Dried Pearl Barley

Anyone knows if pijs eat dried pearl barley?

I buy pearled barley, in a box, and add it to the seeds. It doesn't say anything about being dried. It's just pearled barley.
I also add split peas and lentils.

Cindy, do they like the barley? I had been thinking of adding it to their mix.

NiteOwl wrote:

Cindy, do they like the barley?
I had been thinking of adding it to their mix.

Honestly, I think my guys could take it or leave it. Sometimes they eat it sometimes it's left in their dishes.
But the ferals sure do like it. That along with the split peas and lentils makes a good filler to add to the seeds. I also add some safflower seeds.
I feed my feral flock the Kaytee Dove mix and it can get a little expensive just that alone.

There are some pretty pudgy pijjies in the flock.

Mine do eat it for some time then start ignoring it and I stop for a while.

i went to visit a local loft at the weekend and the loft-keeper happened to mention that he is feeding
his racing pigeons mostly barley just now (not pearl, just the sort you buy as "straights" in an animal feed store)
...he told me that this is their winter diet...when i went a few weeks ago they were on mixed grains...
as they are not racing they tend to get fat sitting around

I do not know about the dried pearl barley, but reading the post made me think of a question and I read this somewhere, but cannot remember where.... here is the question.... can you add some kind of oil to their seed.... I too feed my one pigeon kaytee dove food....and add some safflower seeds which he loves... not too much and shell free sunflower seeds... Thanks in advance for responses.

What kind of split peas and lentils... and where do you purchase these ...

Carol...You can buy lentils and split peas in bulk at many grocery stores.

My Pigeons love to have their seed occasionally dusted with a small amount of powdered garlic. You can add a tiny bit of olive oil or wheat germ oil to coat the seeds first.

Hi Oh thanks for the reply so fast...wheat germ oil would probably be good... I think I can buy that at a nutrition store.. right down the road... powdered garlic... I know little garlic is good for them too...do not want to sound so dumb, but like McCormicks... LOL... I get too specific, but I want to be sure what I give him is correct....
I never saw or never looked for split peas and lentils in the grocery store...
Thank you !!! will give it a try... my luck he will not like it....he has become so finicky....or I guess I have really spoiled him.... but he deserves it !!! LOL

Shalimar wrote:

Hi Oh thanks for the reply so fast...wheat germ oil would probably be good... I think I can buy that at a nutrition store.. right down the road... powdered garlic... I know little garlic is good for them too...do not want to sound so dumb, but like McCormicks... LOL... I get too specific, but I want to be sure what I give him is correct....
I never saw or never looked for split peas and lentils in the grocery store...
Thank you !!! will give it a try... my luck he will not like it....he has become so finicky....or I guess I have really spoiled him.... but he deserves it !!! LOL

I was buying powdered garlic from Foys and then I saw a large container at the grocery suppy and bought that. I've been buying it locally ever since. I don't know why McCormicks would matter. We can be sure that if it does, I will be corrected.

Hi ... again... thanks for your fast reply... much appeciated... will give it a try....he does get vitamins... and ACV...in his water which is alternated and than just plain water.

Hopefully when I give him garlic powder... I will not have to give him some listerine for his breath

Shalimar wrote:

Hi ... again... thanks for your fast reply... much appeciated... will give it a try....he does get vitamins... and ACV...in his water which is alternated and than just plain water.

Hopefully when I give him garlic powder... I will not have to give him some listerine for his breath

I've given my birds barley. They seemed to like it. They don't like the split green peas for some reason. I was wondering if I could offer them some wild rice mix? The kind you can buy in the supermarket without any flavorings. I think that's actually a type of grass seed which pigeons would eat in the wild I would think.

How about organic brown rice?

I have read where some have given their birds brown rice, just not a lot.

The wild rice you are talking about sounds interesting, Jen. I didn't realize it was a type of grass seed.
Have you tried giving them lentils.

My pis love lentils very much. The green and orange/red lentils.They ignore the split peas. In addition, I discovered they love mung beans as well. But I give them a little bit daily per Charis advise.

How can I get my pijs eat peanuts? They never touch the peanuts I give them.

Do you chop the peanuts in smaller pieces, Tech?

Tech wrote:

How can I get my pijs eat peanuts? They never touch the peanuts I give them.

My pigeons won't eat peanuts.

...Actually...mine won't either!

Matilda wrote:

Do you chop the peanuts in smaller pieces, Tech?

Yes, Charis, I chopped them for their bite size like seeds size. I even handfeed it to them, but no luck. They just ignore them.

Mine pigeons never heard that pigeons are crazy for peanuts too
Well nobody's perfect. I love peanuts, so more for me.

plamenh wrote:

Mine pigeons never heard that pigeons are crazy for peanuts too
Well nobody's perfect. I love peanuts, so more for me.

Me too!!

Corn: It's amazing how they eat thawed corn during this season. My Piggy & Bank eat a lot of corn ( Charis, Piggy eats corn & peas on her own now).

Most frozen corn are just too saggy after you thaw them and my pij always have a hard time picking and shooting them to their throat. What I do now is buy the whole fresh corn, boil them, let it cool and pluck the kernels by hand, then freeze them. Once you thaw them, they're firm and my pijs easily pick them up and easily shoot it to their throat! Anyone there who knows of a brand of corn that's not saggy when thawed? My thumb is numb now because of plucking the kernels!

Charis, I think that was the reason why Piggy won't eat on her own because of those saggy corn. Maybe she didn't have the patience to try more. Remember I told you she had a hard time picking & shooting them to her throat until she would stop trying to pick on the corn. Bank didn't have a problem because he is a big guy and his beak/throat is bigger. Piggy is just a petite lady with a petite beak and throat.