Pigeons

Food and drink

What should I give my pigeons to eat?

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An adapted diet will produce good results.

Pigeons are seed eaters and get the nutrients they need mainly from ripe and unripe seeds, grains and pulses. They obtain their energy from these raw ingredients, and certain bodily functions, such as moulting and laying eggs, are stimulated. To keep pigeons in optimum condition throughout their lives, it's important to provide a balance diet, adapted to the period the pigeon is in. After all, each period (breeding, racing, moulting and winter periods) has its own specific needs and requires an adapted approach in terms of diet. So a pigeon that needs to fly or needs to raise young has very different dietary requirements to a pigeon that is idle. 

A good diet determines pigeons' general health and ensures they are in top condition. During the breeding period, it is important to provide a breeding mix with an ideal protein content and the necessary amino acids, to stimulate optimum growth. During the racing season, it is best to give them an energising mix, to provide the pigeons with enough strength and endurance to achieve exceptional performance. The moulting season is demanding for pigeons' bodies, and can weaken them. At this stage, they need a balanced mix of proteins and sulphur-containing amino acids, to build up new plumage and to support good recovery. Between seasons (in the winter) a good off-season mix is recommended to keep the pigeons 'calm'. Extra addition of yeast is definitely recommended here. As well as the main diet, pigeon fanciers can opt to also use food supplements and care products to keep their pigeons in optimal condition.

A pigeon needs water for digestion and processing of food. Per day, a pigeon drinks around 50 ml of water. If there are young to feed, this will double. The best thing is to give your pigeon fresh tap water every day.  

Important information

Five useful tips!

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Five useful tips for pigeon lovers

1. Build up a relationship with your bird. Make your pigeons tame by holding them in your hand every day. This will enable you to detect any changes (behavior, ...).
2. Always provide an adapted diet and by-products (grit, picking stone, ...) and off course drinking water. Refresh regularly.
3. Give your birds a balance diet, adapted to the period the pigeon is in (breeding, racing, moulting and winter periods) and make sure that your pigeons are not too fat during the rest period.
4. Find a partner who can handle your time-consuming hobby ;-)
5. Keep your pigeons in a well equipped loft, as close as possible to your house so you can keep an eye on you pigeons.

An adapted diet will produce good results.

Pigeons are seed eaters and get the nutrients they need mainly from ripe and unripe seeds, grains and pulses. They obtain their energy from these raw ingredients, and certain bodily functions, such as moulting and laying eggs, are stimulated. To keep pigeons in optimum condition throughout their lives, it's important to provide a balance diet, adapted to the period the pigeon is in. After all, each period (breeding, racing, moulting and winter periods) has its own specific needs and requires an adapted approach in terms of diet. So a pigeon that needs to fly or needs to raise young has very different dietary requirements to a pigeon that is idle. 

A good diet determines pigeons' general health and ensures they are in top condition. During the breeding period, it is important to provide a breeding mix with an ideal protein content and the necessary amino acids, to stimulate optimum growth. During the racing season, it is best to give them an energising mix, to provide the pigeons with enough strength and endurance to achieve exceptional performance. The moulting season is demanding for pigeons' bodies, and can weaken them. At this stage, they need a balanced mix of proteins and sulphur-containing amino acids, to build up new plumage and to support good recovery. Between seasons (in the winter) a good off-season mix is recommended to keep the pigeons 'calm'. Extra addition of yeast is definitely recommended here. As well as the main diet, pigeon fanciers can opt to also use food supplements and care products to keep their pigeons in optimal condition.

A pigeon needs water for digestion and processing of food. Per day, a pigeon drinks around 50 ml of water. If there are young to feed, this will double. The best thing is to give your pigeon fresh tap water every day.  

Five useful tips for pigeon lovers

1. Build up a relationship with your bird. Make your pigeons tame by holding them in your hand every day. This will enable you to detect any changes (behavior, ...).
2. Always provide an adapted diet and by-products (grit, picking stone, ...) and off course drinking water. Refresh regularly.
3. Give your birds a balance diet, adapted to the period the pigeon is in (breeding, racing, moulting and winter periods) and make sure that your pigeons are not too fat during the rest period.
4. Find a partner who can handle your time-consuming hobby ;-)
5. Keep your pigeons in a well equipped loft, as close as possible to your house so you can keep an eye on you pigeons.

Fun facts!

Did you know...

