Rice and foodstuffs

[CHIRP]

Hullo all, is it safe to give my Zebzzz a few grains of cooked rice? and for feeding the hen when she has chicks, is egg best as its soft? any other ideas to share? thanks.

[MiaCarter]

Sure! You can give cooked rice.

I try to give mostly eggs and bugs when they have babies, as the eggs and bugs are high in protein and calcium, which are two things that they need most to grow.

But rice is certainly okay.

[finchmix22]

I will disagree with Mia on the rice. I would not feed rice since it expands in moisture and we don't know how much water is absorbed or still could be absorbed. I wouldn't want the finches to have rice expand in their tummies. Plus, there really isn't a whole lot of nutrition in rice as its a carbodydrate and starch. I'd stick with fresh and dry eggfood, freeze dried bloodworms or mealies for feeding babies.

[MiaCarter]

finchmix22 -- Oh definitely agreed if it's uncooked. I wouldn't feed uncooked rice (I can't imagine they'd eat it anyways!) Plus, it would be too tough for the babies.

But fully cooked rice would be soft and moist to a point where it wouldn't absorb any more water.
Same with pasta.

Indeed, dried rice definitely wouldn't work, especially for babies.

[finchmix22]

Rice may be alright for hook bills, but not finches. Finches need seed and insects and veggies.

[MiaCarter]

finchmix22 -- Well, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

Rice is found in most commercial handfeeding formulas and rice cereal is a major ingredient in many homemade finch handfeeding formulas too.

So it's certainly not harmful if it's thoroughly cooked and in small quantity (he said a few grains.)
But as I mentioned, I definitely agree that a majority of the diet should be eggs, insects, seeds, veggies, etc.
I feed a very protein-heavy diet with chicks and juveniles.
And really, the parent birds know best. Just as in the wild, I think they pick out the foods that they feel are right. I've found they tend to change their diet noticeably, opting for the richer food items when they have babies.

[Colt]

There are many species like the Bobolink, a native to the US, that eat rice as a large staple of their diet. I personally haven't offered it, and if I did wouldn't use the white enriched stuff, I'd do a brown or wild rice, but Roy Beckham at efinch.com feeds Paddy Rice to all of his munia and lonchura finches as he believes it is an important part of their diet as they eat it in the wild.

[MiaCarter]

Colt -- Ah, I think you made an important distinction.
Indeed, the white rice is pretty void of nutrients, which have been processed away.

So agreed; I'd definitely only offer brown or wild rice as I know that's much more nutritious.
I thought it was Roy Beckham who offered paddy rice, but I couldn't find where I'd read that! So I'm glad you mentioned that. It was kind of driving me a bit nuts! LOL

I know many recipes have you add rice cereal powder to the egg food too to give it a more crumbly, dry texture. But personally, I use handfeeding formula powder, as it's more nutrient-rich.

[finchmix22]

Colt
I'm glad you mentioned the type of rice. I was assuming processed, white rice, so there is a place for wild or brown natural rice or the paddy rice for finches. I forgot many finches live on rice paddy fields and are considered nuisance birds to local farmers. So, I stand corrected. Thanks.

[Colt]

No problem ladies. Glad I could contribute.