Dacian Busecan

Racing Pigeons - Natural Remedies 15 October 2015

8 Natural Products that will keep your pigeons healthy

by Dacian Busecan

Natural remedies have become increasingly popular lately in pigeon racing sport with more and more fanciers using them as an alternative to pigeons medicine . Beyond the convenience, natural remedies for pigeons have found favor with an open minded fancier public that

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want to take once more the natural approach in pigeons diseases prevention treatment and maintaining the general health of the bird.

The natural remedies that i will present further ,are not risky alternative therapies practiced against your doctor's suggestions ,but rather they are safe, and it will guide you through practical actions that you can utilize to help prevent and treat all kind of pigeons health problems. Just remember that these natural remedies do not provide miracle cures and are not meant to take the place of the advice and treatments prescribed by your vet specialist .

You should continue to work and consult with your vet doctor about your pigeons health problems in diagnosing the presence of a disease if this is the case and the right treatment for it, nevertheless, the information i will present can enhance your pigeons overall health by :

Increasing their lifespan.

Increasing fertility and laying ability.

Optimum growth.

Immune system enhancement.

Healthier offsprings with less deformities and increased survival rate.

Improved feather growth, color and condition.

Prevention and treatment of parasites.

Protection against mycotoxins.

Prevention of bacterial and viral infections, and much more.This presentation will offer you detailed, easy-to-follow steps using plants and other products straight from the nature and even items you probably already have in your kitchen .The use of plants and other

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products from the mother nature goes way back in time when this were used successfully as the only cure against all sorts of diseases and conditions but also to maintain and boost their immune system in humans and animals alike .

The natural treatments will not have an -next hour- effect in fighting different conditions like the antibiotics and other pharmaceutical medicines have .Their effect will take a little longer to show ,but will also last longer then the effect of antibiotics , besides we all know that when we decide to use a certain antibiotic to treat a bird we will also need to use other post treatment products for liver and kidneys purification as most antibiotics contain substances that are deposited in the liver and kidneys during a treatment. On the other side we have a complete natural product that even if by mistake is overdosed will not be stored in the liver and kidneys and very soon eliminated from the body without any post treatment aid.

Having said that if i would happen to have a sick bird and it would be a question of life and death ,and an antibiotic would be the only option to save his life i would not hesitate in administrating it with all the sides effects we know that antibiotics have. From time to time when i make visits to different lofts i hear people say “ this bird has never been sick” ,i simply love to hear this expression from people`s mouth as this little phrase ,although not entirely true ,it denotes that we can still achieve the “perfect” immune systems for our birds .

Why this little phrase is not entirely true? you would ask ….because i am hundred percent sure that at some point on his life ,the bird has encountered some form of disease, but it was not shown on the outside, the bird did not look upset and did not stand in one corner with its head between the shoulders, the answer to this question is that its immune system was so well developed and powerful that he managed to overcome the condition without any big help from the

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fancier ,and this my friend should be our goal throughout our entire fancier career ...birds with a perfect immune system .Is this possible in our days with so many forms of pigeons diseases ? ….honestly... not hundred percent, but with knowledge and always in the look for

a perfect healthy life for our birds we can aim and obtain really high new standards ,and this is the purpose of this presentation ,to obtain and maintain an excellent healthy life for our birds by using one hundred percent natural products .

Collecting the plants

If you live in the countryside it will be very easy for you to find these plants in the back of your house, garden or in the open fields .It is also good to know that the healing power of the fresh plants is more superior than those who have been previously dried, and you will be able to find them in this state from early March to late November.

It is also very important to know that you must collect these plants only in sunny days and far away from polluted areas (roads, factories). The best recipients you can collect them into are paper bags. After the collecting process you will need to dry them because this is the way to preserve them for long term

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Apple Cider Vinegar

For centuries, apple cider vinegar has been used to help cure and prevent all sorts of health problems in humans and animals. Apple cider vinegar contains a high percentage of acetic acid, which has a potent biological effects and also ,potassium, amino acids ,and antioxidants .Vinegar can help kill pathogens, including bacteria and/or prevent them from multiplying and reaching harmful levels ,it has traditionally been used for cleaning and disinfecting, fungus, lice, warts and infections.

