Keeping them healthy

Want to know anything about feeding or the health of your birds post it here.
NeilA
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Murray wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2024 12:48 am As I have often said I keep it very simple. And natural.
I am a firm believer in the benefits of freshly crushed garlic and organic apple cider vinegar. I also feed freshly chopped vegetables regularly as I think it adds nutrients which could be missing from a grain diet.
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I do feed fish oil, but found that when the birds were locked up they didn't want it.
Another thing, when I got the small bucket I use to mix oil through the feed and took the lid off it, it nearly knocked me over :shock: It stunk.
Just the other day Ad Schaerlaeckens was telling of a bloke who now uses sugar or honey in water on the feed to stick powders to the grains. Oils do go off and leave a build up of smelly residue.
I scrubbed the little bucket and put it out to dry and now it's clean.
I am a great believer in grit, especially when the hens are about to lay and when they are raising babies. I have a hen that would fly 40 yards across the garden and follow me into the shed to ride back to the loft in the grit bucket :lol:
Not keen on fish oils myself I fear them going off so I don’t tend to use them i do use flax bit not in the spring and summer only the winter as I have no way of keeping it cool unless I take it with me to the loft which know I will forget to do
I could well be wrong on this though and maybe flax is ok in summer
I tend to use them moulting time but leave it at the loft
Buster121
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NeilA wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2024 10:05 am
Murray wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2024 12:48 am As I have often said I keep it very simple. And natural.
I am a firm believer in the benefits of freshly crushed garlic and organic apple cider vinegar. I also feed freshly chopped vegetables regularly as I think it adds nutrients which could be missing from a grain diet.
004.JPG
I do feed fish oil, but found that when the birds were locked up they didn't want it.
Another thing, when I got the small bucket I use to mix oil through the feed and took the lid off it, it nearly knocked me over :shock: It stunk.
Just the other day Ad Schaerlaeckens was telling of a bloke who now uses sugar or honey in water on the feed to stick powders to the grains. Oils do go off and leave a build up of smelly residue.
I scrubbed the little bucket and put it out to dry and now it's clean.
I am a great believer in grit, especially when the hens are about to lay and when they are raising babies. I have a hen that would fly 40 yards across the garden and follow me into the shed to ride back to the loft in the grit bucket :lol:
Not keen on fish oils myself I fear them going off so I don’t tend to use them i do use flax bit not in the spring and summer only the winter as I have no way of keeping it cool unless I take it with me to the loft which know I will forget to do
I could well be wrong on this though and maybe flax is ok in summer
I tend to use them moulting time but leave it at the loft
Sure flax goes off as well, could be wrong though
Sadies Lofts home of decent birds just a useless loft manager, and now a confirmed loser but proud :D :D
NeilA
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I thought the same as oil seeds can go off
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king
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I sometimes used a bit of linseed when moulting. Have given nothing for the moult this year, just fed them as normal this year and they look perfect.
NeilA
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king wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2024 1:02 pm I sometimes used a bit of linseed when moulting. Have given nothing for the moult this year, just fed them as normal this year and they look perfect.
That multi task is so varied probably covers most requirements
Mine are on VL moulting mixed with a protein based Bamfords mix the wizard heavy
The look really well but they should do or we are in a lot of trouble
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king
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NeilA wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2024 1:17 pm
king wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2024 1:02 pm I sometimes used a bit of linseed when moulting. Have given nothing for the moult this year, just fed them as normal this year and they look perfect.
That multi task is so varied probably covers most requirements
Mine are on VL moulting mixed with a protein based Bamfords mix the wizard heavy
The look really well but they should do or we are in a lot of trouble
Your right Neil. Moulting is a natural process and birds shouldn't need anything extra, just good sound corn. I recall an old article by Jim Biss where he give just the basic care ( no treatments) over the Winter. He said if they had anything wrong/weakness with them, it would show over the Winter, and they could be removed before the next season.
NeilA
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Agree king
It’s a natural thing so the moult shouldn’t be a issue
Murray
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This today from Ad Schaerlaeckens.

SOMETHING ELSE
Anton Snoeren from Kaatsheuvel has been a top performer in M ​​Brabant for many years. He has tried countless supplements and the only difference he noticed was the content of his wallet.
So 'fond phenomenon' van Vliet thinks the same. Supplements?: 'zero point zero'. Learned from superman Bas V? (Verkerk)
Falco Ebben ventures into the world of writers. He plays enormously so an asset.
Falco also doesn't believe in it (anymore) he writes openly.
Because I also think 'give what is necessary and not what is not necessary' now that the sellers who don't like me.
Those who do believe in it just keep going if they feel good about it. You can discover for yourself that you can do without it through empiricism, by trying it out. Give some of your pigeons and then look for a difference. I predict a long search.
Greetings from the land down under. :D
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Murray
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About this time last year i wrote to Ad, as I do from time to time.
I mentioned that as some of the babies off the new pigeons had canker the previous year. I had treated the loft for it.
He growled at me! I hastened to add that it was the first time I had treated them for anything for 10 years.
He told me that the"champions" in Europe were not using medications, and the pigeons must have their own immunity.
I agree.
When top flyers like Bas Verkerk, Willem de Bruin and others are adamant that medications only make you poorer, you have to take notice, I think.
Greetings from the land down under. :D
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Andy
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Murray wrote: Tue Oct 01, 2024 7:52 am About this time last year i wrote to Ad, as I do from time to time.
I mentioned that as some of the babies off the new pigeons had canker the previous year. I had treated the loft for it.
He growled at me! I hastened to add that it was the first time I had treated them for anything for 10 years.
He told me that the"champions" in Europe were not using medications, and the pigeons must have their own immunity.
I agree.
When top flyers like Bas Verkerk, Willem de Bruin and others are adamant that medications only make you poorer, you have to take notice, I think.
Very true Murray. The only winners are the ones selling these was of time products. If pigeons need propping up with medication they’re better off being got rid of. In 50 years of keeping pigeons I’ve only ever had canker in a handful of pigeons, those were disposed of straight away. I’ve never treated for canker.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
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