Racing Pigeons – Foods And Accessories To Keep Your Birds In The Peak Of Health

By now, we all know that you get out of your body what you put into it. This is as true for racing pigeons as it is for humans. It doesn’t matter how well-bred and well-trained your pigeons are, if they’re not getting the right nutrients, they just aren’t going to great fliers. Luckily, we have a selection of great foods and supplements which will ensure that your birds achieve and maintain the very best condition that they can – and that you reap the rewards of this when the time comes to race them.

What’s Wrong With Ordinary Seed?

Commercial pigeon seed will fill up your pigeons and keep malnutrition at bay – but it won’t help them to perform at their optimum. Why? Because your average pet shop bird seed usually goes through some intensive processing before being packaged, and may then be stored for a very long time. While this may have little outward effect upon the seeds, the nutrients within the seeds are often damaged during the processing, and degrade over time during storage. Ideally, anyone who keeps birds should be supplementing their base diet of seed with fresher offerings in order to ensure that they’re getting the correct nutritional balance – not doing so could result in declining condition and pricey trips to the avian vet. However, if you’re planning on turning your pigeons into star athletes, they’re going to need more than simple seeds. Like any athlete, they’ll perform best on a diet supplemented with precisely the kinds of nutrients which will hone their muscles, their endurance, and their feathers.

Young Pigeons

One of the most important times in which to ensure that your birds are getting the best diet possible is when they’re still growing. Feeding breeding mothers Calmavita Amorphous Calcium and Magnesium Powder can start this process even from when your prize birds are embryos in eggs. The calcium within this powder helps to strengthen eggshells, giving the chicks the best start in life from the word go. Once hatched, the calcium helps the growing birds to develop strong skeletons which will ultimately bear and support their muscles over the vast distances that racing pigeons must travel. Magnesium, meanwhile, will help to restore the pigeon’s electrolyte balance and thus return it to full condition speedily as it practises the long flights it will undertake as an adult. It’s also thought that magnesium may aid liver function in humans, which can only be a bonus if the same is true of birds! Do stick rigorously to the dosage instructions, however, as too much of anything is often more harmful than beneficial.

Racing Pigeons

There are all kinds of ‘performance-enhancing’ products on the market for racing pigeons, some of which are tantamount to doping substances. However, here we only sell the best, safest, and most natural products to help your pigeons achieve their true potential. One of our most interesting products is our Beetroot Powder, which is described as ‘Racing fuel for pigeons’. This is made from a beetroot extract. Beetroot has long been a staple of the pigeon fanciers’ larder, and recently science is starting to back up what pigeon breeders have long known. In humans, it is acknowledged that beetroot can improve the blood pressure, help get oxygen speedily to the muscles, and bolster the immune system – as well as being rich in nutrients vital for athletic performance such as iron, manganese, potassium, and vitamins A and C. While what is true for humans does not necessarily follow through for pigeons, it is probably safe to assume in this case that beetroot will safely work its magic upon your birds as well. The makers even claim that their powder will increase your pigeons’ enthusiasm for racing – a truly remarkable feat!

Home Maintenance

Pigeons are geniuses at picking up infections. One of the most common ways for them to get illnesses is through the action of parasites, which bite or irritate them and thus pass bacteria into their bloodstreams. Even if they don’t get ill from parasites, these irritating beasties can be very uncomfortable for the birds, and put them off form. Luckily, we have a great selection of disinfectants which will keep your pigeon lofts clean without harming the birds, and supplements which will not only give your pigeons a great set of feathers, but will discourage parasites from setting up home therein!

This is an article by Helen Traynor