Baths for pigeons

What do you put in pigeons bath water? Disinfectant, anything or nothing? Mine usually just got cold water straight out the rain barrel at back of the loft. Maybe bucket of warm in with it mid winter but generally cold, in the corridor during most of the season, odd times on the garden.

Condies CRISTALS (spelling ????) was all the rage years ago, think some old timers still use it.

Mine just bathed in the water fall.


Think some of the things used are more bad than good, wild birds seem to do alright.


Regards.

I put dead sea bath salts in the water from home bargains £1.99 a tub makes um smell nice as well

handful of table salt and half a cup of vinegar

Does the sea salt keep the lice at bay Mark, and why does it make them smell nice, I thought salt was odourless.

How does condis crystals benefit in the bath water.

tea tree oil, wont kill flies but keeps them away and good for skin and feather, buy it from farm shop

Not sure Steve about the lice but since using it they don't seem to be a problem but I use the ones that smell like lavender

redrog wrote:

tea tree oil, wont kill flies but keeps them away and good for skin and feather, buy it from farm shop

Eucalyptus oil here for me, which is much the same I suspect Rog then pool salt & garlic also & finaly one of those feel good moment items for me, the old condies crystals trick . Often think thou etc here they all should be dead after a bath, but surprisingly some how they seem to survive OK .

Condis Crystals have several properties, are only obtainable on prescription now,
but cannot see how they can benefit a pigeons well being if they are in good condition anyway.

Regards.

Diatamaceous earth will look after must bugs. I use it for floor dressing before putting litter down. Mine go out in aviaries so no need to bath them. Rain does the job. As for other stuff mentioned, do not use it. Garlic will poisen dogs etc,.
Charcoal I will have to get and use for next spring. The seeds get planted, fields are sprayed etc,. Birds go down and eat whatever. Charcoal eliminates the chemicals. Blood cleanser, de-toxifier.. Hen grit and livestock mineral block are always avaible to them. Salt block also. Brussel sprouts, cabbage when avaiable. Especially winter.

Never bothered. When the bloom was apparent, it was / is a sign of good healthy. Heard tale from some that shouldn't let them bath then as it would wash the bloom away. I placed bath ater out for them often. If they went in - which was nigh always, the bloom was back in no time.
Indeed a great fancier did as I did. Allowed them to bath morning of basketing … indeed believed it was a must.
Jimmy White from Scotland - Misty may recall him - always did. When doing well - like most weeks he'd tell them it was his BIM treatment, but never told them what that was lol. Left them wondering and perplexed lol.

My pigeons had garlic in the water every day, never ailed anything other than the very odd one going light.

Some experts say garlic is good for dogs and recommend puppies are subjected to the right amount for good health.

As I have said previously the reason I started using it was when I read that the Roman soldiers had to eat a clove a day.

I am not alone in making garlic the main health aid, recently a top fancier in the BHW said it was the only thing he used and he grew his own.

If it was detrimental all my pigeons would have been dead long before the performances they put up.

Anything can be detrimental if abused.

Wild birds bathe in any and all kinds of water and I see very few with health problems relative to feathers and they fly EVERY DAY, some many miles.

If you get the results you want from the methods you use ????????.


Regards.

halcanada wrote:

Diatamaceous earth will look after must bugs.  I use it for floor dressing before putting litter down. Mine go out in aviaries so no need to bath them. Rain does the job. As for other stuff mentioned, do not use it. Garlic will poisen dogs etc,.
Charcoal I will have to get and use for next spring. The seeds get planted, fields are sprayed etc,. Birds go down and eat whatever. Charcoal eliminates the chemicals. Blood cleanser, de-toxifier.. Hen grit and livestock mineral block are always avaible to them. Salt block also. Brussel sprouts, cabbage when avaiable. Especially winter.

diatoms and charcoal both excellent products ,always sprinkle diatoms in the nest pans and around boxes ,charcoal on offer daily in the black minerals.

