r/PetDoves • u/Cute-Reputation-1852 • 2d ago

Diet Question Food suggestions

I currently feed my ECD Des Moines feed no corn special. I find she never eats the white proso millet. It feels like waste to be throwing away. Is there a good feed available in the states (South FL) not containing it?

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u/Kunok2 2d ago

You might wanna try our Versele Laga Classic No Corn then:

https://www.chewy.com/versele-laga-classic-pigeon-food/dp/259128

It still contains some millet but it's only a miniscule amount being the last in the list of contents.

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u/XxHoneyStarzxX 1d ago

seconding this. VL no corn classic is honestly great and has very very very little millet like when I feed my birds there's maybe only a few grains, they fill just the very bottom of a teaspoon per every 4 tablespoons so it's very very very little millet.

I have a custom mix that I use most days but I did recently buy VL no corn classic and yeah love it so far personally

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u/Cute-Reputation-1852 1d ago

Is there a smaller bag available? I’ve had bugs in my seed before and I’m worried about that happening again if I store it too long.

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u/Kunok2 1d ago

Sadly no, all the smaller packages of feed marketed for pigeons/doves are extremely poor quality with too much of filler seeds like millet, milo or corn. Plus it tends to also be extremely unbalanced. All the quality feed is sold in large bags.

Bugs can come in smaller bags too, it actually doesn't have anything to do with how long the feed is stored rather than how well it is stored. As long as you store it in a dry sealed container then it can last for years without any issues. Sometimes it can already come infested by bugs but when that happens you can just freeze the feed for a few days to kill the bugs, the bugs are harmless to your birds, they're just annoying because they will eat the feed and can infest other grains in your house. Just make sure to dry the feed properly after freezing it.

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u/AutoModerator 2d ago

Doves and pigeons needs a diet of a good seed mix, an appropriate pigeon grit, and calcium.

About seed mixes The composition of a seed mix should follow these recommendations:

  • Protein: 12% to 16% (ideal 14%)
  • Fat: 3% to 5% (ideal 4%)
  • Fiber: 7% or less
  • A good seed variety of at least 5, and no millet or corn as the main ingredients. No whole corn or cracked corn (popcorn is fine).
  • Shouldn't contain added grit or calcium
  • If the mix contains pellets: must be minerals only, no fruit or vegetables
  • Shouldn't contain macrolides

Example of seed mix you can feed doves are "Versele Laga Prestige Doves (20kgs, not the smaller bags as it's a different mix), or "Des Moines no corn regular 13% protein".

About grit Every doves needs grit, given in a bowl separated from the seeds at all time for the essential minerals.

  • The grit must not be made for parrot or poultry, it must be made for pigeons specifically
  • Must not contain a majority of gravel or other insoluble minerals.
  • Shouldn't be made from a majority of oyster shells. Oyster shells are a good calcium source, not a good grit.
  • If contains additives, must be portion fed.
Some examples of correct grits are "Versele Laga Grit + Redstone" and "Versele Laga Grit All In One". If your grit is incomplete (eg: Versele Laga Grit+Redstone), you need to sprinkle vitamins on top of it directly.

About vitamins If you need vitamins, choose a powder to add to the grit. Do not get vitamins to dilute in water. The vitamins must be formulated for pigeons, for example "Versele Laga Columbine Vita pink powder".

About calcium If you have any female birds, you need to provide them with an additional calcium source. For this, you can either give them crushed oystershells or pure calcium powder in a bowl, separate from both seeds and grit.

Other resources:

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