In the first week after hatching, baby pigeons feed on pigeon milk, which is secreted by both the male and female pigeons to nourish their offspring. Typically, the baby pigeons extend their beaks into the parents’ mouths to suck the pigeon milk. From 7 to 14 days old, baby pigeons can be fed soft, soaked feed, such as corn and peanuts. It’s important to prevent overfeeding, as this can lead to crop infection. Therefore, you should feed the baby pigeons an appropriate amount of “mother’s milk” or “food for mother’s milk” to aid in digestion. After about 14 days, baby pigeons can eat solid pellets, such as corn, peas, wheat, sorghum, soybeans, and other grains.
1. What Do Baby Pigeons Eat?
Newly hatched baby pigeons feed on pigeon milk, which is produced by both the male and female pigeons to care for their young. Typically, the baby pigeon suckles pigeon milk directly from the parent pigeons through a beak-to-beak method. Since baby pigeons only consume pigeon milk during the first week after hatching, if the parent pigeons are unavailable, artificial pigeon milk needs to be purchased and carefully fed to the young pigeons. Once the baby pigeons reach 7 to 14 days old, they can start to be fed soft, soaked food, like corn and peanuts. At this stage, baby pigeons are prone to developing crop infections, so it’s important to feed them an appropriate amount of “mother’s milk” or “food for mother’s milk” to help with digestion. After about 14 days, baby pigeons can start eating solid feed, primarily plant-based foods such as corn, peas, mung beans, wheat, sorghum, soybeans, and also some green vegetables and grasses, along with foods rich in minerals.
2. At What Age Can Baby Pigeons Eat Grit?
Baby pigeons can start eating grit after they leave the nest, but it is essential to provide grit throughout the entire baby pigeon phase. After hatching, the parent’s food must always include grit. When the baby pigeons begin to eat solid food, the parents will require more grit because it contains various trace elements like phosphorus and calcium, which help with digestion, metabolism, and the growth of bones and feathers. Once the baby pigeons become independent, they will gradually learn to eat the grit on their own.
