Little by little, pigeons are losing their "bad fame" as urban pests and are once again gaining popularity as pets We must knowing that pigeon breeding has been going on for centuries, thanks to its ease of adaptation and remarkable intelligence, showing a very good predisposition to learning when positive reinforcement is used.
Feeding the pigeons
Like all animals, pigeons must have complete and balanced nutrition to maintain good he alth. These birds will need to receive a balanced diet that meets the nutritional requirements of their species to fully develop their muscles and cognitive abilities.
The feeding of pigeons is a key aspect to strengthen their immune system and prevent the most common diseases in these birds. As some of these pathologies can be transmitted to humans and other animals, pigeon nutrition is also an essential care to preserve the good he alth of all the individuals with whom it lives.
For all this, it is essential to pay special attention to what pigeons eat at each stage of their life to provide excellent nutrition to your birds. The ideal is always to have the guidance of a specialized veterinarian when choosing the most appropriate diet for your pigeons, taking into account their age, he alth status and eventual needs of their breed (remember that there are more than 150 breeds of pigeons currently recognized).
What do wild pigeons eat?
Throughout its evolutionary history and mainly after its adaptation to urbanized centers, the pigeon has become an omnivorous animalwith the ability to digest different types of food. In cities and their surroundings, pigeons maintain opportunistic habits when feeding, taking advantage of many residues generated by human beings in their feeding and productive activities.
By observing what pigeons eat in urban environments, many people are introduced to what the feeding of wild pigeons is like in their habitat Naturally, adult pigeons also maintain a varied diet but one that is mostly based on the consumption of grains and seeds, such as oats, wheat, corn, sorghum, barley, lentils, rice, flax, carob, broad beans, sesame, millet, peas and sunflower. It is also worth noting that the diet of each breed of pigeon tends to vary slightly depending on the availability of food in its environment at each time of year.
As we already mentioned, a pigeon's diet will also vary according to the nutritional requirements of its organism at each stage of its life. Therefore, below we will tell you what newborn pigeons eat, what pigeon pigeons eat and, finally, what adult pigeons eat.
What do baby pigeons eat?
During their early development, baby pigeons' diet should have a higher percentage of protein than adult individuals. This macronutrient is essential for the development of your body's tissues and the strengthening of your muscles and the increase of your physical resistance. Protein deficiency in the diet of young pigeons can impair the development of their physical and cognitive abilities, negatively impacting their he alth and learning.
In the wild, newly hatched pigeons feed solely on the crop milk produced by their parents during their first three or four days of life Crop milk is nothing more than a secretion produced by the epithelial cells present in the mouth of adult pigeons of both sexes.
Although its composition and metabolism are not the same as mammalian breast milk, crop milk is also stimulated by the prolactin hormoneand contains a high index of proteins, lipids and natural antioxidants. As the digestive system of newborn pigeons is still developing, this method is essential to allow them to consume essential nutrients for he althy growth.
From their fourth or fifth day of life, the chicks begin to consume other foods, but they will continue to consume crop milk until completing their third week of life. The first foods that baby pigeons consume are previously "shredded" and semi-digested by the enzymes present in the crop milk produced by their parents, which will deposit a species protein porridge with grains, seeds and some worms or larvae directly into the mouths of their young. Shortly after completing their first month of life, the chicks will begin to consume a greater variety of solid foods, but they will only be able to feed themselves on their own after they manage to fly and leave the nests in which they are created with their siblings.
When we talk about the breeding of pigeons, the owner will be responsible for offering adequate nutrition to the pigeons. Currently, it is possible to find porridge for baby pigeons in various specialized stores, or to produce them through homemade and natural methods such as germination or heat treatments. In both cases, the ideal is to always have the guidance of a specialized veterinarian to ensure that we can provide the most appropriate diet for the pigeons.
In turn, the ideal is that a newly hatched pigeon always raises with its parents and siblings to feed on milk crop that contain all the essential nutrients and enzymes necessary for its development. But if for any reason, you have had to adopt a newborn pigeon, we advise you to go immediately to a specialized veterinarian to check its he alth status and guide you on proper nutrition.
Likewise, here on our site you will find some tips on the care and feeding of newborn pigeons in detail.
What do adult pigeons eat?
We have already seen what wild pigeons eat, but we still have to talk about how to provide optimum nutrition to domestic pigeons. In specialized bird shops you can find commercial mixtures prepared especially for pigeons. These products are interesting, as they contain the balanced proportions of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals that these birds need in their adulthood. However, it is recommended to incorporate fresh and natural foods to complement the pigeons' diet.
sprouted seeds and grains, as well as beneficial vegetables and fruits can be offered two or three times a week. We can also incorporate a boiled egg or yogurt without lactose and without sugars once or twice a week to guarantee a good supply of lean proteins. In addition, you can crush the clean shell of an egg and mix it in the food of your birds once a week to reinforce its contribution of minerals.
Wheat germ oil is an excellent natural supplement for pigeons, especially during the moulting season. However, it is essential that its administration is accompanied by a specialist veterinarian to ensure the most appropriate amounts and frequency of use for your birds. It is also important to consult a specialized professional about the need and benefits of offering vitamins and minerals in the form of supplements to your birds to improve their immune system.
Prohibited food for pigeons
Although pigeons enjoy receiving a balanced diet and have a great digestive capacity, there are also some foods that should not be part of the pigeons' diet, as they can seriously harm their he alth. For this reason, as important as knowing what pigeons eat is knowing how to recognize the prohibited foods in their nutrition.
Next, we will review the toxic foods for pigeons:
- Stuffed, industrialized, fried or artificially flavored human food.
- Chocolate and chocolate drinks.
- Sugar and carbonated drinks.
- Avocado, apple or pear seeds.
- Onion, garlic, leek, and the like.
- S alt, sugar and artificial sweeteners (or foods containing them).
- Coffee and caffeinated beverages.
- General human treats (candy, gum, cookies, etc.).
