Updated Shaft-tail Diet

[Emberrhine]

Hi there, everyone!

I have reviewed everyone's comments on my previous finch diet, as well as the nutritional information in the Finch Info Center, and I've made some revisions to the diet I feed:

In the evening, I will clean the finches' food plate and refill it with 1/8 cup of finch seed mix, 1/2 tsp. Quiko dry exotic egg food, and a sprinkle of "Avi-Lac Stress" supplemented seed. The birds always have a cuttlebone, fresh water, a millet spray, eggshell bits, and occasionally some health grit.

Then, in the morning when I get up for work, I will move the seed to one side of the plate and, on the other half, provide the birds with fresh moist food in three different portions:

Egg mix consisting of mashed hard-boiled egg, chunks of hulled sunflower seed, crumbled finch pellets, a little bit of chopped slivered almonds, a bit of cheese, and corn meal

Chopped greens including collard greens, endive, spring mix, some broccoli and cauliflower florets chopped fine, cabbage and carrots, and occasionally chopped spinach

"Succotash," the smallest wedge on the plate, consisting of cooked corn and peas, as well as chopped cooked legumes that are not black or castor beans

I'll also crumble some whole-grain bread onto the plate now and again, and once in a while add a little bit of banana.

How does this new diet sound, do you think? In my last diet, I included a lot of extras that may have provided too much supplementation. I want to maintain variety by feeding not only seeds but also egg food, vegetables, a little fruit, and pellets to round out the diet.

Any additional advice would be highly appreciated--thanks!

-Ember

[cindy]

I personally would skip the cheese... cheese can contain veins of mold that can not be seen by the naked eye but can be harmful to the birds. They do not need it. What is your thought on why they do? The egg is pretty complete.

Go easy on the nuts and hulled sunflower... those are fatty foods.

as long as you are rotating your veggies and not giving all those everyday you should be fine...some of those you should only give in moderation.

http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/safe_toxi ... _foods.php (I know they list cheese on here but you need to use caution, cheese mold and can go off easily. I personally avoid it giving it to birds, not worth the risk)

[cindy]

this is what I feed mine... a good fresh seed mix that also includes brown top millet, German millet. Pellets either Roudybush Nibbles or Zupreem Fruit blends. Have not tried the Goldenfeast pellets on them yet but plan to. They do get dried egg food from time to time.

Fresh foods include sprouted/chitted seeds, sprouted mung beans occasionally. Chopped kale, carrots, corn, peas, romaine, occasionally spinach and broccoli.

They do get Goldenfeast Australian Blend a few days a week, it contains a slew of good things and is pretty complete, organic.

Eggfood is kept simple, it is boiled grated egg with vitamins and mineral and amino acids added once or twice a week depending on how and what I feed that week. Directions on different brands of powdered vitamins varies as to how to give it.

They do have dried egg food every other day or on days my schedule is off due to appts or vacation.

I was following the Green Day Diet for a bit. Vacation did take everyone off schedule a bit so now time to rework things.