Complete seed mix for doves - Simplified version
This complete seed mix recipe can be used for doves including smaller species like diamond doves. This specific recipe is the simplified version, useful if you already have birds and need to switch their current diet to a better one without struggling or spending too much at once.
Why a good seed mix is primordial for your doves
Doves needs a good seed mix that contains a large variety of seeds in order to have a long healthy life and avoid carencies.
⚠️ Note
Too many store bought seed mixes labeled "complete" for pigeons and doves aren't, some even being bad.
This guide will show you how to improve your birds's diet by making your own simple seed mix using seed mixes, detailed seeds and legumes.
Ingredients
To make this recipe, we'll use the following ingredients:
- Seed mix "Prestige Doves" by Versele Laga*
- Seed mix "Canaries" by Versele Laga*
- Seed mix "European Finches" by Versele Laga*
- Barley pearls
- Red rice
- Black lentils
- French lentils
- Short round grain rice
- Poppy seeds
ℹ️ Note
Versele Laga seed mixes can be switch for other brands' seed mixes as long as it is healthy. See below for more informations.
How to choose a good seed mix
As said before, seed mixes labeled as complete aren't always good, some even containing harmful ingredients. In this guide, we use products from the brand Versele Laga, but it isn't the only one you can use. When choosing a seed mix, make sure to follow this:
- The seed mix must have a good variety of seeds (at least 5)
- The seed mix should have a balanced composition: see the table below
- The seed mix should contain no corn (or it can contain a small amount of popcorn)
- The seed mix must be balanced; meaning it shouldn't contain a majority of one type of seed
- The seed mix must not contain additives.
Often, bad seed mixes will contain a majority of either millet or corn which are appreciated by birds but are unhealthy in such big quantities. Those can also make your birds picky.
Balanced composition of a seed mix:
| Element | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Protein | 13-15% |
| Fat | 2.5-5% |
| Fiber | 3-6% |
How to choose your detailed seeds
Your detailed seeds (rice, lentils, etc.) can be store bought, human grade or pet grade doesn't matter. Make sure to get seeds, lentils and rice with no added salt or spices. The best to choose are organic seeds with no pesticides, but those are pricier.
When you add those to your mix, do not cook them, add them raw and untouched.
Steps
You will need a bowl and a weight balance.
-
As a base, use 100 grams / 3.5 ounces of doves seed mix (Prestige Doves mix by Versele Laga)
-
Add the detailed seeds:
- Barley pearls: 40 grams / 1.4 ounces
- Red lentils: 10 grams / 0.35 ounces
- Black lentils: 13 grams / 0.45 ounces
- French lentils: 7 grams / 0.24 ounces
- Red rice: 9 grams / 0.31 ounces
- Short round grain rice: 15 grams / 0.52 ounces
- Add a pinch of poppy seeds (Important: Poppy seeds helps reduce stress, but are bad in too much quantity!)
- Mix, and add the following seed mixes:
- Seed mix "Canaries" by Versele Laga* : 45 grams / 1.58 ounces
- Seed mix "European Finches" by Versele Laga* : 30 grams / 1.05 ounces
- Mix well, and keep your complete seed mix in a tight sealed container (plastic or glass).
Your seed mix is ready! You can make it in large quantity as well as seeds spoils very slowly and buying in bulks is usually much cheaper than in tiny bags.
Frequently asked questions
Question: My bird is picky, what do I do ? Answer: In the majority of cases you are overfeeding, and because your bird has a lot of choice it will only pick its favorites. You need to adjust the quantity by reducing it little by little every day until you notice that they eat everything every day.
Question: How much does that costs ? Answer: It depends if you buy in bulk or where you get your seeds. Initial costs are the most expensive (this is why we created this simplified version), but remember that seeds don't spoil easily, you can keep them for over a year so you won't have to buy everything frequently. The most expensive are the seed mixes.
Question: I read that raw legumes are dangerous, is that not true ? Answer: No, not for doves. Raw legumes are dangerous for humans, because we produce a gas in our stomach that makes them toxic for us. But birds don't produce that gas, so they are not concerned by this threat.
Question: Should I cook the lentils and rice ? Answer: No, add them raw to the mix.
Question: Can I add even more seeds ? *Answer: Yes, this is only the simplified version. If you want to give them an even better seed mix, you can follow our complete guide here..