Using the apple cider vinegar in your pigeons diet will lower the chance of E.coli bacteria to settle in your loft . The beneficial effect of lowering the PH under 5.5 in the intestines of the birds ,brings along the incapability of trichomoniasis to develop . This excellent product may be used in the drinking water :

Dosage :

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1 tablespoon to 1 litre of water ,give it a good shake and then serve it to pigeons .Do not overdose ,and 2-3 days per week of usage is enough to boost your birds immune system. You can easily find it in supermarkets and organic food shops .

Bee Honey

Honey is a 100% pure and natural sweetener made and stored in honeycombs by the honey bees. Nearly one million tonnes of honey is produced worldwide every year.

It is believed that honey history dated as far back as 20 million years ago and the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, apiculture, dates back to at least 700 BC. The taste and texture of the honey is determined by the type of flowers the nectar has been gathered from.

The usual colour of the honey is the gold colour but this can vary from white to dark red and even black. Honey is a natural source of antioxidants ,carbohydrates, fructose and glucose, calcium,iron and potassium, and B vitamins .

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Honey has an antibacterial effect but it is also used in pigeons diet as a recovery supplement following an antibiotics treatment and as a stimulant of the digestive system.

Dosage:

1 Tablespoon of honey to 1 litre of water .

Do not overdose ,as it can produce diarrhoea , two days per week in the pigeons diet i recommend to be administrate .When you mix it ,use a glass of hot water as it will be diluted faster and then you can add this to the rest of the water from the drinkers. I have never met so far a single fancier that did not use at least once honey as a supplement in pigeons diet .

Beer Yeast

Beer yeast is an excellent source of VB1,(thiamine) ,B2 (riboflavin),B3 niacin,which includes nicotinamide, also there are traces of B6 (pyridoxine) pathothenic acid, folic acid ,biotin, plus Vitamins A and C it also contains many important minerals, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Selenium, Copper, Sodium, Chromium, which are important for energy and Iron.

Additionally beer yeast contains a good amount of protein which is so much need it throughout our pigeons life.

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Beer Yeast can usually be purchased as powder or tablets .

Dosage:

1 Tablespoon of powder per 1 kilogram of food . Do not overdose the quantity.

You can use this supplement 2-3 times per week in the pigeons diet but do not use it in the food given to parents rearing youngsters .

Chamomile (Matricaria Chamomilla )

Chamomile is an very old medicinal herb known in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Chamomile's popularity grew throughout the Middle Ages when people turned to it as a remedy for numerous medical complaints including asthma, colic, fevers, inflammations, nausea, nervous complaints, children's ailments, skin diseases and cancer.

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Extensive scientific research over the past 30 years has confirmed many of the traditional uses for the plant and established pharmacological mechanisms for the plant's therapeutic activity, including antiseptic, antispasmodic, antipyretic, antibacterial , anti-fungal, and anti-allergenic activity.

Dosage:

I recommend to use chamomile in the form of a tea for pigeons .To 1 litre of water you can use the quantity that you can hold between three fingers , or if you prefer using sachets then two of them would be the right quantity per 1 litre of water .

For its very special calming properties ,this tea is good to be served to birds that has been lately exposed to stress conditions and longer than usual antibiotics treatments where the bird in case has been isolated. You can find chamomile very easy in the wild ,in shops and supermarkets ,but you must collect it only in dry sunny days.

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Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus

Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods. In the pigeons diet we can use cinnamon in the form of oil (leaf oil )and powder (made out of bark ). In humans cinnamon has over 26 beneficial properties , in pigeons diet we are going to use it for its ;

Antibacterial and Antimicrobial properties.

Antioxidant properties.

Anti fungal.

E.coli and Salmonella preventer and fighter .

Viruses fighter.

