The Important Pigeon Vitamins
Vitamins are chemical compounds that are natural components of food. Found in minute quantities, feeding vitamins to the pigeon are essential for normal metabolism and health. The vitamins necessary for the performing pigeon are divided into six groups (A, B, C, D, E and K). Within these six main groups are several different sub-types. Each group of vitamins has its own set of functions for the pigeon and when severely deficient in the diet, display their own set of characteristic deficiency symptoms. The effect on metabolism is proportional to the level of deficiency so that when deficiency is mild, the symptoms are vague and non-specific, such as poor performance or compromised health.
Vitamins are generally not made in the pigeon’s body in sufficient amounts to meet requirements and so must be taken in as a dietary source.
The six groups of vitamins are divided into two basic types. The water-soluble vitamins (B and C) are not stored in the body of the pigeon and so any deficiency in these tends quickly to have an effect. The fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are well stored in the pigeon’s liver and so daily intake is less critical.
Each vitamin has its own set of functions:
Vitamin A:
is necessary for healthy skin and mucus membranes, ie the lining of the mouth, sinus and cloaca, etc.
Vitamin B:
is actually a large group of 12 or more different compounds, eg thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), choline (B4), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), etc. These vitamins perform many vital functions for the pigeon. Being water-soluble, deficiency quickly develops if the birds are not eating.
Vitamin C:
is a metabolic regulator. In most species of seed-eating birds, including pigeons, vitamin C is synthesised in the liver and there is no advantage in supplementation unless the bird becomes debilitated and is no longer able to make enough vitamin C, especially if the liver is damaged.
Vitamin D:
is necessary for the absorption of calcium from the bowel into the body the pigeon. Birds can make their own vitamin C if they have access to light.
Vitamin E:
regulates many of the normal metabolic processes within the cell.
Vitamin K:
is necessary for blood coagulation. These vitamins are found in green plants and can be produced by the normal bacteria in the pigeon’s bowel. It is in fact quite difficult to produce a vitamin K deficiency unless antibiotics have been overused and have killed all of the bacteria in the bowel or birds are prevented from eating their own droppings or probiotics are not used.
Important Pigeon Vitamins
The Leading Online Pigeon Racing and Racing Pigeons Magazine – The Pigeon Insider
Hi
Do you have any info about soutbos for pigeons .
KABUTER ODHANE KE DABAI NAME JUST CHARG AND FLYING OTOMETCLY .MUJHE ISH MEDICINE KE NAME JAN NE HAI JUST I WANT TO MEDINE TABLET NAME
Good info about vitamins and what they do for our pigeons. I’ve been using winsmore and vita preen with primilac on alternating days. My birds get garlic once a week in the water. I always get compliments about how great my birds look and perform in the show cage. Find something that works and stick with it.
Thanks for the info even though I have been out of the sport for years I still read up would love to be able to get Birds again But I live in an H O A and they do not allow them back in the day I would put wheat germ oil on the food once or twice a week and a concentrated vitamin in their drinking water
Very good article Brad.
good job terry downs on helping others thanks
Vitamin is important but it cannot turn poor bird into good bird.
Love your input on the winter feed, Moult feed,racing feed and the breeder feed. Thanks Skip
Yes of course we all need vitamins multi-vits, minerals, it is in all foods some more than others.
I am in pigeons all my life and I always say it is apprentiseship you will never finish, myself with pigeons I feed well and most days of the week I have at least some vits
in the water, or other natural products like, cider vineger, mollasses, garlic, all oils,basically what I can buy to try out.
With my pigeons I never had a pigeon die on me with over vitaminized, the pigeon only takes what it needs then excretes out wht it doesent need. This keeps all its body feathering in very good condition, also I find you dont have to medicate your birds as much.
You may here some fanciers say that it cost too much for this and for that, and yet they pay a small fortune to buy pigeons, why pay for really good pigeons and then deprive them on good health on feeding and looking after them with vitamins etc.
With my health of my pigeons is number one, with out this no fanciers can get form in their lofts.
Chopper