fat stock birds

[White Eagle]

There is no way I can fly my stock birds in the main breeding pen since I have birds in there bought from elsewhere, but is there any other ways I can get these birds in decent shape?  Any type of "diet" so to speek that I can put them on that wouldn't affect quality of the youngsters they are raising, or is this something I have to do during the off breeding season?

[ACE LOFTS]

what we normaly do is after the moult with the stock pigeons is put them on about 5 days of garlic in the water and grit NO FEED and then give them barley after the 5th day and the weight just drops off them in no time.

[White Eagle]

Is that a liquid type garlic and how much do I add to the water?

[ACE LOFTS]

we use fresh garlic and add 1 clove to a drinker and top up the water every time it gets low

[White Eagle]

Thanks Ace Lofts    I'll give that a go.  I've heard of using garlic before, but didn't know too much about it.  Is that something I can give during the racing season, and may I ask what all garlic does for the birds?

[ACE LOFTS]

garlic helps the drop of down and is good for the blood in the pigeon.

[Guest]

Wondered how stock pigeons could be considered fat at the end of their breeding season? If they have been rearing continuously, or reared even just 3 rounds of two in the nest, the last thing they should need is starved for a week.

 

 

[Guest TAMMY_1]

Wondered how stock pigeons could be considered fat at the end of their breeding season? If they have been rearing continuously, or reared even just 3 rounds of two in the nest, the last thing they should need is starved for a week.

 

 

agree bruno, after rearing plenty young birds they will be needing a good feed  not the opposite

[ACE LOFTS]

after moulting my stock birds get fat and i have to get them in condition, the first thing we do is that to drop the fat off them,

 

bruno how would u consider doing it then ?

[ACE LOFTS]

with the cocks rose we dont starve them coz as soon as they start driving the hen the weight just falls off

[PIGEON_MAN]

I think Ace is talking about after the moult and White Eagle is talking about before he pairs up or when he as paired up.

[Guest]

I think Ace is talking about after the moult and White Eagle is talking about before he pairs up or when he as paired up.

 

I had similar thoughts, but we are both in Northern hemisphere, so our pigeon 'seasons' should be around the same time, 'this time of the year' wise whereas in the Southern hemisphere it always seems back to front with their winter being in our summer period etc;

 

And if I read Ace correctly, he's talking about starving the birds for 5 days after the moult is completed, around December / January time, in the dead of winter. Bad enough in Britain, where our winters are relatively mild, London thinks its cold at 0 degrees  ;D but in parts of US winter temperature  norms are minus double figures. Fancy a starvation diet at 20 below?

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

after moulting my stock birds get fat and i have to get them in condition, the first thing we do is that to drop the fat off them,

 

bruno how would u consider doing it then ?

 

If it was thro diet, it would be a reduced diet over a few weeks. Even in humans its recognised starvation diets don't work, lose the weight quickly and it quickly piles back on again, only its said its muscle mass you lose and fat you put on.

 

But diet is surely only a short term and partial solution?  'Fat bird' is a combination of feeding / exercise problems. The birds need exercise to burn up the calories and I'd be looking to get them out. I don't keep prisoner stock and look to break new introductions as quickly as possible.  

[Clarkey1990]

Not feeding for days is very drastic i think. If you feed a liet mix or canary seed, no peas nuts beans or pellets and the weight will drop of. But to be honest i dont think its a priority to condition your stock birds until u start breeding

[ALF]

WAS TOLD TO DO THE SAME AS ACE SAID LAST YEAR WITH 2 OR 3 FAT HENS AND IT WORKS AND DOES'NT DO THE BIRDS ANY HARM

[ACE LOFTS]

well we do it every year including a few more ppl i no and we dont see no harm done either.

 

i think its a great way of loosing the fat

[crazy pigeon boy]

agree starve them for a few days and put them on barley for a few weeks and the weight should drop off them  

[Clarkey1990]

Would you not be worried about them eating droppings dirt etc through hunger?

[ACE LOFTS]

Would you not be worried about them eating droppings dirt etc through hunger?

 

no coz i clean out every day and coz there stock birds they dont go out