Well always thought Garlic is a preventive. Never as a cure. Like opposite of penicillin.
If, as suggested, it is a blood purifier then I can see there would be some good of a purpose. Full stop.

not used garlic for years ,nothing wrong with it mind you ,I just use oregano/herbs ,winter months I use naturaline as birds are on lockdown and keeps respiratory tract clear of any snots
during racing we use ropa b for old birds and avidress for ybs ...don't see much creepy crawlies about as use blow torch time to time as well as diatoms atb

Personally, I like the birds to bathe as often as they can/like.
It is the bloom, when fit and in good condition, that blows about in the loft and I believe ism in part, responsible for 'Pigeon lunge'. the fine dust get in you.
Never did, but in reality, I guess, should have always wore a mask as such.
Think a little cinnamon spread of the feed once a week of so keeps the tract/ respiration clear.
Hight Light drop in the eye tell inside a second, for it comes straight down under the wattle. If not, then tracts etc. aren't clear.

avidress also contains cinnamon oregano and organic acids have read before cinnamon needs to be prepaired in a certain way for pigeons but I cant think why

MISTY wrote:

Condis Crystals have several properties, are only obtainable on prescription now,
but cannot see how they can benefit a pigeons well being if they are in good condition anyway.

Regards.

Useful or useless as such etc Misty one could debate for ever here I suspect in regards to Condies crystals. One thing thou that is not up for discussion from my perspective is the fact that it has stood the test of time in many lofts even today & in a way I suggest a bit like Bi-carb soda as such.
*****

You know, when viewing the birds, animals in nature, do ever wonder who buys these great 'Helping Add ons?

Never seen a bird lacking a sheen or colour regardless of time of year, out side of moult. Likewise animals.
Oh yes, let mother nature have the say. Never faulted.
Yes have seen a wood pigeon ill, and another couple of birds ovet the past 60 years in nature. Never an animal though.

I'll tell you what, mine, with out any additives etc. came out the bath water- clear and clean looking spiffing when dried off.
Must have saved a few bob. THat probably went on something more helpful r needed I guess.

My pigeons used to bathe in the small waterfall on the pond, along with all the wild birds that did the same, pond often covered in bloom, the pigeons could drink from the pond but strange thing is I had to top up the garlic water every day in the loft.

Did use different methods with the canaries, they had a large covered aviary open but protected, far different from pigeons having a completely open loft, but they bred year in year out with none of the problems the experts were having they said I had just been lucky, I said "40 of years of good luck isn't bad" Cage and Avery few years back.

Said from being very young KEEP AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE TO NATURE.


Regards.

MISTY wrote:

My pigeons used to bathe in the small waterfall on the pond, along with all the wild birds that did the same, pond often covered in bloom, the pigeons could drink from the pond but strange thing is I had to top up the garlic water every day in the loft.

Did use different methods with the canaries, they had a large covered aviary open but protected, far different from pigeons having a completely open loft, but they bred year in year out with none of the problems the experts were having they said I had just been lucky, I said "40 of years of good luck isn't bad" Cage and Avery few years back.

Said from being very young KEEP AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE TO NATURE.


Regards.    

Some how for me Misty     this subject reminds me of the hospitals of today here. Closed in boxes etc & clean clean clean in every respect but people dread going there for the attention they require because of the fear factor of what bugs they could catch there by doing so etc.

Good analogy knackered, very true

Before they start flapping about in the bath water, most pigeons take a drink maybe "testing the water"?
Something to consider for anyone adding stuff unless you're sure it's harmless

Reading through all the replys i think condys crystals is still used by a few..id still use it now and again but forget about it.
Tried tea trea oil got some here but dunno if it makes any difference.
All non foam bath salts seem to be basically magnesium salts...which is epson salts..iv been using about an egg cup full to about 30 litres in the bath (3 pattagoon buckets).
Iv just ordered some clean clear check mite to try..

barnie wrote:

Before they start flapping about in the bath water, most pigeons take a drink maybe "testing the water"?
Something to consider for anyone adding stuff unless you're sure it's harmless

Absolutely true etc Barnie But have one of those champion, champion type books etc here of the best flyers in Belgium & one has his birds drink daily from the water on his house roof which is flat & holds the water there continually. His view, not mine it all helps to build up their immunity on average.