What do you offer the fledged who are weaning?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 3:23 pm

I typically offer nestling food that comes from a small can like this - http://cgi.ebay.com/Premium-Canary-Finc ... dZViewItem
But it costs me almost $5 for this sized can at my local pet shop.

I'm looking for a larger container of finch nestling food. Has anyone tried this one? Any opinions on it's contents?
http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=11184

Thanks!!

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:52 pm

Just bird stuff has a nesting food from ABBA that seems to be good check out this link http://www.justbirdstuff.com/ABBA-92A-N ... 16249.html

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:24 pm

Have you used that with your chicks, Bill?

I'm a little cautious about the Fresh Meat, Fresh Poultry Meat, Bone Meal, Precooked: Fresh Beef Meat. Plus it sounds like it takes a bit of work to prepare and needs to be removed after a short period.

I already supply HB egg/shell and soak seed. I'm looking for a more "instant" food as above. Just pour in a dish and leave it.

Has anyone else used this ABBA nestling food for weaning chicks?

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:35 pm

I have tried it but mine didn't really seem like they tried very much of it,I thought it looked like it might be good to try?

Post by **Sally** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:13 pm

I have used the Abba 92A nestling food, and I do like it. When I make up my eggfood, that is one of the additions I make to the mashed egg. I have never followed Abba's suggestion of mixing the nestling food with water, I was concerned about it spoiling, but have never had a problem mixing it with the eggfood. Of course, I add several ingredients to the mashed egg so that it is drier, and have not had a problem with spoilage.

I also have offered the Abba 92A dry in a separate dish to weanlings. The first time I weaned Gouldians, suddenly they did not seem to be doing so well. I offered a dish of the dry nestling food, and they gobbled it up! Turns out they were not eating enough of the regular seed mix to stay healthy, but the nestling food made all the difference.

That Golden West product looks interesting--a good selection of ingredients. I think I might try that.

I just reread this and realized how stupid that sounds--I don't mix the nestling food with water because I'm concerned about spoilage, but I mix it with mashed hardboiled egg--duh--like eggs don't spoil as fast as water?!

Sometimes I just don't think before I type!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:14 pm

I have never given any of my fledgings nestling foods.
They just eat what is there for the other birds and there has never
been a problem. I do make sure that I have millet out and available always and also some soaked seeds. They seems to love that.

Also, I have egg food for them and I ordered Palm Oil Meal from Fairest Finches. They love the fruit flavor more than the insect flavor. They will eat that up.

I did pick up some samples one time at a bird mart from Lauraine at ladygouldian.com of a Tonic Seed Blend that is great for feather growth of baby chicks. They are tiny, oily seeds and they love them.
Also she had some samples of an egg meal that is a high fiber and high protein food that can be fed to them dry of moist. You could go and look on the web site and read more about it. But I really don't buy it.... I just tried the samples.

They did eat it though.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:10 pm

Thanks for your feedback Sally. Good to know the ABBA nestling food can be given dry if desired. That is definitely the way I would serve it if I get it. I'm still not sure which one to order - I'm just not sure about all the meat ingredients in the ABBA product.

Thank you too Donna. I do have the Tonic Seed from LadyGouldian.com and I have it in separate dishes available for the chicks. I love their free samples with every order too! I have Miracle Meal from Lorraine as well as Palm Oil Meal from Fairest Finches (I order from everybody!) and offer them also. Maybe I offer them too much...? I just want to give them every chance possible to not only survive but to thrive during this stressful time. I think I need to order more Tonic Seed soon.

Spray Millet is in the cages 24/7/365 too.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 6:43 am

Liz, I think you feed your birds like I do.

A birdie buffet!!

I spend way too much money on birds.