Fruit & Vegies

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 4:42 pm

Kenny
Your birds eat the wet fruits? or do you mix it with somthing to make it a little dryer for them?

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:49 pm

hi kiwi &mango
all i do is cut the cucumber in to slices and twist it in the wire bars the same with any other like lettuce and tomatoes they dont like the skin on the toms or the cues,i dont mix it with anything at all .but the stuff they eat the most is cress they even like to rummage through the compost that it comes in

ken

trevorama · Post by **trevorama** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 4:54 pm

My finches will eat pretty much any greens. I buy pre-packaged and washed salad greend (mix of different stuff). I cut a 1" piece of cucumber in half and they eat out the soft center. They'll also eat oranges which I cut into wedges. They eat it down to the peel. Broccoli, peas & corn, papaya and apple. I feed them a different variety each day, that way they seem to eat more, otherwise they may leave one thing untouched, almost like they know they don't need it or something. They also love sprouted seed. I do feed organic, just because it makes me feel better. Everything I've read says avocado is toxic, although I know the San Diego zoo feeds it to their birds (saw it with my own eyes). Don't take the chance. I guess variety is the key. They may not eat it one day but may eat it all the next. Who knows!

Hope · Post by **Hope** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 8:43 pm

My societies love carrots, corn and just about anything else I feed them. The owls eat peas,cucumber and oranges. My cordon bleu is always curious to see what's in the dish today, will try just about everything once. The LG's love broccolli and spinach. I'm trying tomatoes with no buyers yet. I'm also trying a new cornbread with extra eggs added, which seems to be a hit with everyone. Romaine is a hit with everyone and doesn't last long.

Shadowfax · Post by **Shadowfax** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:51 pm

So far I find my birds like:
Cucumber
Tomato
Broccoli
Eggs
Peas
Corn
Banana
Apple
Romaine
Wild grass seed heads

Did not care for
Spinach-Thawed frozen- chopped
Carrots
Peaches

I try opt offer then something new once a week or so and something they like once a week.

debbyloo · Post by **debbyloo** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:15 am

My finches love fresh chopped up dandylion leaves - now you can put these pesky weeds to good use. They also love chickweed - which comes up in abundance in the South during the winter months in everyone's yard. I like to offer these green things available in the winter when I can't "harvest" green grass seed heads.

trevorama · Post by **trevorama** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:35 am

Does anyone have a good photo of chickweed. None of the photos I've seen really show me what it looks like. I don't want to feed the wrong thing.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 12:47 pm

Trevorama
Hope this picture helps.....and a FYI
Of course one should never give anything from a yard like mine " Pesticide Treated" [img][/i[img]http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc27 ... ckweed.jpg[/img]mg]

Post by **Sally** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 12:52 pm

Sorry, I'm not very computer-savvy, so I don't know how to link this, but if you do a search on this forum for chickweed, one of the posts that will come up is titled 'grass seed' and there are some pictures of it there. You could also just google it and find lots of pictures. It is a very common weed, only in winter in the South, but since you have a milder climate in Washington, you may have it there in the winter too, or it may be a summer weed for you. You could always call your county extension office to find out. I think it looks like a tiny clover, with tiny white flowers, very low-growing, in clumps or even big drifts. I don't put any chemicals or poisons on my yard just so I can have the dandelions and chickweed for my birds--they love both!

Oops, while I was writing, Kathleen posted a picture! No pesticides is right--they could kill your birds!

trevorama · Post by **trevorama** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:03 am

Kathleen-Thanks for the photo! I bought some seeds but they haven't done anything, so I'll have to try again. I think they know it's winter and just won't cooperate! (even though they're inside)

Geordie · Post by **Geordie** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:45 am

Mixed seed for mine with egg supplements and paddy rice, grit and rinsed cabbage leaves and broccoli. I never cut anything up beacause they enjoy ripping the food apart and it is also good excercise for them. I put some apple and orange in the aviary once a week but only leave it there for a day. The cabbage leaves I change everyday, but I don't give them too much because it can make their droppings too wet, the broccoli they get about once every 3 days, I just stick a single clump of it in the cage and let them pick at it. The grit I change everyday. The water I change a lot every day (about 5 to 6 times)but only put vitamin supplements in it once every 3 days.

spector · Post by **spector** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:29 pm

I dice up spinach, carrot, parsley, broccoli buds, apple, and grapes into finch-bite-sized pieces, then mix it up with sprouted seed. I have tried egg food, soaked brown bread, bean mix, baby foods, and cottage cheese, with limited success. I still offer it, but the first mix is of all the foods they seem to prefer. I'll throw new stuff in, if it is available and in season, and occasionally find something they like that way.

(I do notice that they will sometimes eat baby food, depending on the variety. They seem to like the sweet potatoes and most fruits.)

I do use organic, just because I figure their little systems are so tiny, they probably can't tolerate much residue, and I have no way of knowing if there are long-term effects. I also grow a lot of my own fruits and veggies.