Kelp

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:25 pm

The ingredients are listed in my previous post. I pretty much copied it. Just says to offer it openly and not crush it up since they need to see what they are needing.

hfentj · Post by **hfentj** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:29 pm

I too use the Herb salad and my birds love it. My Owls went nuts over it, I'm waiting to see if they have any at the Bird Mart here next weekend so I can get a larger amount. What ever the seed is they all seem to throw it out first. I also grow the wheat grass for an added treat every now and then.

ryanf · Post by **ryanf** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:57 pm

where do you get herb salad from?

DVBourassa · Post by **DVBourassa** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:17 pm

ryanf wrote:where do you get herb salad from?

In the U.S. both Fairest Finches and Lady Gouldian sell it.

http://www.fairestfinches.com/page/page/4448852.htm

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/shopping.mgi

franny · Post by **franny** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:23 pm

I use the flaked kelp from the pet store, it's just the same kelp and spiralina that you buy for birds - just prepared differently. I guess the powder wouldn't interest the reptiles. My finches seem to like it. I mix it with the Herb Salad (which I do chop up smaller) and then mix it all in with my finch mix. I was getting tired of so many separate feeders.

I check the bottom of the cage, and I do see that there is very little waste. Even though you would think they would scatter seed to get at the herbs/kelp/or specific seeds they like. I use the small tube feeders, so it discourages scattering. So they just seem to happily eat what ever comes available next.

franny · Post by **franny** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:28 pm

atarasi wrote:The ingredients are listed in my previous post. I pretty much copied it. Just says to offer it openly and not crush it up since they need to see what they are needing.

I found this idea a bit hard to swallow. As most African finches would never have seen many of these herbs in the wild, and certainly most domestic raised birds have never seen these herbs in their whole state...how would they then know what herb was good for what? I think they eat them more because they either like the taste or they don't, IMO. Perhaps with sampling the herbs over time, they might come to know that certain plants make them feel better...

But I prefer to break them up into smaller pieces as my finches are very small. And it also makes it easier to mix with dry seed, and put in smaller feeders without clogging them up. It may mean they don't "recognize" what they are eating, however, I find that they still do eat a lot of it.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:26 am

I purchased some Kelp granules from my grocery store in the orgainc/health food section. My Owls seem to really like this form and eat it quite well.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:54 am

I still put my powdered kelp in those finger trays in each cage and they all eat, some eat more than others I have it by the water just order from fairest finchs very reasonable and last awhile

steph · Post by **steph** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:56 am

I am growing some of these herbs in my gardens (organically). Is it safe to give finches these herbs fresh every now and then? Is there a risk of offering too much of any one of the herbs on the "herb salad" list? Are there any that are good to give in abundance?

franny · Post by **franny** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:51 pm

steph wrote:I am growing some of these herbs in my gardens (organically). Is it safe to give finches these herbs fresh every now and then? Is there a risk of offering too much of any one of the herbs on the "herb salad" list? Are there any that are good to give in abundance?

I think that since they recommend you give the birds "free choice" to pick the herbs they "need", then there can't be much danger that any one would be bad in large amounts. Here's the list and what they are supposed to be good for: http://www.avianweb.com/herbsalad.html#healthbenefits I know that I fed my finches Chickweed, and Wheatgrass, as do a lot of folks on here, and at least for chickweed, I don't think a bird could ever get too much.