Sunflower seeds for finches

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:13 am

ok talking to local breeders a few of them use Sunflower seeds they buy in bulk fo rthere finches.

They chop it up so they can eat it, My question which I SHOULD have asked and didnt DUH

Is can they have the shell and the inside??? or do ya have to remove shells before chopping up ???

Post by **Sally** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:07 pm

The sunflower seeds I use are hulled, out of the shell. I buy bags of sunflower chips sold for the wild birds, and then I chop them up even smaller. Some of my birds will eat them, others won't touch them. Typical.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:06 pm

So I gotta shell all these oh dear lord. lol

Post by **Sally** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:37 pm

Oh, my--if you have a bag of in-the-shell sunflower seeds, I think I would just feed that to the wild birds and go buy a small bag of sunflower seed chips. Or ask the local breeders if they do chop up the sunflower seeds shell and all.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:03 pm

well i have the giant in shell bag as my tiels, lovies and conures LOVE THEM<

but yea i think I will buy some unsalted out of shell type, can I crunch em in a coffee grinde ? or what do you use?

lyderbug · Post by **lyderbug** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:39 pm

put them in a plastic bag and roll a rolling pin over them. don't have to be fancy....i like using a mallet as well...but that is a bit over the top...anything will crush em

williep · Post by **williep** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:57 am

Sunflowers seeds are a must according to especially in breeding season. They are a good source of protein, vitamin E, magnesium and a list of other things I can't remember.

I also used the hulled ones and use a plastic bag and wine bottle to crush them

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:47 am

Lyder, I think a baseball bat could maybe be fun. lol

lyderbug · Post by **lyderbug** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:08 pm

OH! I'll have to try that too

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:55 am

I wonder if a tractor would smash them up good? We used to lay out cans and Hubby would drive the tractor over them to smash them.

lyderbug · Post by **lyderbug** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:16 am

OH that would be awesome!! Looove tractors hahah

Bradley airport is up this way....layin a line of seeds out and letting the planes do their thing....ohhh fuunnn

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:27 am

I think our tractor would BEYOND pulverize them, lol

jonvill · Post by **jonvill** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:27 pm

have you tried sprouting the sunflower seeds?