked corn, grit and water. What do pigeons eat?

 

[monarc23]

I'm NO expert here but I fed mine a mixture of wild bird seed, calcium, boiled chopped up eggs etc. Poor guy im glad you guys took him home

 

[shelleyd2008]

Cracked corn is bad for pigeons, it can cause sour crop. A breeder friend of mine told me to feed them bird seed, mixed with sunflower seeds and black beans for protein, just so long as the seed doesn't have cracked corn

There is a special kind of grit you can get that is made especially for pigeons that has calcium in it. There is also a pelleted pigeon food, but they really like seeds better.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Pigeons have a largely low or non-fibre diet.Grains should be fed the most. Dried field peas make an excellent staple food, Corn is an excellent winter feed as it is readily stored in the pigeon's body as fat, but it shouldnt be overfed. They also eat sorghum & barley.
I fed a mixture of 30% peas, 30% corn, 30% sorghum and 10% hard wheat. Alot of feedstores carry pigeon mix.
Theres also pigeon pellet,but I dont like thosey have alot of meat by-products in them.
They need grit, The best grit is hard granite or quartz.Pigeons also like salt and will readily attack salt blocks such as those made for horses and sheep.

 

[Rae_37066]

Quote:
I will find out about that grit today I gave him the oyster shell grit that I have for my chickens. and I will pick him up some food today. Thanks for all the answers

 

[Rae_37066]

One other question. How long will it take for his feather's to grow back? Should I trim them? They look like lace from being singed so bad.

 

[Feathered Wings]

I feed mine a wild bird seed mix with added Safflower seeds.

Give him plenty of water they drink alot

Yes you can trim the singed feathers i don't know how long it would take for them to grow back.
They may not grow back till he molts.

 

[bethgranberg]

I have a white dove that is over 23 years old- I have always fed him the Kaytee Dove food usually found in the wild bird section at feed or pet stores -I think it may be for Pigeons as well. He has become very picky and will only eat this food! I am not an expert but I would probably just leave his feathers for the time being, my dove repairs his feather on his own rather quickly. Poor little guy. I hope he gets better.

 

[chinbunny1]

I feed mine regular pigeon food, grit, and oyster shell. You shoul dbe able find those at any feed store.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
You can pull the bad flight feathers, then they will grow back in 6 weeks. if not you will have to wait for him to molt(months)