Pigeons eating droppings...

Caps lock is activated.

[Thumper]

I read an article about a week ago that states pigeons eat fecal matter for the nutrients that it contains.

I am sorry, but I have been watching my birds intently for a full week and not once have I seen them eating their or anyone elses droppings.
If your birds are so deprived of nutrients that they have to resort to that then you are not doing your job properly and should consider supplementing their feed in one way or another.

Too even think that it is normal behaviour sounds like someone in denial.

[connie]

Hi Thumper,

No it's true. But only in the very young birds, will you see it. Rabbits do it also.

They get something from it but I forget what is is, sorry.

[Thumper]

Whatever it is that they are after in the droppings should be available to them in their food or in supplemenst which fanciers are obliged to give them.

[Jack Barkel]

Whatever it is that they are after in the droppings should be available to them in their food or in supplemenst which fanciers are obliged to give them.

You are right there Thumper, if birds have salts in front of them continuously they will not pick about in droppings, or even field for that matter.

[Ross]

Hi Thumper,

No it's true. But only in the very young birds, will you see it. Rabbits do it also.

They get something from it but I forget what is is, sorry.

 I remmeber you telling me that you had read this some time ago and I also remember you saying that rabits do this at that time. And I told you, I've never seen my birds eating their droppings, and that the reason rabbits do it is because they can't digest vitimin B12 (if I remember right it's B12).

 I've never seen my birds eat the droppings. I would have to agree with Thumper and Jack, if they are eating droppings, then something is lacking in the diet.

[Ron]

I never really noticed pigeons eating their droppings before but I have seen cattle and horses eat their droppings, dogs really like horse crap, chinchillas do it as well. I don't know if it's cause they are laking anything or not as the dogs were well fed on good dog food. Cattle, horses, dogs, cats, sheep etc, also eat their own placenta after giving birth. It's supposed to be chalk full of good stuff.

Ron

[Thumper]

Hi Ron,

I agree that all the animals mentioned most probably do eat their own and other animals fecal matter, BUT, they are all still captive animals without the oppertunity to roam freely and find what they lack.

Even if wild animals do so, I am sure they wont if they have a choice...

[Ron]

Hi Ron,

I agree that all the animals mentioned most probably do eat their own and other animals fecal matter, BUT, they are all still captive animals without the oppertunity to roam freely and find what they lack.

Even if wild animals do so, I am sure they wont if they have a choice...

Hi Thumper
I hope I don't sound argumentative, Cause I'm not trying to be  But animals in the wild aren't always in the best condition. Just like we give probotics to our pigeons, so do animals in the wild and captivity need some kind of boost once in a while, via droppings or from eating stomach matter from a dead animal. I'm no expert, just going by what I've seen.

Ron

[Thumper]

Hi Ron,

The site and the forum more specifically is here for these types of discussions, the readers will need all the info they can get before making up their minds as to which side of the fence they are on.
Heated discussions usually bring the best results  

I still believe that we are responsible for providing our birds all the nutrients they will ever need, if they eat fecal matter they have a shortcomming that we are responsible for.

[Ron]

Thumper
You are absolutly right, we are responsible for providing the best care and nutrition they will ever need. But if eating droppings in natural then why fight it? If the birds are healthy then it won't cause any harm. Like I said before I have'nt noticed my birds eating droppings but that dosn't mean they don't, I'm not in there 24/7, but I do know that it happens with other animals and birds both wild and domestic. I think that we feel we need to be in absolute control of our birds at all times, when we feed, what we feed, when to give vitamins what minerals, pairing up the birds ourselves etc. I agree that we need to have some control otherwise how could we race them or show them? But sometimes nature knows best.

Ron

[Thumper]

Hi Ron,

I would rather be a control freak and TRY to prevent the birds from eating droppings, which by the way is one of the easiest ways for worms to transmit from one bird to another.

My birds have not had worms this whole season...

They get supplements at least twice a week on the feed and at least 3 times per week in the water, of course every kind of grit available is in the loft 24/7, this is only in the off season, during the racing season they get something daily on the food & in the water.

[fjwrt]

to all,
Most animals that eat droppings are doing this for a specific reason.
Rabbits for B-vitamins
foals and calves for the bacteria in the gut.
Dogs to clean up there den area.
I have never seen pigeons pick at there own droppings, but they will pick at horse or cow droppings that have grains in them.
It is a myth that they eat their droppings for nutrition.
Thanks,
Fred

[connie]

The first year we had birds I saw them doing this. Now that I know more about feeding, I have not seen any doing this.

[Duivenlog]

The first year we had birds I saw them doing this. Now that I know more about feeding, I have not seen any doing this.

Quite an old topic I see  Here's an interesting article on this phenomenon, about Coprophagy http://www.albertaclassic.net/novice/Coprophagy.php