Before the days of antibiotics this natural product was used by the fanciers to prevent and fight against Young Bird Sickness, Salmonella ,Canker ,E.coli making him one of the fancier`s favourite natural product .

Dosage :

As a preventive medicine i recommend to be used as a powder - 1 Tablespoon per 1 kilogram of food 2 times per week ,before you add it to the actual food it is good to squeeze half lemon on the food ,mix it well ,and then apply the cinnamon powder and mix it again, let it dry for couple of hours and then serve it to pigeons.

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As a treatment for the diseases presented above you must use a little bit of cinnamon powder and little bit of water ,role it with your fingers in the shape and size of a corn grain and administrate it to the sick bird down the throat 2- 3 times per day . You can find cinnamon powder in most shops and supermarkets .

Garlic

The garlic is a very well known blood purifier, supports a healthy immune and respiratory system. Garlic has ,anti-bacterial, anti viral and anti-parasite properties. It is also known to reduce the smell of droppings .Garlic is a 100% natural product .For pigeons you can use it raw ,or in the form of garlic oil which is widely sold by all sorts of pigeons products producers. I prefer to use the raw version of it once a week in the water. What you must do is take one clove of garlic ,take

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the skin off and with the help of a flat instrument (knife spoon) press it down little bit so it will kind of crush itself ,then you can put this in 1 litre of water ,put it aside for couple of hours ,and then give it to your birds to drink.

Dosage:

Raw garlic - 1 garlic clove per 1 litre of water once per week.

The garlic oil - 1 tablespoon per 1 kilogram of food ,mix it well ,let it dry and then serve it to your birds once per week. Do not overdose. You can find raw garlic in supermarkets, while the oil version you can find it on the pigeons products supplier shops .

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Mint -(Mentha)

Mint is an herb that has been used for hundreds of years for its remarkable medicinal properties .The health benefits of mint in pigeons diet include the following:

Excellent support for digestive system.

Revigorating effect after effort .

Excellent support for respiratory system.

Anti inflammatory effect.

Cooling effect.

Dosage:

In pigeons diet we will be using mint as tea and mint oil .If you are like me and you like to use fresh leaves then the quantity comprised between three fingers in 1 litre of water would make a very nice tea for your birds .If you are using mint tea sachets ,then 2 sachets per 1 litre of water is the right dosage for your birds.

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The mint oil you can use it on the actual food 1 Tablespoon per 1 kilogram of food ,mix it well let it dry and then serve it to your birds twice per week if you want to sue it as a prevention method .In the case of an diarrhoea ,you can use the tea version until you see that the birds dropping have became normal .

Nettle - (Urtica Dioica)

Nettle has been used for centuries to treat allergy symptoms, diseases and conditions in pigeons and also as a preventive medicine for maintaining the birds health.

The health benefits as a result of using nettles in pigeons diet are:

Immunity system booster .

Support for circulatory system.

Support for respiratory system.

Destroys intestinal worms or parasites.

Support for digestive system.

Reduces inflammations.

Stops bleeding.

Very good stimulating tonic containing a high percentage of Iron.

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Dosage:

In pigeons diet we will be using the leaves from the nettles to prepare teas. The recommended quantity if you are using nettles collected from the nature is the one that can be comprised between three fingers per 1 litre of water. If you are using sachets ,then 2 sachets per 1 litre of water would be the right quantity. Serve it to your birds twice per week Do not overdose. You can find nettles in the wild and most supermarkets.

So here my friend you had the chance of learning how to use 8 natural products in your pigeons diet.

If you would like to learn about other 21 natural products presented in my book Racing Pigeons - Natural Remedies you can find the book here

https://www.amazon.com/author/dacianbusecan

or you can access all my books here: www.pigeonsatoz.com

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11).  “Deep into Sport ­ Hand Bird Selection ­ Pigeon Racing” ­ Full colored Paperback Edition   12. “ Racing Pigeons Advanced Techniques ­ The Ultimate Guide  Vol.II  Full colored & Black & White  Paperback edition.  

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