Fresh seed vs store bought seed...Guess the results?

[Foosa101]

Once I sort all this out, I will probably offer it in 10, 25, and 50 lb. quantities. I was thinking about this mix - keep in mind this a base seed mixture and I still recommend adding in a premium seed mixture with niger etc. - as a basic millet blend.

Browntop
Japanese
Dove Proso
German Foxtail Millet
Red Millet

The Dove and Red Millet will be in smaller in percentages b/c they seem to be liked the least.

Let me know your opinions but at this time I am only going to offer one basic blend and it will be a couple of weeks before I am able to offer it.

[finchmix22]

I would like to see more of the Proso and less Jap Millet, as none of my finches eat the Jap Millet, but some eat the Proso, like waxbills. What about adding some canary seed?

[cindy]

The niger seed was not eaten but I may try again in the colder months to see if they will accept it.

One of the other options is to order individual bags of specific seeds and feed it according to cage...like my GS, Lavanders and owls get a different ratio of all 3 of the seeds compared to the zebras and shaft yails. The owls, Lavanders and GS like more of the German foxtail and BTM and JM mix where as the zebras and shaft tails like the Japanese and Brown Top only. I just use scoops and individual containers and measure out each amount from each type of seed bag/container based on the species and what they prefer.

[Foosa101]

There isn't any Canary available on the market at this time so that will have to wait until the new crop is in. However, I would like to avoid putting in the more expensive varieties as I want to make this a basic mixture but you can always offer a premium mixture with Canary and Niger in it that you can obtain via other suppliers - for me to bring these in and have them added will greatly increase the cost of the mixture - which is what I am trying to avoid. Basically, what my intentions are/were with this mix, is to offer the basic seed mixture contents, at a lesser price, while offering a higher quality product/seed.

I am not able, at this time, to offer custom mixes or blends. Now should this be something that becomes high in demand (2 tons a month or around there, then I would be able to. Being that this is an individual experiment that I have been doing in my spare time I cannot personally. I just do not have the time - sorry guys.

Also, I have sent out a myriad of samples to members on the forum so we have ample feedback on what our feathered friends have to say about the seed and PLEASE KEEP THE FEEDBACK coming. I do, however, regret to inform that I will not be offering the free samples due to this.

Also, I want to address that if you can find or have another seed company that sells SEED grade seed and not feed grade seed near you that you contact them for pricing and availability. This is will cut down the cost of shipping to you and being a seed dealer/distributor/grower it is required that all of their seed be tested for purity, germination, etc. I only state this b/c I am not trying to make a profit off this...but to help save us all some $$$ so we can buy more birds and not feed.

[Foosa101]

So I think this I funny but I tells us how much my finches love the new seeds that I got from Nancy, besides the fact that now they barely even touch the store seed mix, my fire finch is now using the food cup that has the store seed mix as a toilet

Glad to hear they like it!!

[Foosa101]

There isn't any Canary available on the market at this time so that will have to wait until the new crop is in. However, I would like to avoid putting in the more expensive varieties as I want to make this a basic mixture but you can always offer a premium mixture with Canary and Niger in it that you can obtain via other suppliers - for me to bring these in and have them added will greatly increase the cost of the mixture - which is what I am trying to avoid. Basically, what my intentions are/were with this mix, is to offer the basic seed mixture contents, at a lesser price, while offering a higher quality product/seed.

I am not able, at this time, to offer custom mixes or blends. Now should this be something that becomes high in demand (2 tons a month or around there, then I would be able to. Being that this is an individual experiment that I have been doing in my spare time I cannot personally. I just do not have the time - sorry guys.

Also, I have sent out a myriad of samples to members on the forum so we have ample feedback on what our feathered friends have to say about the seed and PLEASE KEEP THE FEEDBACK coming. I do, however, regret to inform that I will not be offering the free samples due to this.

Also, I want to address that if you can find or have another seed company that sells SEED grade seed and not feed grade seed near you that you contact them for pricing and availability. This is will cut down the cost of shipping to you and being a seed dealer/distributor/grower it is required that all of their seed be tested for purity, germination, etc. I only state this b/c I am not trying to make a profit off this...but to help save us all some $$$ so we can buy more birds and not feed.

Sorry if the above msg was hard to read .....I am multi tasking to the extreme today.

[ibon_337]

Well here's the result. The test was done on my 7 gouldians. 1 pair are feeding their chicks, 1 pair sitting and 3 individuals who are molting. They all love the japanese millet, only the pair who are sitting eats the brown top but not as much as the japanese millet.

Looking forward for a right mix, but definitely if Nancy is going to sell the seeds individually I'll order japanese millet since my goulds likes them very much. Not too sure about the other seeds.

[cindy]

Rogie, try mixing the Japanese millet in with the Brown top...I did that and they eat it.

[ibon_337]

Cindy, thanks for the tip I'll do that today. I'll give the result after 3 days.

[Foosa101]

Well here's the result. The test was done on my 7 gouldians. 1 pair are feeding their chicks, 1 pair sitting and 3 individuals who are molting. They all love the japanese millet, only the pair who are sitting eats the brown top but not as much as the japanese millet.

Looking forward for a right mix, but definitely if Nancy is going to sell the seeds individually I'll order japanese millet since my goulds likes them very much. Not too sure about the other seeds.

This is so funny...my Goulds love the Browntop and fav the Japanese 2nd. Were the bags labeled? I have heard that some of them were not

[Chichireeo]

My GS tried brown top millet for the first time when Nancy sent them to me. But the store bought Japanese millet he has always had that before. He ate Nancy's brown top ok, but still really likes his store bought seed because it's the Japanese millet he loves, even though they're not fresh from the farm like Nancy's seeds.
So I guess these different types of millet really taste different. My GS never touched the Siberian millet I bought a while ago. He hated it. I bought grey millet from Harison's and he doesn't care for it either.

[dfcauley]

Got the seeds yesterday. Thanks so much Nancy. What nice big sample bags! Wow!

I put some in the aviary last night and ALL the birds have been eating it. I cannot say which they like the best because they are eating all of it. In fact, this morning they went for it and left the spouts alone.

I would certainly be a good customer for more of this! Thanks again Nancy!

[J&JFinches]

Hi foosa are you still given out sample of the seed/millet if so please PM so I can give u my address if not please lmk prices. Thanks

[annague]

Nancy, got the seed late today and I am going to remove all my trays with the old seed and then place the old seed in a container and the new seed in a similar container (so the birds will have the same sort of offering) and see what happens. I am going to be ready to take pictures.

I will definitely publish my findings (hopefully) by end of day tomorrow.

Thanks so much for the samples -- they are large samples but I am glad since I have so many finches -- they can all taste it.

[ibon_337]

Were the bags labeled? I have heard that some of them were not

No labels on the bags but I use the descriptions you've told me when I PM'd you plus I looked at the pics Cindy posted ( though she mixed up the labels on the pic, based on your comment).

Anyway, I did mixed the two seeds as Cindy suggested and still my goulds eats the japanese and very little of rown top. I found a lot of whole brown top seeds on the floor. I think birds even of the same species have their own individual favorites. I will continue to offer both seeds but this time I will mix it with my old seed mix to see if this will make any difference.