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Did you know... Five fun and important facts about pigeons

  1. In comparison to their body weight, pigeons' bodies have a large surface area. Combined with their high body temperature of 41.8 °C, this demands a huge amount of energy, which must be derived from their diet.
  2. The longest distance a pigeon can fly in a single day is around 1100 km so some flights can last two days. A distinction is made between four different groups of competitions: speed, middle distance, long distance and multi-day.
  3. Pigeons are monogamous and live as pairs. They always lay two eggs at a time, a maximum of eight times a year. A pigeon incubates for between sixteen and twenty days in a simple, somewhat cluttered nest. When the young are born, they are blind and covered with thin, yellow fuzz. After three to six days, the youngs' eyes open and after eleven days they develop their first feathers. The mother stops feeding after around 16 days, which is when the young bird begins to feed itself. After 25 days, the young can fly.
  4. The male pigeon is called a cock and the female is called a hen.
  5. Pigeons have iron in their beaks that works as a compass, so they can always find their roost. As well as the compass, they also make use of what they see, the scent of the environment and the position of the sun.

Housing

Things you really need to know!

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Keep draughts and damp out!

The most important criteria for a pigeon roost is that it be dry, bright, warm, draught-free and ventilated. Chill and damp are very detrimental to pigeons' health. The location of the roost can have a major impact on this. The front should ideally be facing south-east, so the sun can shine in for most of the day. Roosts oriented to the west usually face incoming rain, which can cause a damp roost. The best material for your pigeon roost is wood. The size of the roost must of course be adjusted to the number of pigeons you keep. The rule is half a cubic metre per pigeon. Overpopulation increases the risk of infections. A sloped roof is better than a flat roof. A very steep roof means that the pigeons head inside faster after a journey as it is difficult for them to land on the roof. There are also advantages in terms of the construction: less maintenance and less chance of leakage. Roof tiles have an advantage over corrugated sheets as they provide better ventilation. A lot of attention should be paid to the openings from which pigeons fly in and out. A flap that works well can save crucial seconds in a competition flight. Hygiene in the roost is the best way to prevent disease. A major clean should be carried out twice a year, to wash and disinfect everything thoroughly. Take that opportunity to carry out small improvements. Scraping the floor and perches clean are daily jobs. The drink and food dishes should also be cleaned regularly.

Did you know... Five fun and important facts about pigeons

  1. In comparison to their body weight, pigeons' bodies have a large surface area. Combined with their high body temperature of 41.8 °C, this demands a huge amount of energy, which must be derived from their diet.
  2. The longest distance a pigeon can fly in a single day is around 1100 km so some flights can last two days. A distinction is made between four different groups of competitions: speed, middle distance, long distance and multi-day.
  3. Pigeons are monogamous and live as pairs. They always lay two eggs at a time, a maximum of eight times a year. A pigeon incubates for between sixteen and twenty days in a simple, somewhat cluttered nest. When the young are born, they are blind and covered with thin, yellow fuzz. After three to six days, the youngs' eyes open and after eleven days they develop their first feathers. The mother stops feeding after around 16 days, which is when the young bird begins to feed itself. After 25 days, the young can fly.
  4. The male pigeon is called a cock and the female is called a hen.
  5. Pigeons have iron in their beaks that works as a compass, so they can always find their roost. As well as the compass, they also make use of what they see, the scent of the environment and the position of the sun.

Keep draughts and damp out!

The most important criteria for a pigeon roost is that it be dry, bright, warm, draught-free and ventilated. Chill and damp are very detrimental to pigeons' health. The location of the roost can have a major impact on this. The front should ideally be facing south-east, so the sun can shine in for most of the day. Roosts oriented to the west usually face incoming rain, which can cause a damp roost. The best material for your pigeon roost is wood. The size of the roost must of course be adjusted to the number of pigeons you keep. The rule is half a cubic metre per pigeon. Overpopulation increases the risk of infections. A sloped roof is better than a flat roof. A very steep roof means that the pigeons head inside faster after a journey as it is difficult for them to land on the roof. There are also advantages in terms of the construction: less maintenance and less chance of leakage. Roof tiles have an advantage over corrugated sheets as they provide better ventilation. A lot of attention should be paid to the openings from which pigeons fly in and out. A flap that works well can save crucial seconds in a competition flight. Hygiene in the roost is the best way to prevent disease. A major clean should be carried out twice a year, to wash and disinfect everything thoroughly. Take that opportunity to carry out small improvements. Scraping the floor and perches clean are daily jobs. The drink and food dishes should also be cleaned regularly.

Frequently asked questions

I want to feed the pigeons in the park. What should I give them?

You can buy specific pigeon feed which includes corn, peas and various types of seeds. For smaller pigeons you can use turtle dove feed or parakeet feed.

Can pigeons eat egg food?

Absolutely! Egg food contains more vitamins, minerals and first-rate proteins than most seed mixes, so it is a good addition to their main feed. Witte Molen also has a specific egg food for pigeons.

Why do we need to keep changing the types of feed we give to our pigeons?

The nutrients needed by pigeons vary depending on several factors, including their age, their activity and the time of year. A growing pigeon therefore has different needs than a resting pigeon or one which needs to fly long distances. The Witte Molen pigeon feed range is designed to take these needs into consideration.