A Beginner’s Guide to Feeding Your Birds
Whether you have just found a stray bird in the garden or you are setting up your very first loft, knowing what to put in the feeder is the first step to becoming a successful fancier.
Pigeons aren't fussy eaters, but they are "granivores"—which means they primarily eat seeds and grains. To keep a racing or homing pigeon fit and healthy, a simple crust of bread isn't enough. They need a balanced "fuel mix" to power their wings.
1. The Staple Diet: Corn and Grain
For most of the year, a pigeon's diet is made up of a mix of dried grains. You can buy these pre-mixed at any local corn mill or pet store (often called "Pigeon Plate").
- Maple Peas: These are the "steak and potatoes" of the pigeon world. They are packed with protein and help birds grow strong muscles.
- Maize (Corn): These bright yellow kernels are pure energy. In the winter or during racing season, maize provides the fats and sugars the birds need to keep warm and fly fast.
- Wheat and Barley: These are good "fillers" that provide essential fibre.
- Safflower and Sunflower Hearts: These are oily seeds. They help give the pigeons those shiny, silky feathers that "waterproof" them during a rainy flight.
2. The "Side Dish": Grit and Minerals
Pigeons don't have teeth! To "chew" their food, they swallow small pieces of stone and shell, which stay in a special part of their stomach called the gizzard. The gizzard grinds the hard grains into a paste so the bird can digest them.
- Hard Grit: Small flint stones that do the mechanical grinding.
- Redstone and Oyster Shell: These break down slowly and provide much-needed calcium for strong bones and healthy eggshells.
- Salt: Pigeons love salt! You will often see "pick stones" or "pink minerals" in a loft—these satisfy the bird's craving for minerals they can't find in grain alone.
3. Treats and Greens
While grain is the main meal, pigeons enjoy a bit of variety.
- Peanuts: These are like chocolate for pigeons. They are very high in fat and great for taming birds (they will soon learn to eat them out of your hand), but give them sparingly so the birds don't get overweight.
- Chopped Greens: Some fanciers offer finely chopped spinach or cabbage. It provides vitamins that help during the "moult" (when they grow new feathers).
4. Fresh Water: The Most Important Rule
A pigeon can go a day or two without food, but they cannot go long without water.
- The "Suction" Method: Unlike most birds that "scoop" water and tilt their heads back to swallow, pigeons put their beaks in and suck up water like a straw.
- Cleanliness: Because they put their whole beak in, the water gets dirty quickly. You must change the water at least once a day to prevent "Canker" and other germs from spreading.
5. What NOT to Feed Them
To keep your birds in top shape, avoid these common mistakes:
- Untoasted Bread: It fills them up but has very little nutrition. It can also swell in their crop and make them feel unwell.
- Salty Human Snacks: Crisps or salted nuts have far too much salt for a bird’s tiny kidneys to handle.
- Chocolate or Avocado: Both of these are actually toxic to most birds.
Top Tip for Beginners: "The Hand-Feeding Test"
If you want to know if your birds are healthy, offer them a few grains from your hand. A healthy, hungry pigeon should be keen to eat. If a bird stays in the corner and ignores the corn, that is your first sign that it might be feeling under the weather.
If you are just starting out, stick to a high-quality "All-Rounder" mix from a reputable brand like Versele-Laga or Bayer. It takes the guesswork out of the nutrition so you can focus on enjoying your new hobby.
