Like human beings, race pigeons also need to have a fixed number of mixtures.
The mixture is not only the basic element for raising pigeons but also the main source of energy for pigeons.
The formula of feed mixture affects the performance most.
Only with a suitable recipe, timely and appropriate feeding can make the pigeons get the best results.
Mixtures must contain organic nutrients, inorganic nutrients, and vitamins. Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are the three primary organic nutrients.
The main source of protein is beans. Corns, brown rice, and wheat are the source of carbohydrates.
The source of fats is the fruit of hemp, groundnut, rapeseed, etc.
Apart from the mixtures, different pigeons like breeders, young pigeons, or racing pigeons need different feed combinations.
Stage 1: Mixtures for Breeders
During leisure time, the ideal mixtures had better contains various seeds with low proteins and low fats to prevent overweight or early estrus.
Stage 2: Mixtures for Young Pigeons
During their growth, young pigeons’ mixtures provide proteins and other nutrients to speed up their growth.
The need for fat is also necessary for the pigeons.
In general, the fanciers will feed the young pigeons as much as possible to make the young pigeons strong within 45 days after the young pigeons are in the competition cupboard.
In this way, the race pigeons can get enough energy by daily nutrition for the upcoming intense training and competition.
Stage 3: Mixtures for Race Pigeons
The mixtures contain many fats and proteins such as beans, corns, and safflowers seeds.
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[Main Food]
Like humans have rice or noodles as primary food, pigeons also have the primary food.
Pigeons like not only legumes very much, but also the cereals or the fruits of trees. Thus, fanciers provide beans, corns, brown rice, and wheat to pigeons as the primary food most. Beans are high in nitrogen, rich in protein. White peas are incredibly nutritious, which is a perfect option for feeds.
Based on the nutrition supplement concept, extra supplements are required during the spawning period, brooding period, and molting period.
In the winter, it is also necessary to ensure that the pigeons have enough legume feed to make sure that the pigeons get enough heat to survive in winter.
However, taking too much feeds will lead to overnutrition and obesity. Lack of supplementation during the brooding period will cause developmental defects.
Corn, brown rice, barley, wheat, and rye are rich in carbohydrates.
In order to provide the carbohydrates to pigeons, corn is the most appropriate feed because they love corns much.
At the same time, it is also suitable for weight gain, but it is not effective for muscle development.
Therefore, it is not proper for the racing pigeons to overeat.
Brown rice is high in carbohydrates. Sometimes, brown rice takes as the primary feed.
Pigeons also love brown rice, but it is a tonic for racing pigeons.
So, it is strictly forbidden to feed pigeons too much and only can be as subsidiary food.
Pigeon has a healthy digestive system.
They can swallow the hard beans and corns and digest them completely. However, feeding too large a mixture may damage the esophagus of young pigeons. Therefore, it is better to choose small and round varieties for young pigeons.
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[Subsidiary Food]
Subsidiary foods can be fed with the main food, or they can be with a snack.
Subsidiary foods include hemp fruit, brown rice, and rapeseed.
These foods are rich in fat and help to excrete a lot of calories.
Therefore, it is an indispensable feed for pigeons with high body temperature.
The ratio of primary food to subsidiary food is seven to one. It is reasonable to increase the amount of subsidiary food during the estrus period and brooding period.
Moreover, pigeons like these subsidiary foods very much. You can mainly feed these subsidiary foods as pigeons don’t have the desire to eat. What’s more, these subsidiary foods are helpful to improve the feather luster.
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[Saline]
Different from birds, pigeons like saline very much, and pigeons will lose vigor without saline.
Saline is usually made of coastal sand and rock salt like briquettes and placed in the pigeon loft.
The main food and subsidiary food contain very few minerals.
Saline can not only replenish the lack of minerals but also help digestion and increase appetite.
Moreover, the saline is hard for pigeons to peak and helps to prevent the sudden growth of the pigeon’s beak.
Saline is easily getting damp due to its salt content.
Once dampened, it will become soft.
Therefore, saline must be stored in separate boxes from the mixture.
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[Water]
Water is a significant substance for pigeons. Pigeons have a very high water demand, and they drink water more than other birds or chickens.
If they don’t get a sufficient intake of water, they’ll feel weak immediately.
Therefore, the loft should always be placed with fresh and large amounts of water. However, pigeons like the shower.
Please use special containers to fill the water and to avoid them showering in the water.
Adding a small amount of iodine to water (sterilization), alum, Glauber’s salt (antidiarrheal), baking soda (digestive agent), ferrous sulfate (strengthening agent) are more effective.
To supplement the iron content, occasionally adding ferric sulfate solution is essential for pigeons’ healthy.
